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Louisiana · Unclaimed property

Unclaimed money in Louisiana: how to find and claim it

Louisiana holds $1.2 billion in unclaimed money. Searching and claiming are free.

Checked against official sources: Oct 21, 2026

Search Louisiana's official list of unclaimed property by name.

Search Louisiana's list (free, official) →

Scam warning: the state never charges a fee to claim, and the FTC warns that state programs don't text you alerts or links. How to spot a scam

$1.2 billionwaiting to be claimed (as of June 2024)
Over $937 millionreturned in total (running counter on the state site, October 2026)
Freeto search and claim
MissingMoney.comalso searches Louisiana's list

How to claim in Louisiana

  1. Search your name at unclaimedproperty.la.gov, or call the office and staff will search for you.

  2. Select the items that are yours, choose your relationship to the owner (Owner, Estate Representative, Heir or Business Representative), and enter your current mailing address.

  3. Submit the claim to get a claim number and an emailed claim form listing what you must send.

  4. Sign the claim form. The state's pages disagree on notarization: the FAQ says claims of $5,000 or more need a notarized form, but the claim instructions say every claim form must be signed and notarized. To avoid delays, have it notarized or call the office first.

  5. Mail the form and proof to P.O. Box 91010, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9010, or upload documents in the secure online portal. Don't email personal information.

Yes, in part. Under Act 339 of 2018, the Treasury matches its records with Department of Revenue addresses and mails some checks without any claim being filed. The state says these checks are real and you should cash them.

Official instructions for claims

Documents you may need

  • Copy of your driver's license or other photo ID
  • Proof of your Social Security number (required for every claim)
  • Proof of the previous address shown on the record, if it is not your current address
  • Sometimes: proof you worked for or did business with the company that reported the money
  • For a deceased owner: court-recognized estate documents proving heirship

Money owed to a relative who died

Legal heirs of a deceased person can claim. Louisiana requires court-recognized estate documents to prove heirship.

Contact the program

Program
Louisiana Department of Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division
Phone
1-888-925-4127 (toll-free) or 225-219-9400
Claims by mail
Louisiana Unclaimed Property, P.O. Box 91010, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9010
Processing time
Processing time depends on volume and may take up to 90 days.

Finder fees in Louisiana

Any agreement to pay someone to find or recover your property is void if made between the date the property became abandoned and 24 months after it was turned over to the state. A finder ("fiduciary agent") can be paid no more than 10% of the claim value. You and the agent must both sign a payment request in front of a notary, and it must be filed with the claim. Any agreement must be in writing, describe the property and services, be signed by you, and state the value before and after the fee. You or the state can sue to cut an unconscionable fee.

Law: La. R.S. 9:177

Claiming is free. Your state never charges a fee to search or to claim. Be careful with letters, calls or texts that ask for a fee, a percentage or your bank login to release money. Search the official state site yourself.

Good to know

  • Search results show only an amount range (under $25, $25–$50, $50–$100, or over $100), not the exact amount.
  • The Treasury says 1 in 6 people in Louisiana has unclaimed property, and claims average about $900 (June 2024).

Also check outside Louisiana

Search every other state where you lived or worked. Some money, like old savings bonds and IRS refunds, is held by federal agencies.

MissingMoney.com and NAUPA state unclaimed property search

Money that businesses could not return to you and had to hand over to a state, such as old bank accounts and insurance policies. USA.gov says state governments hold most unclaimed money.

Official site

U.S. savings bonds (TreasuryDirect)

Old paper or electronic U.S. savings bonds that were never cashed, including bonds that have matured and stopped earning interest (EE and I bonds earn interest for up to 30 years), plus lost, stolen or destroyed bonds.

Official site

IRS refunds from tax returns never filed (3-year rule)

Tax refunds owed to people who never filed a federal tax return for a year, often because they earned little and were not required to file. The IRS says taxpayers usually have three years to file and claim a refund; after that the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.

Official site

Questions about Louisiana

How do I find unclaimed money in Louisiana?

Search the official database run by the Louisiana Department of Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division. Searching is free. Search every name you have used and every address where you lived in Louisiana.

Does it cost anything to claim money in Louisiana?

No. The state does not charge a fee to claim. Any agreement to pay someone to find or recover your property is void if made between the date the property became abandoned and 24 months after it was turned over to the state. A finder ("fiduciary agent") can be paid no more than 10% of the claim value. You and the agent must both sign a payment request in front of a notary, and it must be filed with the claim. Any agreement must be in writing, describe the property and services, be signed by you, and state the value before and after the fee. You or the state can sue to cut an unconscionable fee.

How do I claim money for a relative who died in Louisiana?

Legal heirs of a deceased person can claim. Louisiana requires court-recognized estate documents to prove heirship.

How long does a claim take in Louisiana?

Processing time depends on volume and may take up to 90 days.

Sources

Last checked: Oct 21, 2026.

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