Hawaii Unclaimed Property: How to Search and Claim (Free)
Held by the state
Average claim
Cost to claim
Hawaii's Unclaimed Property Trust Fund held about $41.6 million at the close of fiscal year 2025, and the program takes in roughly $40–55 million more each year. Hawaii sweeps balances above $1.3 million into the state General Fund annually, but property worth $100 or more can still be claimed by its owner in perpetuity. You can search your name and claim it for free at the State of Hawaii Unclaimed Property Program, the official Hawaii Department of Budget and Finance, Unclaimed Property Program site. A simple claim in your own name takes about 10 minutes and costs nothing.
How to search Hawaii’s unclaimed property for free
The only site you need is the State of Hawaii Unclaimed Property Program, run by the Hawaii Department of Budget and Finance, Unclaimed Property Program. 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. Hawaii lists property under old mailing addresses, so search broadly and check every result that could be you before you file.
Important: Hawaii does not report to MissingMoney.com, the national search site. A national search will miss your Hawaii money entirely — you have to search the State of Hawaii Unclaimed Property Program directly. See our guide to MissingMoney.com for the full list of states it misses.
The Hawaii Department of Budget and Finance, Unclaimed Property Program
Hawaii’s unclaimed property is held by the Hawaii Department of Budget and Finance, Unclaimed Property Program. 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.
Hawaii's unclaimed property is run by the Department of Budget and Finance, not a treasurer. The program's trust fund held about $41.6 million at the end of fiscal year 2025 and collects roughly $40–55 million more each year. Hawaii is unusual in two ways: it sweeps trust-fund balances above $1.3 million into the General Fund every year, and — under a rule change more than a decade ago — property worth less than $100 is only held for 10 years before it is forfeited to the state. Property of $100 or more can still be claimed by its owner in perpetuity, and claiming is always free.
What’s specific to Hawaii
- Hawaii's program is run by the Department of Budget and Finance, and its trust fund held about $41.6 million at the end of FY2025.
- Balances above $1.3 million are swept into the state General Fund each year, though $100+ property stays claimable in perpetuity.
- Property worth under $100 is only held for 10 years before it is forfeited — the rare Hawaii deadline, so search and claim small amounts promptly.
- Hawaii is the one state that does not report to MissingMoney.com, so you must search the state's own database directly.
How to claim in Hawaii
You can do this yourself in about 10 minutes, free. Here is exactly how, step by step.
Search the State of Hawaii Unclaimed Property Program
Search your name at unclaimedproperty.ehawaii.gov. Hawaii is the one state not on MissingMoney.com, so this state site is the only place to look.
Add your matching property to a claim
Select each result that is yours and start a claim. Claim small amounts promptly: property under $100 is only held for 10 years before it is forfeited.
Verify your identity
Provide your address and the last four digits of your Social Security number so Budget & Finance can match the record. Filing is free.
Submit your documents
Upload or mail a government ID and any proof requested. Estate and securities claims need extra documents.
Get paid
Hawaii pays approved cash claims within a few weeks to a couple of months. Property worth $100 or more can be claimed in perpetuity.
Claiming for a deceased relative in Hawaii
You can claim property that belonged to a relative who died, but Hawaii 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 Hawaii accepts.
Dormancy periods in Hawaii
“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) | 5 years |
| Uncashed paychecks / wages | 1 year |
| Utility deposits | 1 year |
| Insurance proceeds | 5 years |
| Stocks / securities | 3 years |
| Money orders | 7 years |
Hawaii 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.
Hawaii does not set a flat percentage cap on finder fees. Instead, under HRS § 523A-25, a finder agreement is void during the first 24 months after the property reaches the state, and any fee over 25% of the property's value is unenforceable and a court can reduce it. Either way, the same claim is free if you file it yourself.
Hawaii unclaimed property: common questions
Yes. unclaimedproperty.ehawaii.gov is the official site of the Hawaii Department of Budget and Finance. Searching and claiming are free. If a site asks you to pay a fee to see your money, it is not the state.
Hawaii's Unclaimed Property Trust Fund held about $41.6 million at the end of fiscal year 2025 and takes in roughly $40–55 million more each year, sweeping balances above $1.3 million into the General Fund.
No. Hawaii is the one state that does not push its data to MissingMoney.com, so a national search will miss your Hawaii property. You have to search the state's own database directly.
Property worth $100 or more can be claimed in perpetuity. Property worth under $100 is only held for 10 years before it is forfeited to the state, so it is worth searching and claiming small amounts promptly.
Under HRS § 523A-25, a finder agreement is void for the first 24 months after the property reaches the state, and any fee over 25% of the value is unenforceable and can be reduced by a court. Because filing yourself is free, you rarely need a finder.
Yes, as an heir. The Department will ask for a death certificate and proof you are entitled 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.