Irvine Unclaimed Funds
Irvine holds unclaimed money through its Administrative Services Department for checks that went uncashed. The city maintains a list you can search online. Orange County also has funds from estates and tax sales. The State Controller keeps over $11 billion in unclaimed property from all over California. Search all three for free. No deadline to claim. No fee to file. Irvine residents should check every source since money can show up in different places depending on who issued the payment and how long ago it was issued.
Irvine Quick Facts
City of Irvine Uncashed Checks Program
The City of Irvine tracks uncashed checks through its Administrative Services Department. These checks come from vendor payments, refunds, deposits, and other city business. When a check goes uncashed for six months, it appears on the city's uncashed checks list. The city posts this list online so people can see if Irvine owes them money.
Search the list at cityofirvine.org/administrative-services-department/uncashed-checks to see if your name shows up. The list includes the payee name and check number. If you find a match, contact Administrative Services to start the claim process. They will verify your identity and issue a replacement check once confirmed.
Claiming city funds is simple. No fee. No forms to download. Just call or email the city. They will ask for proof of identity like a driver license. Once they verify you are the correct person, they process a new check. Most claims take two to three weeks from start to finish in Irvine.
Government Code Section 50050 requires cities to send unclaimed funds to the State Controller after three years. Once transferred, you must claim through the state instead of the city. Check both places if you think Irvine issued a payment to you more than three years ago but you never received it.
State of California Unclaimed Property
The California State Controller's Office holds the largest pool of unclaimed money in the state. Banks, employers, insurance firms, and other businesses report dormant accounts. The state keeps these funds until the owner claims them. There is no time limit. You can claim money from decades ago or from last year. It does not matter how long it has been.
Search for free at ucpi.sco.ca.gov/en/Property/SearchIndex by typing your name or business name. The database shows what type of property the state holds and an estimated value. Bank accounts, paychecks, stock dividends, insurance proceeds, and safe deposit box contents all appear in the search results. Most people find between $50 and $500, but some claims are much larger.
Controller Malia M. Cohen runs the unclaimed property program for California. Her office receives annual reports from thousands of businesses. They try to contact owners before money transfers to the state. If they cannot reach you, the funds go into the state database. Over 49 million properties sit unclaimed right now. Many belong to Irvine residents who moved and did not update their address with financial institutions.
To file a claim, visit claimit.ca.gov after finding a match in the search database. Many claims can be filed online. You upload a photo ID and proof of address like a utility bill. Simple cash claims take 30 to 60 days to process. Complex claims involving heirs, businesses, or securities take up to 180 days. The state never charges a fee to file or process your claim.
Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1513, property becomes dormant after specific periods. Bank accounts go dormant after three years of no activity. Wages and salaries take one year. Money orders need seven years. Traveler's checks require 15 years. Each property type has its own timeline before the holder must send it to the state.
Note: The state upgraded to a new system called KAPS in September 2025, improving search and claim processing for Irvine residents and all Californians.
Orange County Unclaimed Funds
Irvine sits in Orange County, which maintains five types of unclaimed funds programs. The county Treasurer offers one of the best local systems in California. They hold money from estates of deceased persons with no known heirs, excess proceeds from tax sales, surplus from landlord sales, commercial landlord sales, and other county payments that went unclaimed. This adds up to millions of dollars available to rightful owners.
Search Orange County funds at octreasurer.gov/unclaimedfunds where the county provides a searchable online database. Type your name or address to see if the county holds money for you. The site shows the fund type, amount, and instructions for filing a claim. Most county claims get paid within a few weeks once you submit the required documents.
The county serves all of Orange County including Irvine. Call (855) 886-5400 for help with county unclaimed funds. Staff can check if your name appears in the system and tell you what forms to file. County claims are free. You do not need to hire a lawyer or pay anyone to file for you.
Excess proceeds from tax sales are a major source of county unclaimed money. When the county sells property for unpaid taxes and the sale brings in more than the tax debt, the extra money is held for the former owner. Many Irvine property owners do not know they can claim this money. If you lost property to a tax sale, check with Orange County to see if there are excess funds waiting for you.
Government Code Section 50050 allows counties to hold unclaimed money in trust accounts. The law requires public notice before the county can take ownership. If you see your name on a county notice, file a claim right away. Once the county takes ownership, you may need more documentation to prove your claim.
What Becomes Unclaimed in Irvine
Bank accounts top the list. You open an account and use it for a while. Then life changes. You switch banks. You forget to close the old account. It sits dormant. After three years, the bank sends the balance to the state. This happens all the time in Irvine. Savings accounts, checking accounts, and CDs all follow the same rule.
