State Unclaimed Property in Maryland

Official search

Search for property and file a claim online for free at claimitmd.gov.¹

Dormancy period

Under Md. Code, Commercial Law 17-308, most property is presumed abandoned and reported to the state after it remains unclaimed for more than 3 years.²

The Comptroller reports a 1-year period for nursing home accounts and 15 years for uncashed travelers checks.³

Deadline to claim

The Comptroller states that Maryland law is custodial: the property may be claimed at any time during the owner's lifetime, or by legitimate heirs after the owner's death, and there is no statute of limitations to claim it.¹

Who may claim for a deceased owner

Claim Form ST912 states that a court-appointed estate representative can submit the claim. If there is no representative, or the estate is closed, the surviving spouse or a non-blood relative appointed by the court may file.⁴

Documents for an heir or estate claim

For a deceased owner or estate, Claim Form ST912 asks for a copy of the owner's death certificate and relevant documents such as letters of administration, small estate papers, or a true test copy of a court order.⁴

Every claimant also submits a government-issued photo ID and documentation of their Social Security number. The Division may request additional documentation on review.⁴

Claiming without a probate order

Under Md. Code, Estates and Trusts 5-601, an estate with probate assets of $50,000 or less, or $100,000 or less when the surviving spouse is the sole heir or legatee, qualifies for small estate administration through the Register of Wills using Form RW1103.^{5, 6}

For estates opened on or after 10/1/2022 there is no Register of Wills fee. The resulting small estate papers serve as the authority document on an unclaimed property claim.^{5, 6}

Processing time

The Comptroller directs claimants who have not received a decision within 60 to 90 business days to check the claim status using the Claim ID on claimitmd.gov.¹

Governing law: Md. Code, Commercial Law Title 17; 17-308

Register of Wills

Small estate administration, whose small estate papers serve as the authority document on a claim⁶

1. 1.ClaimItMD (Comptroller of Maryland, Unclaimed Property Division)
2. 2.Md. Code, Commercial Law 17-308
3. 3.General FAQ (ClaimItMD, Comptroller of Maryland)
4. 4.Claim Form ST912 (Comptroller of Maryland, Unclaimed Property Division)
5. 5.Md. Code, Estates and Trusts 5-601
6. 6.Small Estate Information (Maryland Registers of Wills)