Bakersfield Unclaimed Property Search
Bakersfield residents have three places to search for unclaimed money. The city runs its own program for uncashed checks issued by the City of Bakersfield. Kern County maintains a searchable database for county unclaimed money. The California State Controller holds property turned over by businesses statewide. All three sources are free to search and free to claim. You do not need to hire anyone to find your money or file a claim. Between the city, county, and state programs, Bakersfield residents have comprehensive access to records of lost funds, dormant accounts, and other unclaimed property.
Bakersfield Quick Facts
City of Bakersfield Unclaimed Monies
The City of Bakersfield Finance Department maintains a list of unclaimed monies issued by the city. These are checks that were mailed but never cashed. They may be refunds, vendor payments, payroll checks, or other city obligations. The city publishes this list on its website at bakersfieldcity.us.
If you see your name on the city list, contact the Finance Department to file a claim. The city will verify your identity and reissue the payment. There is no charge to claim city unclaimed monies. This program is separate from the county and state systems, so you may need to check all three places if you are doing a thorough search for unclaimed money in Bakersfield.
City unclaimed monies come from transactions with the City of Bakersfield only. If you did business with the city, worked for the city, or received a refund from a city department, check the city list first. For all other unclaimed property, you need to search the county and state databases. The city cannot help with claims that involve private businesses or other government agencies.
Kern County Unclaimed Money
Kern County runs its own unclaimed money program at kcttc.co.kern.ca.us. This searchable database covers unclaimed funds held by the county treasurer. You can look up your name to see if the county has money waiting for you. There is no charge to search or file a claim.
County unclaimed money comes from several sources. Tax sale excess proceeds happen when the county sells a property for more than the amount owed in taxes. The extra money goes to the former owner or anyone with a legal interest in the property. Unclaimed estates are funds from people who died without heirs. County deposits and other local funds may also end up in the unclaimed money program if the owner does not come forward.
To claim Kern County unclaimed money, call the treasurer at 661-868-3490 or the auditor at 661-868-3536. They will tell you what documents to send and how to complete the claim process. County claims are separate from state claims, so you need to follow the county's procedures. Most Bakersfield residents will want to check both the county database and the state database to make sure they find all unclaimed money in their name.
Note: Kern County provides a free search on its website with no registration required.
California State Controller Search
The California State Controller holds unclaimed property turned over by businesses from all over the state. This includes banks, insurance companies, employers, utilities, and other businesses that lose contact with customers or account holders. After three years of no activity, businesses must report and deliver the property to the state. You can search the full database at ucpi.sco.ca.gov.
Search by typing your name or business name. Results show the type of property and an approximate value. Click on a result to see more details and start a claim. The search is free and you do not need an account to use it. If you lived in Bakersfield when a business lost contact with you, your property will be listed under this city name.
Common types of unclaimed property in the state database:
- Bank accounts with no activity for three years
- Uncashed payroll or vendor checks
- Stock certificates, bonds, and mutual funds
- Insurance policy benefits or refunds
- Contents of safe deposit boxes
- Utility deposits and overpayments
- Trust accounts and court deposits
California does not have a deadline for claiming property. The state will hold your money indefinitely. You can file a claim 10 years or 20 years after the property was reported and the state will still return it to you. This is different from some other states that have time limits or that take ownership of unclaimed property after a certain period. In California, the property always belongs to the rightful owner no matter how long it sits with the state.
Filing a State Claim
To file a claim with the State Controller, start at sco.ca.gov. Search for your property and select it from the results. The website will create a Claim Affirmation Form with your details. Review the form and add any missing information. Sign the form and gather your supporting documents.
For claims under $1,000, you do not need a notary. Send a signed form with a copy of your photo ID and proof of your Social Security number. For claims of $1,000 or more, get your signature notarized before mailing. All claims for securities or safe deposit boxes require notarization regardless of value. Mail everything to Chief, Unclaimed Property Division, P.O. Box 942850, Sacramento, CA 94250-5873.
Documents you may need to include from Bakersfield:
- Current driver's license or state ID
- Social Security card or tax form with SSN
- Proof of the old address where you lived when property was reported
- Death certificate if claiming for a deceased person
- Probate documents if you are an executor or heir
- Marriage certificate or divorce decree if your name changed
Simple cash claims take 30 to 60 days to process. Claims involving heirs, businesses, or multiple owners can take up to 180 days. Security claims usually process within 120 days. Once approved, the state mails a check to your current address. Call 1-800-992-4647 to ask questions or check on the status of a claim you filed from Bakersfield.
Public Employee Retirement Funds
If you worked for a public agency or school in Bakersfield, you may have unclaimed retirement benefits. CalPERS and CalSTRS each run their own unclaimed property programs separate from the State Controller. These funds come from refunds, benefits, and contributions that were never claimed by employees who left public service before retirement.
