How Do I Claim a Deceased Person's Unclaimed Property in District of Columbia?

In the District of Columbia, a deceased owner's unclaimed property is claimed from the DC Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Finance and Treasury, Unclaimed Property Unit. If there is a court-appointed estate representative, that person can submit a claim for a deceased owner.

State Where the Person Lived

Where the Estate Stands

Letters have been issuedA small estate affidavitNothing has been filed

Property Held in This State

District of Columbia names 2 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property.

Where to search and file

DC Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Finance and Treasury, Unclaimed Property Unit

Phone: 1-202-442-8181
Hours: In-person visits are by appointment only.
Website: Search and claim →
Office: 1101 4th Street SW, Suite 800 W, Washington, DC 20024
Mail: DC Office of Finance and Treasury Unclaimed Property Unit 1101 4th Street SW Washington, DC 20024

unclaimedproperty.dc.gov is the District's free search and online claim site. The older dc.findyourunclaimedproperty.com address redirects to it.

Letters of Administration from the DC Superior Court, Probate Division

For: The court-appointed estate representative
Conditions: The Unclaimed Property Unit lists the items a particular claim requires on the claim form it sends to the claimant.
Documents: A completed and signed claim form
A copy of the photo identification of the person claiming the funds
The claimant's Social Security number
The death certificate of the original owner
The Letters of Administration
Proof of address or ownership connecting the owner to the funds

Small Estate Papers from the DC Superior Court, Probate Division

This route is for an estate of $80,000 or less.

For: The personal representative the court appoints on a petition for a small estate
Limit: An estate of $80,000 or less
Conditions: The Unclaimed Property Unit lists the items a particular claim requires on the claim form it sends to the claimant.
Documents: A completed and signed claim form
A copy of the photo identification of the person claiming the funds
The claimant's Social Security number
The death certificate of the original owner
The Small Estate Papers
Proof of address or ownership connecting the owner to the funds

Notarization and finders

Notarization: A notarized document is needed only when the claim is made on the paper claim form the Unclaimed Property Unit mails to the claimant.
Finders: A finder's agreement made within 24 months after the holder delivers the property to the District is void. A later agreement must be a signed record stating the property, the services and the amount expected before and after the fee, and the Superior Court can reduce an unconscionable fee.

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: D.C. Code Title 41, Chapter 1A (Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act of 2021); D.C. Code 41-159.03, 41-159.04

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 DC Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Finance and Treasury, Unclaimed Property Unit. The search and the claim start at the office's site. The District asks for the documents that apply: the death certificate, Letters of Administration or small estate papers, a copy of the claimant's photo ID, and proof of address or ownership connecting the owner to the funds.

Under D.C. Code 20-351, estates with DC-situs property valued at $80,000 or less qualify as small estates. The threshold was raised from $40,000 by D.C. Law 25-302, effective March 21, 2025.

If there is a court-appointed estate representative, that person can submit a claim for a deceased owner. With letters from a probate court, the claim is made by the court-appointed estate representative.

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's agreement made within 24 months after the holder delivers the property to the District is void. A later agreement must be a signed record stating the property, the services and the amount expected before and after the fee, and the Superior Court can reduce an unconscionable fee. The same property can be claimed directly through the state's own program, which charges no fee.

Claiming Unclaimed Property in District of Columbia

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 District of Columbia resident therefore covers the District of Columbia and every other state where the person lived, worked or held an account.

The District of Columbia names 2 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property. With letters from a probate court, the claim is made by the court-appointed estate representative.

Whether the claim form needs a notary is the program's own rule: A notarized document is needed only when the claim is made on the paper claim form the Unclaimed Property Unit mails to the claimant.

The District of Columbia holds the property until a valid claim is paid. The District states that a claim can be made at any time. Unclaimed property is held in a custodial capacity until the rightful owner, personal representative, or legal authorized representative can be found. Under D.C. Code 41-159.04, the Administrator must allow or deny a filed claim and notify the claimant in writing within 90 days of filing.

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 District of Columbia statutes and official state code. How we research.

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How Do I Claim a Deceased Person's Unclaimed Property in District of Columbia?

District of Columbia names 2 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property.

Where to search and file

Letters of Administration from the DC Superior Court, Probate Divisionunclaimedproperty.dc.gov claim pages and claim settings (the site's shipped application and its configuration)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Small Estate Papers from the DC Superior Court, Probate Divisionunclaimedproperty.dc.gov claim pages and claim settings (the site's shipped application and its configuration)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Notarization and finders

Federal and national databases

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Named as Executor

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Inheritance

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Hire a District of Columbia Probate Attorney

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District of Columbia Estate Settlement Resources

District of Columbia names 2 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property.

Where to search and file

Letters of Administration from the DC Superior Court, Probate Divisionunclaimedproperty.dc.gov claim pages and claim settings (the site's shipped application and its configuration)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Small Estate Papers from the DC Superior Court, Probate Divisionunclaimedproperty.dc.gov claim pages and claim settings (the site's shipped application and its configuration)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Notarization and finders

Federal and national databases

Letters of Administration from the DC Superior Court, Probate Division

Small Estate Papers from the DC Superior Court, Probate Division

Letters of Administration from the DC Superior Court, Probate Division

Small Estate Papers from the DC Superior Court, Probate Division