State Unclaimed Property in Alabama

State Unclaimed Property in Alabama: key facts

Administering office

Alabama State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division.

Official search

unclaimed.alabama.gov (free search and online claims).

Heir claim documents

A probate-appointed executor or administrator files on behalf of the estate under that appointment (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration). If the owner died with no will and no estate was opened, the surviving spouse or children may file instead under the § 35-12-84(a) route, using the documents that section lists.

Decision window

The Treasurer allows or denies a filed claim within 120 days and gives written notice (§ 35-12-83(b)).

Payment after approval

Within 30 days after a claim is allowed, the property or net sale proceeds must be delivered or paid to the claimant (§ 35-12-83(c)).

Typical processing time

The Division states a claim usually takes 6 to 8 weeks on average, inside the 120-day statutory ceiling.

Intestate heir claim without probate

Under Code of Ala. § 35-12-84(a), the surviving spouse — or, if none, the surviving child(ren), or, if none, the surviving parent(s) — of an owner who died intestate may claim without a probate court order when the aggregate value of the property does not exceed the amount allowed in § 43-2-692. Since Act 2025-431 rewrote the Alabama Small Estates Act (effective October 1, 2025), that ceiling is the "small estate amount" — the combined homestead allowance, exempt property, and family allowance, CPI-adjusted under § 43-8-116 (§§ 43-2-691(7), 43-2-696.02) — which is $47,000 for exemptions claimed on or after April 1, 2024, rising to $51,175 for exemptions claimed on or after April 1, 2027. The claim must include written confirmation from the probate court that no estate has been opened or filed, an affidavit signed by all beneficiaries agreeing on a division, documentation showing heir rights, and authorization to release the claimant's name and address to subsequent claimants. The Treasurer publishes a "Statement of No Estate" form for the probate-court confirmation.

Small claim ($200 or less)

Separately, under § 35-12-84(c), a person may claim property held in his or her own name when the aggregate value is $200 or less, supported by an affidavit swearing to the authenticity of the claim and the lack of matching documentation.

Governing law: Code of Ala. 1975, Title 35, Chapter 12 (Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act of 2004); §§ 35-12-83, 35-12-84

Steps to take when someone dies

1. Search unclaimed.alabama.gov for the deceased's name and prior addresses, and run a multi-state search at missingmoney.com.
2. File a claim as the estate representative or heir:
   • Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration if a probate court appointed you executor or administrator
   • If the owner died intestate and no estate was opened, the § 35-12-84(a)(2) documents — the probate court's written "Statement of No Estate" confirmation, an affidavit signed by all beneficiaries agreeing on a division, documentation showing heir rights, and the release authorization
   • Proof of death and identification
3. The Treasurer reviews and issues a decision within 120 days of a filed claim; the Division states claims average 6 to 8 weeks.

Frequently asked questions