Minnesota Unclaimed Property: How to Search and Claim (Free)
Held (estimated)
Average claim
Cost to claim
Minnesota holds an estimated $700 million to $1 billion in unclaimed property — the Department of Commerce does not publish an exact running total, but it returns roughly $60 million a year to owners. You can search your name and claim it for free at the Minnesota Department of Commerce unclaimed property program, the official Minnesota Department of Commerce, Unclaimed Property Program site. A simple claim in your own name takes about 10 minutes and costs nothing.
How to search Minnesota’s unclaimed property for free
The only site you need is the Minnesota Department of Commerce unclaimed property program, run by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, 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. Minnesota lists property under old mailing addresses, so search broadly and check every result that could be you before you file.
The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Unclaimed Property Program
Minnesota’s unclaimed property is held by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, 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.
Minnesota's unclaimed property program is run by the Department of Commerce, not a treasurer. The state acts as a permanent custodian: once a bank, employer, or insurer turns over your money, Commerce holds it until you or your heirs claim it, with no deadline. Commerce does not publish a single running total, but reporting on the program consistently puts the pool between $700 million and $1 billion, and the state returns on the order of $60 million a year.
What’s specific to Minnesota
- Minnesota's program is administered by the Department of Commerce rather than the state treasurer.
- Commerce does not publish an exact held total; outside estimates put it between $700 million and $1 billion.
- There is no deadline to claim — Minnesota holds the property in perpetuity for you or your heirs.
- Minnesota participates in MissingMoney.com, so a national search will surface Minnesota records.
How to claim in Minnesota
You can do this yourself in about 10 minutes, free. Here is exactly how, step by step.
Search the Minnesota Department of Commerce unclaimed property program
Search your name at mn.gov/commerce. Minnesota also reports to MissingMoney.com, so a national search will surface Minnesota records.
Add your matching property to a claim
Select each result that is yours and start a claim. Include maiden names and any business you owned.
Verify your identity
Provide your address and the last four digits of your Social Security number so Commerce can match the record. Filing is free.
Submit your documents
Upload a government ID and any proof requested. Estate and securities claims need extra documents.
Get paid
Commerce pays most simple cash claims within about 90 days of confirming your identity. There is no deadline, since Minnesota holds property in perpetuity.
Claiming for a deceased relative in Minnesota
You can claim property that belonged to a relative who died, but Minnesota 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 Minnesota accepts.
Dormancy periods in Minnesota
“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 |
Minnesota 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.
Minnesota caps what a finder can charge at 10%, under Minn. Stat. § 345.515. If a letter asks for more, or asks for money up front, treat it as a red flag.
Minnesota unclaimed property: common questions
Yes. It is the official state program run by the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Searching and claiming are free, and the state simply holds your money until you claim it. If a site asks you to pay a fee to see your money, it is not the state.
Minnesota does not publish an exact running total, but reporting on the program consistently estimates the pool at $700 million to $1 billion, and the state returns roughly $60 million a year to owners.
Simple cash claims are usually paid within about 90 days after Commerce confirms your identity. Claims involving securities, a business, or a deceased owner take longer because more documents are verified.
Yes. 'Found money' is unclaimed property — uncashed checks, dormant accounts, deposits, and refunds the state is holding for you. You can search and claim it yourself for free through the Department of Commerce; there is no fee and no finder required.
Under Minn. Stat. § 345.515, no one can charge you to locate property during the first 24 months after it reaches the state, and after that a fee over 10% is invalid unless the agreement is in writing and fully discloses the property. Because filing yourself is free, you rarely need a finder.
Yes, as an heir. Commerce 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.