Virginia Unclaimed Property: How to Search and Claim (Free)
Held by the state
Average claim
Cost to claim
Virginia is holding about $4.1 billion in unclaimed property as of July 2026. You can search your name and claim it for free at vaMoneySearch.gov, the official Virginia Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division site. A simple claim in your own name takes about 10 minutes and costs nothing.
How to search Virginia’s unclaimed property for free
The only site you need is vaMoneySearch.gov, run by the Virginia Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division. 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. Virginia lists property under old mailing addresses, so search broadly and check every result that could be you before you file.
The Virginia Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division
Virginia’s unclaimed property is held by the Virginia Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division. 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.
Virginia's Unclaimed Property Division, part of the Department of the Treasury, has run the program since 1961 and now holds about $4.1 billion. In March 2025 the CASH Now Act took effect, letting the Treasury mail checks directly for single-owner claims of $5,000 or less — no claim form required. Money that stays unclaimed supports the state's Literary Fund, but there is no deadline, and your money is always yours to claim.
What’s specific to Virginia
- Virginia holds about $4.1 billion in unclaimed property.
- The CASH Now Act (March 2025) auto-mails checks for single-owner claims of $5,000 or less — you may not have to file anything.
- There is no deadline to claim; unclaimed money supports the state Literary Fund until you claim it.
- Finders cannot even contact you about your property until it has been with the Treasury for 36 months.
How to claim in Virginia
You can do this yourself in about 10 minutes, free. Here is exactly how, step by step.
Search vaMoneySearch.gov
Go to vaMoneySearch.gov, the Virginia Treasury's official unclaimed property site, and search your name and any maiden name or former business.
Check whether Virginia already mailed you a check
Under the CASH Now Act, Virginia auto-mails checks for single-owner claims of $5,000 or less, often within about 45 days, so you may not need to file at all.
Start a claim on your matching property
If a claim is needed, add each matching property and begin. Search broadly across old addresses.
Verify your identity and upload proof
Provide your address and the last four digits of your Social Security number, then upload a government ID. Filing is free.
Get paid by the Treasury
Virginia pays cash claims in a few weeks; stock and heir claims take longer. There is no deadline to claim.
Claiming for a deceased relative in Virginia
You can claim property that belonged to a relative who died, but Virginia 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 Virginia accepts.
Dormancy periods in Virginia
“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 |
Virginia 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.
Virginia caps what a finder can charge at 10%, under Va. Code §55.1-2542. If a letter asks for more, or asks for money up front, treat it as a red flag.
Virginia unclaimed property: common questions
Yes. vaMoneySearch.gov is the official site of the Virginia Department of the Treasury's Unclaimed Property Division. Searching and claiming are free, and the Treasurer warns residents to avoid fee-based 'finder' services.
Many single-owner claims of $5,000 or less are now mailed automatically under the CASH Now Act, often within about 45 days of notification. Claims you file yourself for cash are usually paid in a few weeks; stock and heir claims take longer.
Yes. 'Found money' is unclaimed property — old bank accounts, uncashed checks, utility deposits, and insurance the Treasury is holding for you. You can search and claim it yourself for free at vaMoneySearch.gov, and Virginia may even mail smaller amounts to you automatically.
Under Va. Code §55.1-2542, a finder cannot charge more than 10%, and it is unlawful for anyone to sign you to a recovery contract until 36 months after the property reaches the Treasury. Filing yourself is free, so you rarely need one.
Yes, as an heir or estate representative, with a death certificate and proof of your authority. 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.