Georgia Unclaimed Property: How to Search and Claim (Free)
Held by the state
Average claim
Cost to claim
Georgia is holding about $3.3 billion in unclaimed property as of July 2026. You can search your name and claim it for free at the Georgia DOR unclaimed property site, the official Georgia Department of Revenue site. A simple claim in your own name takes about 10 minutes and costs nothing.
How to search Georgia’s unclaimed property for free
The only site you need is the Georgia DOR unclaimed property site, run by the Georgia Department of Revenue. Searching is free, and so is filing your claim. You never pay the state to get your own money, and you never need to hand over money to see what is waiting for you.
Search your last name first, then try maiden names, nicknames, and any business you owned. Georgia lists property under old mailing addresses, so search broadly and check every result that could be you before you file.
The Georgia Department of Revenue
Georgia’s unclaimed property is held by the Georgia Department of Revenue. When a bank, employer, or insurer loses touch with you for the state’s dormancy period, it must turn your money over to this office, which then holds it for you to claim.
Georgia's unclaimed property program is run by the Department of Revenue, which reports holding about $3.3 billion and returned nearly $115 million in a recent fiscal year. After a 2024 change, you can now search for even small amounts — the old $50 search floor is gone. Georgia also tightened its finder rules: since July 2024, 'claimant's designated representatives' (finders) must register with DOR before they can charge you.
What’s specific to Georgia
- Georgia is holding about $3.3 billion in unclaimed property.
- A 2024 change removed the old $50 floor, so small amounts are now searchable.
- Finders ('claimant's designated representatives') must register with DOR as of July 2024.
- All you need to start a search is your name and city.
How to claim in Georgia
You can do this yourself in about 10 minutes, free. Here is exactly how, step by step.
Search the Georgia DOR unclaimed property site
Search your name at the Georgia Department of Revenue's official program. You only need your name and city to start, and the old $50 search floor is gone, so check small amounts too.
Add your matching property to a claim
Select each result that is yours and begin a claim. Georgia also reports to MissingMoney.com.
Verify your identity
Provide your address and the last four digits of your Social Security number so DOR can match the record. Filing is free.
Submit your documents
Upload a government ID and any proof DOR lists. You never need to hire a registered representative to do this for you.
Get paid
DOR pays approved cash claims within a few weeks to a couple of months; securities and estate claims take longer.
Claiming for a deceased relative in Georgia
You can claim property that belonged to a relative who died, but Georgia will ask for more than a simple claim needs. Expect to provide a certified death certificate and proof that you are entitled to the estate — a will, letters testamentary, or a small-estate affidavit, depending on the amount.
Here’s the honest part: heir claims take longer than claims in your own name, sometimes several months, because the state verifies the chain of inheritance. If several heirs exist, each may need to sign. Our guide on claiming unclaimed money from deceased relatives walks through exactly which documents Georgia accepts.
Dormancy periods in Georgia
“Dormancy” is how long an account can sit untouched before the holder must report it to the state. It varies by property type:
| Property type | Dormancy period |
|---|---|
| Bank accounts (checking/savings) | 3 years |
| Uncashed paychecks / wages | 1 year |
| Utility deposits | 1 year |
| Insurance proceeds | 3 years |
| Stocks / securities | 3 years |
| Money orders | 7 years |
Georgia finder-fee cap
You do not need a finder. A finder is a company that offers to recover your money for a cut. Their letters are not a scam, but they are unnecessary — the same claim is free if you file it yourself.
Georgia caps what a finder can charge at 30%, under O.C.G.A. §44-12-224. If a letter asks for more, or asks for money up front, treat it as a red flag.
Georgia unclaimed property: common questions
Yes. It is the official unclaimed property program of the Georgia Department of Revenue. Searching and claiming are free, and you only need your name and city to begin.
Simple cash claims are usually processed within a few weeks to a couple of months once DOR confirms your identity. Securities and deceased-owner claims take longer.
Yes. 'Found money' is unclaimed property — old savings accounts, utility refunds, uncashed paychecks, and dividends DOR is holding for you. You can search and claim it yourself for free at the Georgia DOR site; no finder is required.
Under O.C.G.A. §44-12-224, a registered representative's total fees may not exceed 30% of the claim, agreements are unenforceable for the first 24 months, and finders must register with DOR. Because you can file the same claim yourself for free, that 30% is money you keep.
Yes, as an heir. DOR will ask for a death certificate and proof of your right to the estate. See our guide on claiming for a deceased relative.
Unclaimed property in nearby states
See all state guides, or read how to find unclaimed money in your name for free across every state and federal source.