How Do I Claim a Deceased Person's Unclaimed Property in Oregon?

In Oregon, a deceased owner's unclaimed property is claimed from the Oregon State Treasury, Unclaimed Property. A claim for a deceased relative includes a death certificate or other proof of death (an obituary is accepted) and court-certified probate documents, where a small estate affidavit counts.

State Where the Person Lived

Where the Estate Stands

Letters have been issuedA small estate affidavitNothing has been filed

Property Held in This State

Oregon names 5 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property.

Where to search and file

Oregon State Treasury, Unclaimed Property

Phone: 1-503-378-4000
Website: Search and claim →

unclaimed.oregon.gov is the official site for free searches and online claims.

Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration

For: The personal representative of an open probate estate
Documents: The Property Claim Form signed by the personal representative
A copy of the front and back of the claimant's current photo identification
Proof of current mailing address
A death certificate or other proof of death, such as an obituary
Original court-certified copies of the letters
Proof of the claimant's relationship to the owner of the funds

Simple estate affidavit filed with the probate court (ORS 114.515)

This route is for an estate of $75,000 or less.

For: An heir, a devisee, or the personal representative named in the deceased owner's will
Limit: An estate of $75,000 or less
Conditions: No more than $75,000 of the estate is personal property, and no more than $200,000 is real property and manufactured homes.
The affidavit is filed no sooner than 30 days after the death.
Documents: The Property Claim Form signed by the heir
A copy of the front and back of the claimant's current photo identification
Proof of current mailing address
A death certificate or other proof of death, such as an obituary
An original court-certified copy of the filed simple estate affidavit
Proof of the claimant's relationship to the owner of the funds

Final Decree of Distribution

For: An heir listed in the decree of a closed probate estate
Documents: The Property Claim Form signed by the heir
A copy of the front and back of the claimant's current photo identification
Proof of current mailing address
A death certificate or other proof of death, such as an obituary
An original court-certified copy of the Final Decree of Distribution listing the heirs
Proof of the claimant's relationship to the owner of the funds

Affidavit in Lieu of Probate

For: An heir of the deceased owner
Limit: Property held for the owner of $10,000 or less
Conditions: The property claimed is worth $1,000 or more. Below $1,000, the rule requires neither this affidavit nor probate documents.
The payment is issued for the benefit of the heirs.
Documents: The Property Claim Form signed by the heir
The Affidavit in Lieu of Probate
A copy of the claimant's current photo identification
Proof of current mailing address
A death certificate or other proof of death, such as an obituary
Proof of the claimant's relationship to the owner of the funds

Beneficiaries' statement for county tax foreclosure surplus

For: The beneficiaries of a deceased former owner whose county tax foreclosure surplus the Treasurer holds
Conditions: The estate is not being probated and no small estate affidavit is being filed for it.
Where there are several heirs, one who lived in the property as a primary residence for more than a year is presumed to receive the surplus for all, absent a written agreement among the heirs or an objection.
Documents: A copy of the former owner's death certificate
A copy of the former owner's will, if any
A statement that the estate is not being probated and that no small estate affidavit is being filed
The identity of each beneficiary and the share of the surplus each receives
The signatures of all beneficiaries acknowledging their part in the claim

Notarization and finders

Notarization: The claim form must be notarized where the claim is over $2,500.
Finders: A finder must hold an Oregon investigator license from the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training and file a copy of it with a notarized power of attorney and the contract signed by each claimant. Oregon law sets no fee cap and no waiting period for finder agreements.

Federal and national databases

MissingMoney.com: The national database endorsed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators searches the participating states at once for free and links to each one's official program. Most states participate; a state that does not is searched on its own official site.
The Treasury (TreasuryDirect): Unredeemed savings bonds; claims are made on FS Form 1048, as the Treasury Hunt search was withdrawn
PBGC: Unclaimed pensions from terminated plans, searched at pbgc.gov
The IRS: Undelivered tax refunds
The FDIC: Unclaimed deposits and checks from failed banks, searched by name, business name or check number
The NCUA: Unclaimed share accounts at liquidated federally insured credit unions, listed by last name and first initialamacmail@ncua.gov
The NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator: A deceased person's life insurance and annuities; a participating insurer contacts the beneficiary if it finds onehelp@naic.org
The VA: Unclaimed VA life insurance

Governing law: ORS Chapter 98 — Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act (ORS 98.302 to 98.436); OAR 170-140-0100 to 170-140-0105

General information about claiming a deceased person's unclaimed property, not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions. Data verified Aug 24, 2026

File the claim with the Oregon State Treasury, Unclaimed Property. The search and the claim start at the office's site. A claim for a deceased relative includes a death certificate or other proof of death (an obituary is accepted) and court-certified probate documents, where a small estate affidavit counts.

