Pennsylvania Treasury, Bureau of Unclaimed Property
Pennsylvania · Unclaimed Property
patreasury.gov/unclaimed-propertyState Unclaimed Property in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Treasury holds unclaimed property — dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance payouts, and similar assets — until the owner or their heirs claim it. Heirs of a deceased owner file a claim through the Treasury portal with proof of death and proof of authority to act for the estate.
Steps to take when someone dies
- •The estate is open
- •A personal representative was appointed within the last five years
- •The property is worth more than $20,000
- •A certified death certificate
- •A sworn Relationship by Entitlement to Decedent Owner Affidavit
Required Documents
- Short certificate from the Register of Wills: when the estate is open, a personal representative was appointed within the last five years, or the property is worth more than $20,000. Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
- Certified death certificate of the owner: for property worth $20,000 or less where no personal representative was appointed, or five years have lapsed since the appointment
- Proof of the deceased's ownership
- Claimant's identification
State Unclaimed Property in Pennsylvania: key facts
What Pennsylvania says5
- Official search
Search is free at unclaimedproperty.patreasury.gov, which also takes claims online.1
- Documents for an heir or estate claim
A short certificate (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration) from the Register of Wills is required when an estate is open, when a personal representative was appointed within the last five years, or when the property is worth more than $20,000.2, 3
Otherwise, the Treasury accepts a certified death certificate plus a sworn relationship affidavit.2
20 Pa.C.S. § 3101(e)(2) requires a certified death certificate of the owner and a sworn affidavit setting out the claimant's relationship to the decedent, whether a personal representative was appointed, and any other persons who could claim.3
- Claiming without a probate order
20 Pa.C.S. § 3101(e) lets the State Treasurer pay a deceased Pennsylvania resident's unclaimed property directly to family, on a Relationship by Entitlement to Decedent Owner Affidavit, when the property is worth $20,000 or less.3
Section 3101(e) applies only when no personal representative was ever appointed, or five years have lapsed since the appointment.3
Act 50 of 2025 raised the ceiling from $11,000 to $20,000, effective 180 days after its November 24, 2025 approval.4
- Who may claim for a deceased owner
Under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3101(e), eligible claimants in preference order are the surviving spouse, then the decedent's issue (child, grandchild, great-grandchild), parents, siblings and their issue (nieces and nephews), and grandparents.3
The Treasury states that Act 65 of 2024 expanded the categories of potential claimants, effective September 15, 2024.2
- Deadline to claim
72 P.S. § 1301.19(a) lets any person claiming an interest in property delivered to the Commonwealth file a claim to it, or to the proceeds from its sale, on the State Treasurer's form, with no limitation period.5
The Treasury holds unclaimed property, and the proceeds of any auctioned property, in perpetuity, so heirs generally face no deadline to file a claim.6
Governing law: 72 P.S. 1301.1 et seq. (Disposition of Abandoned and Unclaimed Property Act); 20 Pa.C.S. 3101(e) (heir claims without letters)
Forms Pennsylvania uses1
- Relationship by Entitlement to Decedent Owner Affidavit
A sworn statement of the claimant's relationship to the decedent, whether a personal representative was appointed, and any other persons who could claim, for property worth $20,000 or less.3
Other offices involved1
Sources6
- 1.Unclaimed property search (Pennsylvania Treasury)
- 2.Unclaimed Property (Pennsylvania Treasury)
- 3.20 Pa.C.S. 3101(e) (heir claims without letters)
- 4.Act 50 of 2025 (Act of Nov. 24, 2025, P.L.308, No.50, HB 1176)
- 5.Disposition of Abandoned and Unclaimed Property Act, 72 P.S. 1301.1 et seq. (Pennsylvania Treasury)
- 6.Treasury newsroom, auction preview (March 9, 2026)
Pennsylvania unclaimed property
Pennsylvania Treasury, Bureau of Unclaimed Property
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Pennsylvania
Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate in Pennsylvania: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay, and inheritance taxes.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Pennsylvania: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 270 days20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3301-3303Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 12 months20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3162, 3381-3392, 3532Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
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.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Without a will in Pennsylvania, a surviving spouse takes the first $30,000 plus half of the rest20 Pa.C.S. § 2102Verified Sep 10, 2026View source when every child of either spouse is a child of both, and descendants divide what passes to them per capita with representation20 Pa.C.S. § 2104(1)Verified Sep 10, 2026View source.
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