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Oregon · Unclaimed property

Unclaimed money in Oregon: how to find and claim it

Oregon holds over $1 billion in unclaimed money. Searching and claiming are free.

Checked against official sources: Oct 21, 2026

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

Search Oregon'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

Over $1 billionwaiting to be claimed (as of January 2025)
Nearly $60 millionreturned through more than 61,000 claims in 2025
Freeto search and claim
MissingMoney.comalso searches Oregon's list

How to claim in Oregon

  1. Search your name at unclaimed.oregon.gov. The site does not show amounts, to prevent fraud.

  2. Click CLAIM, choose your relationship to the owner (owner, heir, etc.), enter your current address, and submit to get a claim number.

  3. Include your Social Security number when you create the claim. With it, the system can verify you and approve some claims automatically.

  4. Upload your documents online (fastest), or mail them. Never email claim forms.

  5. Check your claim status online with your claim number.

The system approves simple claims under $2,500 the same day if your information is complete and matches. Each year, Checks Without Claims also mails checks with no claim needed to single owners of $50 to $10,000 in non-securities property reported under their SSN; the 2026 round covers property reported in 2024, with checks expected in late October 2026.

Official instructions for claims

Documents you may need

  • Copy of a current government-issued photo ID
  • Proof of your current mailing address
  • Proof of the address on the property, such as any mail with your name and that address (if you have none, a short written explanation)
  • Proof of Social Security number (not required, but speeds things up)
  • Some claims need a notarized signature or extra documents

Money owed to a relative who died

You must be one of the closest relatives or be named in court papers as entitled to the estate. Expect to send a death certificate or other proof of death (such as an obituary), court-certified probate documents including a small estate affidavit, and proof of your relationship.

Contact the program

Program
Oregon State Treasury, Unclaimed Property Program
Phone
503-566-9445
Claims by mail
Oregon State Treasury, Unclaimed Property Program, 867 Hawthorne Ave. SE, Salem, OR 97301
Processing time
Simple claims under $2,500 can be approved the day they arrive, with a check in the mail within a couple of weeks. The goal is to respond within 120 days, but claims needing manual review can take up to 10 months at the busiest times.

Finder fees in Oregon

We found no percentage cap on finder fees in Oregon's unclaimed property law (ORS chapter 98). A finder must be a private investigator licensed by Oregon's Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, and must file a notarized power of attorney from you. You must sign the claim form yourself.

Law: OAR 170-140-0110; ORS 703.401–703.470

Watch out: If you get a Checks Without Claims letter, you can confirm it's real at unclaimed.oregon.gov or by contacting [email protected]; filing a separate claim instead can delay your payment by 6 to 7 months.

Good to know

  • Oregon holds unclaimed property for the owner forever, and claiming is free.
  • The program moved from the Department of State Lands to Oregon State Treasury on July 1, 2021, so older letters may name the old agency.
  • Interest earned on unclaimed property goes to the Common School Fund, which supports Oregon K-12 schools.

Also check outside Oregon

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 Oregon

How do I find unclaimed money in Oregon?

Search the official database run by the Oregon State Treasury, Unclaimed Property Program. Searching is free. Search every name you have used and every address where you lived in Oregon.

Does it cost anything to claim money in Oregon?

No. The state does not charge a fee to claim. We found no percentage cap on finder fees in Oregon's unclaimed property law (ORS chapter 98). A finder must be a private investigator licensed by Oregon's Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, and must file a notarized power of attorney from you. You must sign the claim form yourself.

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

You must be one of the closest relatives or be named in court papers as entitled to the estate. Expect to send a death certificate or other proof of death (such as an obituary), court-certified probate documents including a small estate affidavit, and proof of your relationship.

How long does a claim take in Oregon?

Simple claims under $2,500 can be approved the day they arrive, with a check in the mail within a couple of weeks. The goal is to respond within 120 days, but claims needing manual review can take up to 10 months at the busiest times.

Sources

Last checked: Oct 21, 2026.

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