Heirs can claim without letters from a probate court through the Simple estate affidavit filed with the probate court (ORS 114.515), for an estate of $75,000 or less. Oregon's heir-claims rule lets an heir submit an Affidavit in Lieu of Probate instead of evidence of probate when the claimed property is $1,000 or more but not more than $10,000. The claim on that route includes: The Property Claim Form signed by the heir; A copy of the front and back of the claimant's current photo identification; Proof of current mailing address; A death certificate or other proof of death, such as an obituary; An original court-certified copy of the filed simple estate affidavit; Proof of the claimant's relationship to the owner of the funds.

With letters from a probate court, the claim is made by the personal representative of an open probate estate.

Every state where the person had an address can hold some of the property: the holding company reports it to the state of the owner's last-known address, and to its own home state where it has no address on record. MissingMoney.com searches most states at once. Insurance, savings bonds, pensions, refunds and failed-bank deposits sit in federal and national databases: the Treasury (TreasuryDirect), PBGC, the IRS, the FDIC, the NCUA, the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator and the VA.

A finder must hold an Oregon investigator license from the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training and file a copy of it with a notarized power of attorney and the contract signed by each claimant. Oregon law sets no fee cap and no waiting period for finder agreements. The same property can be claimed directly through the state's own program, which charges no fee.

Claiming Unclaimed Property in Oregon

Property goes to the state of the owner's last-known address in the holding company's records. Where the records show no address, it goes to the state where the company is organized, so a deceased person's property can sit in any state they once lived in or where a company that owed them is based. A search for a deceased Oregon resident therefore covers Oregon and every other state where the person lived, worked or held an account.

Oregon names 5 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property. With letters from a probate court, the claim is made by the personal representative of an open probate estate. Without letters, heirs claim through the Simple estate affidavit filed with the probate court (ORS 114.515), for an estate of $75,000 or less.

Whether the claim form needs a notary is the program's own rule: The claim form must be notarized where the claim is over $2,500.

Oregon holds the property until a valid claim is paid. ORS 98.392(1) lets a person claiming an interest in reported unclaimed property file a claim at any time after the property has been reported.

Searching and claiming are free through a state's official unclaimed property program or missingmoney.com. Third-party finders or locators charge a fee, usually a percentage of the amount recovered, and the same property can always be claimed directly at no cost.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated October 26, 2026

Legal Sources

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Data sourced from Oregon statutes and official state code. How we research.

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How Do I Claim a Deceased Person's Unclaimed Property in Oregon?

Oregon names 5 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property.

Where to search and file

Letters Testamentary or Letters of AdministrationPending Claim Form and instructions (Oregon State Treasury)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Simple estate affidavit filed with the probate court (ORS 114.515)ORS Chapter 114 (simple estate affidavit, ORS 114.505 to 114.560)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Final Decree of DistributionPending Claim Form and instructions (Oregon State Treasury)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Affidavit in Lieu of ProbateOAR 170-140-0100 to 170-140-0105 (Oregon State Treasury unclaimed property claims rules)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Beneficiaries' statement for county tax foreclosure surplusOAR 170-140-0100 to 170-140-0105 (Oregon State Treasury unclaimed property claims rules)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Notarization and finders

Federal and national databases

Is this your situation?

Named as Executor

Death of a Parent

Inheritance

Forms for Settling an Estate in Oregon

Notice to Creditors

Renunciation of Executor

Estate Inventory

Estate Closing

IRS Form 1310

Letter of Instruction

IRS Form 56

Digital Assets Recovery Letter

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How Do I Open an Estate Account When Someone Dies?

What Social Security Survivor Benefits Can I Get?

Hire an Oregon Probate Attorney

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Oregon Estate Settlement Resources

Oregon names 5 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property.

Where to search and file

Letters Testamentary or Letters of AdministrationPending Claim Form and instructions (Oregon State Treasury)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Simple estate affidavit filed with the probate court (ORS 114.515)ORS Chapter 114 (simple estate affidavit, ORS 114.505 to 114.560)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Final Decree of DistributionPending Claim Form and instructions (Oregon State Treasury)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Affidavit in Lieu of ProbateOAR 170-140-0100 to 170-140-0105 (Oregon State Treasury unclaimed property claims rules)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Beneficiaries' statement for county tax foreclosure surplusOAR 170-140-0100 to 170-140-0105 (Oregon State Treasury unclaimed property claims rules)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Notarization and finders

Federal and national databases

Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration

Simple estate affidavit filed with the probate court (ORS 114.515)

Final Decree of Distribution

Affidavit in Lieu of Probate

Beneficiaries' statement for county tax foreclosure surplus

Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration

Simple estate affidavit filed with the probate court (ORS 114.515)

Final Decree of Distribution

Affidavit in Lieu of Probate

Beneficiaries' statement for county tax foreclosure surplus