State Unclaimed Property in Alabama

Official search

The Division offers a free search and online claims at unclaimed.alabama.gov.¹

Who may claim for a deceased owner

The Division's claiming FAQ says an executor or administrator named by a probate court over the owner's estate is authorized to file a claim on behalf of the estate. If the deceased owner had no will or estate, the surviving spouse or children may be able to file a claim.²

Documents for an heir or estate claim

A probate-appointed executor or administrator files on behalf of the estate under that appointment, with Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.²

If the owner died with no will and no estate was opened, the surviving spouse or children file under the Code of Ala. § 35-12-84(a) route, using the documents that section lists.³

Claiming without a probate order

Code of Ala. § 35-12-84(a) lets the surviving spouse, or if none the surviving children, or if none the surviving parents, of an owner who died intestate claim without a probate court order.³

The route applies only when the aggregate value of the property does not exceed the amount allowed in § 43-2-692.³

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, adjusted for the Consumer Price Index under § 43-8-116.^{4, 5}

The Treasurer's published figures put that amount at $47,000 for exemptions claimed on or after April 1, 2024, rising to $51,175 for exemptions claimed on or after April 1, 2027.⁶

Processing time

Code of Ala. § 35-12-83(b) has the Treasurer allow or deny a filed claim within 120 days and give the claimant written notice of the decision.³

The Division states a claim usually takes 6 to 8 weeks on average, inside the 120-day statutory ceiling.²

Deadline to claim

Alabama holds unclaimed property until it is claimed, so there is generally no deadline for heirs to file a claim.⁷

How an approved claim is paid

Code of Ala. § 35-12-83(c) requires the Treasurer to deliver the property, or the net proceeds of its sale, to the claimant within 30 days after a claim is allowed.³

Property held by other states

The Division links to missingmoney.com for a multi-state search.⁸

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

The Treasurer allows or denies a filed claim and gives the claimant written notice

within 120 days of the filing of the claim³

The Treasurer delivers the property or the net proceeds of its sale to the claimant

within 30 days of the claim is allowed³

1. 1.Alabama Unclaimed Property search
2. 2.Claiming Property FAQ (Alabama Unclaimed Property)
3. 3.Unclaimed Property Law, Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 35-12-83, 35-12-84 (Alabama State Treasurer)
4. 4.Code of Ala. 1975, § 43-2-692
5. 5.Code of Ala. 1975, § 43-2-696.02
6. 6.Consumer Price Index Law (Alabama State Treasurer)
7. 7.Unclaimed Property (Alabama State Treasurer)
8. 8.Useful Links (Alabama Unclaimed Property)
9. 9.Statement of No Estate (Alabama Unclaimed Property)