Texas Unclaimed Property: How to Search and Claim (Free)
Held by the state
Average claim
Cost to claim
Texas is holding about $10.9 billion in unclaimed property as of July 2026. You can search your name and claim it for free at claimittexas.gov, the official Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts site. A simple claim in your own name takes about 10 minutes and costs nothing.
How to search Texas’s unclaimed property for free
The only site you need is claimittexas.gov, run by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. 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. Texas lists property under old mailing addresses, so search broadly and check every result that could be you before you file.
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Texas’s unclaimed property is held by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. 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.
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts runs ClaimItTexas.gov and returns hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Texas is one of the more claimant-friendly states: many cash claims under $5,000 with a matching address are approved without notarization, and the Comptroller does report to MissingMoney.com, so a national search will also surface Texas property.
What’s specific to Texas
- Texas pays some interest on interest-bearing accounts it holds, unlike California.
- Claims under $100 are often approved with minimal documentation.
- The Comptroller runs periodic outreach mailers — a real letter from the Comptroller is not a scam, but you never have to pay to respond to it.
How to claim in Texas
You can do this yourself in about 10 minutes, free. Here is exactly how, step by step.
Search ClaimItTexas.gov
Search your name at claimittexas.gov. Try maiden names and former business names too — Texas holds property under many old records.
Add matching properties to your claim
Select each item that appears to be yours. The site lets you file one claim for several properties.
Confirm identity with the Comptroller
Provide your Social Security number and address so the Comptroller can match you. There is never a fee.
Upload ID and submit
Upload a government ID. Claims over $5,000 or involving a business or estate may need notarized forms; the site tells you exactly what to send.
Get paid
The Comptroller pays approved claims by check or direct deposit. Simple claims often clear within 60 to 90 days.
Claiming for a deceased relative in Texas
You can claim property that belonged to a relative who died, but Texas 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 Texas accepts.
Dormancy periods in Texas
“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 payroll checks | 1 year |
| Utility deposits | 1 year |
| Insurance proceeds | 3 years |
| Stocks and dividends | 3 years |
| Money orders | 3 years |
Texas 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.
Texas caps what a finder can charge at 10%, under Tex. Prop. Code §74.507. If a letter asks for more, or asks for money up front, treat it as a red flag.
Texas unclaimed property: common questions
Yes. ClaimItTexas.gov is the official site of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Searching and claiming are free. Texas also reports to MissingMoney.com, so both sites are safe to use.
Yes. 'Found money' is unclaimed property the state is holding for you — uncashed checks, old deposits, and refunds. In Texas it is free to search and claim at claimittexas.gov, and Texas also reports to MissingMoney.com, so a national search will surface it too.
Most straightforward cash claims are paid within 60 to 90 days after the Comptroller confirms your identity. Larger claims, business claims, and heir claims take longer.
Yes — searching is completely free at claimittexas.gov, and so is filing your claim. You never pay the state to get your own money.
Under Tex. Prop. Code §74.507, a finder cannot charge more than 10% of the property's value, and cannot enter an agreement until the property has been reported to the Comptroller. You do not need a finder for a simple claim.
Yes. As an heir you provide a death certificate and proof of your right to the estate, such as letters testamentary or a small-estate affidavit. See our deceased-relative guide for the exact documents.
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.