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.
Administering agency
Louisiana Department of the Treasury — Unclaimed Property Division
Authority
La. R.S. 9:151 et seq. (Uniform Unclaimed Property Act of 1997)
State Unclaimed Property in Louisiana: key facts
- Administering office
- Louisiana Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division, State Capitol Building Annex, 1051 N. 3rd Street, Room 150, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. Claims mail: P.O. Box 91010, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9010. Phone 1-888-925-4127 or 225-219-9400.
- Official search and claim
- unclaimedproperty.la.gov (free search and online claims).
- Heir claim documents
- The Treasury requires court-recognized estate documents to prove heirship. 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.
- No deadline
- Louisiana maintains custody of unclaimed property in perpetuity until the rightful owner or heirs come forward to claim; there is no time limit to file (La. R.S. 9:167).
- Small succession
- 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 (raised from $125,000 by Acts 2026, No. 293, effective August 1, 2026); $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. 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 (La. C.C.P. Arts. 3421, 3431-3434). 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.
Governing law: La. R.S. 9:151 et seq. (Uniform Unclaimed Property Act of 1997)
Steps to take when someone dies
- Search unclaimedproperty.la.gov for the deceased's name and prior addresses, and run a multi-state search at missingmoney.com.
- 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
- 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.
Louisiana Department of the Treasury — Unclaimed Property Division
Phone: 1-888-925-4127
Visit the agency website →Frequently asked questions
Search unclaimedproperty.la.gov, then file a claim with the Louisiana Department of the Treasury. The legal heirs of a deceased person are entitled to claim the property, and the Treasury requires court-recognized estate documents to prove heirship, along with photo identification and proof of the claimant's Social Security number. A claim of $5,000 or more requires a notarized claim form.
No. The state maintains custody of unclaimed property in perpetuity until the rightful owner or heirs come forward to claim, so an owner or their heirs never lose the right to file a claim.
The Louisiana Department of the Treasury, through its Unclaimed Property Division in Baton Rouge, holds unclaimed property under the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, La. R.S. 9:151 et seq.
Sources
Data sourced from State Unclaimed Property in Louisiana primary sources (11 pages reviewed). How we research.
Administering agency
Louisiana Department of the Treasury — Unclaimed Property Division
Authority
La. R.S. 9:151 et seq. (Uniform Unclaimed Property Act of 1997)