Virginia Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division
Virginia · Unclaimed Property
vamoneysearch.govState Unclaimed Property in Virginia
The Virginia Department of the Treasury holds unclaimed property — dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance payouts, and similar assets — until the owner or their heirs claim it. The official search and claim portal is vamoneysearch.gov.
Steps to take when someone dies
- •A certificate of qualification as executor or order appointing the administrator if the estate was probated
- •A Virginia Small Estate Act affidavit naming the claimant as successor if probate was not required
- •Proof of death and the claimant's identification
Required Documents
- Certificate of qualification as executor, or order appointing the administrator: if the estate was probated
- Virginia Small Estate Act affidavit naming the claimant as successor: if probate was not required
- Court order or final accounting showing distribution to the claimant: in place of a qualification certificate, appointment order or Small Estate Act affidavit
- Affidavit of entitlement: if none of the other documents exist, the death was at least one year before the claim, and the claim is $25,000 or less
- Proof of death
- Copy of photo identification: most claims
- Copy of a legal document listing the Social Security number: most claims
State Unclaimed Property in Virginia: key facts
What Virginia says7
- Official search
vamoneysearch.gov is the Commonwealth's free "Click and Claim" search and online claim portal.1
- Documents for an heir or estate claim
Under Va. Code § 55.1-2532, the preferred proof is a certificate of qualification as executor or an order appointing an administrator or personal representative.2
Alternatively, the claimant may submit a Small Estate Act affidavit naming the claimant as successor, or a court order or final accounting showing distribution to the claimant.2
- Claiming without a probate order
If no qualification certificate, appointment order, Small Estate Act affidavit, court order or final accounting exists, the death occurred at least one year before the claim, and the claim is $25,000 or less, the Treasury administrator may accept an affidavit of entitlement.2
Under Va. Code § 64.2-601, heirs may use a Small Estate Act affidavit instead of full probate if the decedent's entire personal probate estate does not exceed $75,000 and at least 60 days have elapsed since death.3
Va. Code § 55.1-2532 expressly recognizes the Small Estate Act affidavit as qualifying proof for unclaimed property claims.2
- Processing time
Under Va. Code § 55.1-2533, the Treasury administrator must pay approved claims "as soon as practical."4
- Deadline to claim
The Virginia Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act sets no time limit on an owner's or heir's claim. Virginia holds the property until it is claimed.5
The periods of limitation in Va. Code § 55.1-2528 run against the administrator's enforcement actions toward holders, not against claimants.5
- Dormancy period
Under Va. Code § 55.1-2501, property unclaimed by the owner for more than five years after it became payable is presumed abandoned.6
Shorter periods apply to some property: one year for wages, utility deposits, business refunds, and property held by courts.6
- How an approved claim is paid
Under Va. Code § 55.1-2532(A), the Treasury administrator may pay unclaimed property without a claim being filed when the property is cash, the apparent owner is a verified sole natural-person owner, and the amount does not exceed $5,000.2
If the property was interest-bearing to the owner while the holder had it, Va. Code § 55.1-2533 adds interest at five percent, or the lesser rate the property actually earned, compounded annually.4
Interest accrues from the date the property is delivered to the administrator until the date payment is made to the owner, and no interest is payable for any period before July 1, 1981.4
Governing law: Va. Code Title 55.1, Chapter 25 (Virginia Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act); §§ 55.1-2501, 55.1-2532, 55.1-2533
Forms Virginia uses1
- Claim form
Most claims require a completed and signed claim form, uploaded through the portal's secure link or mailed with the supporting documents.7
Not in Virginia's published guidance1
- A fixed number of days to pay an approved claim
Virginia unclaimed property
Virginia Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division
Phone
Mailing address
Website
Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Virginia
Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate in Virginia: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay, and inheritance taxes.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Virginia: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 120 daysVa. Code § 64.2-1300Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 monthsVa. Code §§ 64.2-508.1, 64.2-528, 64.2-529, 64.2-550, 64.2-552, 64.2-556Verified 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 Virginia, a surviving spouse takes the entire estateVa. Code § 64.2-200Verified 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 representationVa. Code § 64.2-202Verified Sep 10, 2026View source.
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