CalPERS serves most state and local government workers. Their search tool is at calpers.ca.gov. Enter your name to see if there is an account. If you find a match, call 888-225-7377 during business hours. CalPERS will send you a claim form and tell you what documents to include. You can also write to CalPERS Member Account Management Division, P.O. Box 942704, Sacramento, CA 94229-2704.
CalSTRS serves teachers and school district employees. Their unclaimed property page is at calstrs.com. Call 800-228-5453 or 916-414-1099 to inquire about unclaimed accounts. If you taught in Bakersfield schools and left before you were vested, you may have contributions sitting unclaimed. Check both CalSTRS and the State Controller database to cover all possibilities.
Unclaimed Life Insurance
Life insurance proceeds can go unclaimed when beneficiaries do not know a policy exists. California law requires insurers to search the Death Master File and try to locate beneficiaries, but this only applies to policies after certain dates. Older policies may not have gone through this search. If a family member died and you think they had life insurance, use the national locator service.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners runs a Life Insurance Policy Locator at eapps.naic.org. This free service contacts participating insurers to see if they have a policy for the deceased person. You need the person's full name, date of birth, date of death, and Social Security number. Insurers may take a few weeks to respond to the request.
California Department of Insurance has more information at insurance.ca.gov. Call their consumer hotline at 1-800-927-4357 if you have trouble with the locator or if an insurer will not cooperate. Some life insurance proceeds end up in the State Controller's database if the insurer cannot find the beneficiary, so check both the NAIC locator and the state unclaimed property search for Bakersfield residents.
Old Tax Refunds
California tax refund checks are good for six months from the date they are issued. After that, the check goes stale and you must request a replacement from the Franchise Tax Board. If you moved from Bakersfield and never got your refund, or if you found an old check you forgot to cash, you can get a new one. The process depends on how old the refund is.
For refunds one to three years old, send a letter to the Franchise Tax Board. Include your name, the tax year, and write "Old refund check" in the subject line. Processing takes about eight weeks. For refunds over three years old, you must fill out a Replacement Warrant Claim form. These older claims can take up to 18 months to process. Call 800-852-5711 to ask what you need to do for your specific refund.
More details are at ftb.ca.gov. Do not wait too long to claim an old refund because the older it is, the more complicated the process becomes. If you are owed a refund and it never arrived at your Bakersfield address, contact the Franchise Tax Board as soon as possible to get a replacement check.
Unemployment and Wage Benefits
The Employment Development Department handles unclaimed unemployment insurance and disability insurance benefits. If you had a benefit payment you never cashed, or if money went to a debit card you lost or never activated, you can file a claim with EDD. There is no filing fee for uncashed checks or unclaimed electronic payments. Use form DE 903SD, which is at edd.ca.gov.
Call 1-800-300-5616 for unemployment insurance. Call 1-800-480-3287 for disability insurance. The phone staff can tell you if you have unclaimed benefits and explain how to claim them. These benefits do not show up in the State Controller's database, so you must contact EDD directly if you think you have unclaimed UI or DI payments from when you lived or worked in Bakersfield.
Unclaimed wages are another source of money that may be waiting for you. The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement runs the Unpaid Wage Fund for workers who are owed money by employers that went out of business. If you worked for a Bakersfield business that closed while owing you wages, call 1-833-526-4636. More information is at dir.ca.gov. This program is less common than other types of unclaimed property, but it is worth checking if you have unpaid wages from a closed business.
Note: EDD eliminated the $25 filing fee for uncashed checks and stale warrants in 2016.
Protect Yourself from Fraud
Scammers target people searching for unclaimed money. You may receive letters or phone calls from companies that claim they can help you get your money for a fee. Some of these are legitimate asset locators, but others are scams. The State Controller warns Bakersfield residents to watch for red flags before signing a contract or paying any fees.
California law allows registered investigators to charge up to 10 percent of the property value if you hire them. They cannot ask for an upfront fee. If someone contacts you and demands payment before they help you, that is a scam. If they ask for your Social Security number or bank account information before you verify who they are, do not give it. The real State Controller's Office will never call or email asking for payment or personal information.
You can always claim your property for free by searching the database yourself at claimit.ca.gov. File your claim online or download the forms and mail them in. The state provides all the instructions you need. There is no reason to pay someone unless your claim is very complex and you want professional help. If you do hire someone in Bakersfield, make sure they are registered with the state and read the contract carefully before you sign.
Kern County Unclaimed Money
Bakersfield is in Kern County. The county treasurer maintains a searchable database of unclaimed funds separate from the state and city programs. For more on county unclaimed money, tax sale proceeds, and how to file claims with Kern County, visit the county page.