Uncashed paychecks happen when employees leave a job and move. The employer mails a final check to the last known address. It comes back as undeliverable. The employer holds it for one year. Then they report it to the state per California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1530. Wages are among the fastest types to become unclaimed in California.
Utility deposits become unclaimed when customers move and forget to request a refund. You close your account with the water company or power company. You think they will mail a refund. But they need a forwarding address. Without one, they hold the deposit for three years. Then it goes to the state. Security deposits from landlords work the same way if the landlord cannot return it due to a bad address.
Stock dividends, bond interest, and mutual fund distributions also become unclaimed. You own shares in a company. They send a dividend check. But you moved and the check goes to an old address. After a few years, it becomes unclaimed. The company reports it to the state. Many Irvine residents who work in finance or tech own stock and forget about small dividend payments over time.
Life insurance policies go unclaimed when beneficiaries do not know a policy exists. The insured person dies. The insurance company tries to locate the beneficiary. If they cannot find them, the proceeds go to the state. Some Irvine residents have inherited money from relatives but never knew about it because no one told them a policy existed.
How to File Claims
For city funds, check the Irvine uncashed checks list at cityofirvine.org/administrative-services-department/uncashed-checks first. If your name is there, contact Administrative Services. They will ask for your contact information and ID. Once they verify you are the payee, they issue a new check. The process is quick and easy for Irvine residents.
For state funds, start at ucpi.sco.ca.gov/en/Property/SearchIndex to search for your name. When you find a match, click on it to see details. Then go to claimit.ca.gov to file the claim online. You will upload a photo ID and proof of address. Some claims need more documents depending on the property type and value.
If the claim is worth $1,000 or more, you must get your signature notarized. Claims for securities, stocks, or safe deposit boxes always require a notary no matter the value. The state sends specific instructions after you start the claim. Follow them carefully. Missing documents delay processing for Irvine residents just like everyone else in California.
For Orange County funds, search at octreasurer.gov/unclaimedfunds to see if your name appears. If it does, download the claim form from the site or call (855) 886-5400 to request one. Submit the form with ID and any supporting documents. County staff review and contact you if they need more information. Most county claims get paid within a month.
Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1540, the State Controller has 180 days to decide on claims. Most get approved faster. If denied, you can appeal or provide additional proof. The state does not pay interest on unclaimed property, so you receive the original amount that was turned over by the holder.
Other Unclaimed Money Resources
Some unclaimed money does not go through the State Controller. Retirement benefits stay with the retirement system. If you worked for a California public agency and left money in a retirement account, check CalPERS for unclaimed property. Teachers in Irvine schools should check CalSTRS if they did not claim a pension or refund when they left the system.
Tax refunds can become unclaimed too. The California Franchise Tax Board holds state tax refunds that were never cashed. Call (800) 852-5711 if you filed a return and expected a refund but never received it. Federal tax refunds are separate. Contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 or visit irs.gov for help with federal refunds.
Life insurance policies may be unclaimed if beneficiaries do not know they exist. Use the national Life Insurance Policy Locator at eapps.naic.org/life-policy-locator to search for policies of deceased relatives. This service is free and covers all insurance companies in all states. The California Department of Insurance also provides resources for finding life insurance policies.
Unemployment and disability benefits sometimes go unclaimed when EDD issues a payment but the recipient moves or changes banks. You can file form DE 903SD to claim old EDD payments. Download it from the EDD website or call 1-800-300-5616 for unemployment or 1-800-480-3287 for disability claims. There is no fee to file for old benefits.
Protect Yourself from Scams
Scammers target people who search for unclaimed money. They send emails or letters claiming you have a large sum waiting. Then they ask for a fee or personal information to release it. The State Controller never charges a fee to claim unclaimed property. The city and county do not charge either. If someone asks for money upfront, it is a scam. Hang up or delete the message.
Asset locators are legal in California. They find unclaimed money and contact the owner. They can charge up to 10 percent of the property value under state law. But they must have a signed written contract before collecting any fee. You do not need to hire an asset locator. You can search and file claims yourself for free.
Some companies offer to search for you for a flat fee. This is unnecessary. The state database at ucpi.sco.ca.gov/en/Property/SearchIndex is free and open to the public. You can search in minutes without paying anyone. Do not pay for something you can do yourself at no cost.
Never give out your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card to someone who contacts you about unclaimed property. Legitimate agencies do not ask for payment details when you file a claim. They send you a check after approval. Protect your information. Report suspected fraud to the California Attorney General at (800) 952-5225 or online at oag.ca.gov.
Orange County Unclaimed Money
Irvine is in Orange County. The county operates five unclaimed funds programs with millions of dollars available. For complete details on county programs, searchable databases, claim forms, and contact information, visit the Orange County unclaimed money page.