Louisiana Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division

Louisiana · Unclaimed Property

treasury.la.gov/unclaimed-property-1

State Unclaimed Property in Louisiana

The Louisiana State Treasurer holds unclaimed property — dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance payouts, and similar assets — and maintains custody of it in perpetuity until the rightful owner or their heirs come forward to claim. The legal heirs of a deceased owner are entitled to claim the property; the Treasury requires court-recognized estate documents to prove heirship.

Steps to takeKey factsForms

Steps to take when someone dies

1
Search unclaimedproperty.la.gov for the deceased's name and prior addresses, and run a multi-state search at missingmoney.com.
2
File a claim as a legal heir with:
  • •Court-recognized estate documents proving heirship
  • •A copy of a driver's license or other photo identification, and proof of the claimant's Social Security number
  • •A notarized claim form if the claim is $5,000 or more
3
Submit the claim through the Treasury portal and respond to any request from the Unclaimed Property Division for added documentation. Processing may take up to 90 days.

Required Documents

  • Court-recognized estate documents proving heirship: on a claim by a legal heir of a deceased owner
  • Copy of a driver's license or other photo identification: on every claim
  • Proof of the claimant's Social Security number: on every claim
  • Small succession affidavit: where a small succession is settled without being opened judicially. A multiple original of the affidavit, or a certified copy, is full and sufficient authority for the payment of money or delivery of the property described in it.

State Unclaimed Property in Louisiana: key facts

What Louisiana says6

Official search

The free search and online claims are at unclaimedproperty.la.gov.1

Who may claim for a deceased owner

The legal heirs of a deceased person are entitled to claim the property.2

Documents for an heir or estate claim

The Treasury requires court-recognized estate documents to prove heirship.2

Every claim also needs a copy of a driver's license or other photo ID and proof of the claimant's Social Security number; a claim of $5,000 or more requires a notarized claim form.2

Processing time

Processing time varies depending on volume and may take up to 90 days.2

Deadline to claim

The state maintains custody of unclaimed property in perpetuity until the rightful owner or heirs come forward to claim.3

La. R.S. 9:167 sets no time limit on filing a claim.4

Claiming without a probate order

Under La. C.C.P. Art. 3421, the succession of a Louisiana-domiciled decedent whose property had a gross value of $200,000 or less at the date of death is a small succession.5

Under Art. 3421, $125,000 remains the ceiling for the ancillary succession of someone domiciled outside Louisiana, and a succession of any value qualifies where the death occurred at least 20 years before the affidavit.5

Acts 2026, No. 293 raised the small-succession ceiling for a Louisiana-domiciled decedent from $125,000 to $200,000, effective August 1, 2026.6

Under La. C.C.P. Art. 3431, where the decedent died intestate, or died testate leaving no Louisiana immovable property and every successor waives probate, a small succession need not be opened judicially and may be settled by affidavit.7

Under La. C.C.P. Art. 3434, a multiple original of the affidavit, or a certified copy, is full and sufficient authority for the payment of money or delivery of the property described in it.8

Governing law: La. R.S. 9:151 et seq. (Uniform Unclaimed Property Act of 1997)

Forms Louisiana uses1

Claim form

A claim of $5,000 or more requires a notarized claim form.2

Not in Louisiana's published guidance1

  • A small-succession affidavit route of the Treasury's own

Sources8

  1. 1.Claim Search (Louisiana Unclaimed Property)
  2. 2.Claim FAQ (Louisiana Unclaimed Property)
  3. 3.What Is Unclaimed Property (Louisiana Unclaimed Property)
  4. 4.La. R.S. 9:167 (filing a claim)
  5. 5.La. C.C.P. Art. 3421 (small succession defined)
  6. 6.HB 215, 2026 Regular Session (Act 293)
  7. 7.La. C.C.P. Art. 3431 (when judicial opening is unnecessary)
  8. 8.La. C.C.P. Art. 3434 (affidavit as authority for delivery of property)

Louisiana unclaimed property

Louisiana Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division

Office

State Capitol Building Annex, 1051 N. 3rd Street, Room 150, Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Mailing address

P.O. Box 91010, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9010
Verified Aug 2026

Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Louisiana

Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate in Louisiana: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay, and inheritance taxes.

How Do I Settle an Estate?

Settling an estate in Louisiana: creditors have 3 monthsLa. C.C.P. arts. 3241-3249, 3301-3308; La. C.C. art. 3276Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 3 months to 6 months.

Get Plan

What Is the Estate's Personal Property Worth for Probate?

Estimate the fair market value of household items for probate and see how it affects fees.

Estimate Value

Who Inherits Without a Will?

Louisiana is a community property state, so the surviving spouse already owns half of what the couple acquired during the marriage. Without a will in Louisiana, descendants divide what passes to them per stirpesLa. Civ. Code art. 888Verified Sep 10, 2026View source, and the state sets no survival period for heirs.

Use Calculator

Hire a Probate Attorney

Browse vetted attorneys handling probate matters across all 50 states.

Browse firms

All Louisiana tools