California City Unclaimed Money Programs

Many California cities maintain their own unclaimed money programs separate from county and state programs. City finance departments hold uncashed checks from old utility deposits, overpayments, vendor refunds, and other municipal funds. Large cities often have searchable databases or publish annual lists of unclaimed property. You can claim these funds directly from the city with no service charges or fees. Cities follow the same state escheatment laws as counties, holding unclaimed money for at least three years before it may transfer to other funds or the state.

Major California Cities

Select a city to find contact information, search tools, and filing procedures for unclaimed funds held at the city level. Many cities maintain finance department programs where you can search for uncashed checks and file claims.

City Programs vs County and State Programs

City unclaimed money comes from different sources than county or state funds. Cities hold uncashed checks from refunds, overpayments, old utility deposits, and vendor payments. When a resident moves without claiming a deposit or a business never cashes a check, that money becomes unclaimed after a period of time. Each city manages its own finance department process for holding and returning these funds.

Large cities like San Diego, San Jose, and Los Angeles run active programs with dedicated unclaimed money pages. San Diego held over $916,000 for more than 800 individuals and businesses as of recent reports. Many cities publish lists online where you can search by name. Some offer online claim forms while others require you to contact the finance department directly by phone or mail.

Smaller cities may not maintain separate unclaimed money programs. They might transfer funds to the county or state after the required holding period. Some cities only publish annual notices in local newspapers as required by law. The notice gives people a set time to claim their money before it escheats to the city general fund or moves to the state.

Common types of city unclaimed funds include water and sewer deposit refunds, parking ticket overpayments, business license refunds, permit fee refunds, and accounts payable checks that were never cashed. Some cities also hold unclaimed payroll checks from former employees who left without collecting their final pay or did not update their address.

Note: Check city, county, and state sources when searching for unclaimed money to cover all possible locations where funds might be held.