How Do You Claim Unclaimed Property in Pennsylvania?

The Pennsylvania rule in one table

| Official portal | patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property | | Run by | Pennsylvania Treasury, Bureau of Unclaimed Property | | Fee to claim | Free of charge, per Treasury's legislative guide | | Custody | Treasury holds unclaimed property in perpetuity for the rightful owner or heirs | | Dormancy | Three years of inactivity before property must be reported to Treasury | | Tangible property | May be auctioned after three years of searching; auction proceeds remain claimable in perpetuity | | Processing time | Not stated on the Treasury pages read for this guide | | Help | Bureau of Unclaimed Property, 800-222-2046, or tupmail@patreasury.gov |

The process, step by step

1. Search the Treasury database at patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property. The portal also has a Check Claim Status function that takes a Claim ID, and a Claim Document Upload function for documents on an existing claim.
2. Start a claim for a match. In all cases, claimants must complete and sign a claim form, and follow the instructions on the form to determine what documentation is required.
3. Upload the completed form with any supporting documentation required to process the claim, unless originals are required as listed on Treasury's website. Claim forms can also be mailed to Treasury's Bureau of Unclaimed Property. Call 800-222-2046 with questions about documentation.
4. Wait for Treasury's review. No processing-time figure is stated on the Treasury pages read for this guide, and none is carried here from another source.

Money Match: payment without a claim, up to $500

Money Match was created by Act 81 of 2024. Treasury states that it allows Treasury to return unclaimed property valued at up to $500 belonging to a single owner automatically, without the need to search or file a claim. Unclaimed property valued above $500, with multiple owners, or with other complexities still requires a claim with documentation.

Treasury has also mailed notification letters for a separate letter group: people told they have money valued from $500.01 up to $10,000 must initiate a claim online at patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property or by calling 800-222-2046. Treasury states that many of those claims are eligible for its Fast Track process, which can speed up processing time if the claimant's Social Security number is entered when filing the claim. Do not confuse the two groups: the up-to-$500 automatic group needs no claim, and the $500.01-to-$10,000 letter group must start one.

Finders are voluntary, never required

Treasury keeps a list of registered property finders, updated August 2026. Treasury states that enlisting the services of, and paying a fee to, a registered finder is not required to file a claim, that contracting with one is strictly voluntary, and that beyond registration, finders are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Commonwealth, the Treasury Department, or the Bureau of Unclaimed Property. Treasury also warns that it never sends unsolicited text messages about any program, including unclaimed property, and that its Bureau can be reached at tupmail@patreasury.gov or 800-222-2046.

Claiming in the other states

Unclaimed property rules follow the same shape in every state, but the portal, the proof, and the wait change at the state line. See How to Claim Unclaimed Property in Florida and How to Claim Unclaimed Property in New York. For all states side by side, see the Unclaimed Property by State directory.

Source

Sources: Pennsylvania Treasury, Unclaimed Property homepage at patreasury.gov (portal, claim status, and document upload functions); Pennsylvania Treasury Department, Legislative Guide to Unclaimed Property at patreasury.gov (perpetuity custody, free-of-charge return, claim-form and documentation route); Pennsylvania Treasury news release on Money Match at patreasury.gov (up to $500 automatic return, Act 81 of 2024); Pennsylvania Treasury news release on notification letters at patreasury.gov ($500.01 to $10,000 letter group, Fast Track with Social Security number); Pennsylvania Treasury news release at PATreasury.gov (three-year dormancy, three-year tangible auction rule, auction proceeds in perpetuity); Pennsylvania Treasury, Registered Property Finders at patreasury.gov (voluntary finder contracting, no endorsement). Facts verified 2026-11-03. Open flags: (1) no processing-time figure was verified on Treasury pages this run, so none is stated; (2) no dollar threshold for when photo identification is required was verified on Treasury pages this run, so none is stated; (3) total-amount-held figures differ across Treasury releases over time and are omitted as non-procedural.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to the Pennsylvania Treasury, Bureau of Unclaimed Property.