South Carolina Unclaimed Property: How to Search and Claim (Free)
Held by the state
Average claim
Cost to claim
South Carolina is holding about $1.0 billion in unclaimed property as of July 2026. You can search your name and claim it for free at the South Carolina State Treasurer's unclaimed property site, the official South Carolina State Treasurer's Office, Unclaimed Property Program site. A simple claim in your own name takes about 10 minutes and costs nothing.
How to search South Carolina’s unclaimed property for free
The only site you need is the South Carolina State Treasurer's unclaimed property site, run by the South Carolina State Treasurer's Office, 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. South Carolina lists property under old mailing addresses, so search broadly and check every result that could be you before you file.
The South Carolina State Treasurer's Office, Unclaimed Property Program
South Carolina’s unclaimed property is held by the South Carolina State Treasurer's Office, 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.
South Carolina's Unclaimed Property Program is run by the State Treasurer's Office, which holds more than $1 billion for residents and returns tens of millions each year. The official search is at treasurer.sc.gov, and the Treasurer runs a 'Palmetto Payback' outreach effort, appearing at fairs and events to return money in person. There is no deadline to claim; the property is held for you or your heirs indefinitely.
What’s specific to South Carolina
- The program is run by the South Carolina State Treasurer's Office, which holds over $1 billion.
- The Treasurer's 'Palmetto Payback' outreach returns money in person at fairs and events.
- South Carolina caps finder fees at 15% and voids finder agreements for the first 24 months.
- Property is held indefinitely — there is no time limit to file a claim.
How to claim in South Carolina
You can do this yourself in about 10 minutes, free. Here is exactly how, step by step.
Search treasurer.sc.gov
Go to the South Carolina State Treasurer's unclaimed property site at treasurer.sc.gov and search your last name. Try maiden names and any South Carolina business you owned. Searching is free.
Add each match to your claim
Open every result that could be you and add it. South Carolina lists property under old addresses, so check each place you have lived.
Verify your identity
Provide your address and Social Security number so the Treasurer's office can match you to the property. You never pay to claim.
Submit your documents
Upload a government ID and any proof the site requests. Estate and business claims may need notarized paperwork.
Get paid
The Treasurer reviews the claim and pays by check. Simple cash claims are the fastest; securities and estates take longer.
Claiming for a deceased relative in South Carolina
You can claim property that belonged to a relative who died, but South Carolina 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 South Carolina accepts.
Dormancy periods in South Carolina
“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 |
|---|---|
| Uncashed paychecks / wages | 1 year |
| Bank accounts (checking/savings) | 5 years |
| Utility deposits | 1 year |
| Insurance proceeds | 3 years |
| Stocks / securities | 3 years |
| Money orders | 7 years |
South Carolina 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.
South Carolina caps what a finder can charge at 15%, under S.C. Code §27-18-360. If a letter asks for more, or asks for money up front, treat it as a red flag.
South Carolina unclaimed property: common questions
Yes. The unclaimed property search at treasurer.sc.gov is run by the South Carolina State Treasurer's Office. Searching and claiming are free. If a site asks you to pay a fee just to see your money, it is not the state.
Straightforward cash claims are usually paid within a few weeks to a couple of months after the Treasurer's office confirms your identity. Claims for securities or a deceased owner take longer because more documents are reviewed.
Yes. 'Found money' is unclaimed property — old paychecks, deposits, and refunds the State Treasurer is holding for you. You can search and claim it yourself for free at treasurer.sc.gov, with no finder and no fee.
South Carolina caps finder fees at 15% and voids any finder agreement for the first 24 months after property is reported, under S.C. Code §27-18-360. You never need a finder — the same claim is free at treasurer.sc.gov.
Yes, as an heir. There is no deadline in South Carolina. You will provide 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.