Making the most of unclaimed property in Georgia will require you to determine the holder of the property. Cities and counties may serve as custodians of unclaimed property until certain criteria are met. At that time, custodianship of the property is then turned over to the state. This allows claimants to search for their property in a central location.

Abandoned property in Georgia can be an inexpensive way to obtain business equipment as companies frequently lose property through misfortune or carelessness. The appropriate agency will require specific forms and procedures in order to approve your claim on the property. Unclaimed property generally falls into one of the following categories:

1. Liquid assets such as uncashed checks, a bank account or the contents of a safe deposit box.

2. Georgia unclaimed property that the original owner is unlikely to claim. This is commonly a wrecked vehicle or real estate with delinquent taxes but may also include a treasure trove. Property owners usually have a superior claim to a treasure trove than a trespasser who discovers the property.

3. Georgia state unclaimed property that is confiscated by law enforcement. This is frequently the result of a drug or tax seizure.

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Find agencies that handle state of Georgia unclaimed property

Start at the state level if you are looking for property that belongs to a specific person and work down.

I recommend: The Georgia Department of Revenue allows you to search for unclaimed property by name and city. Douglas County maintains a list of people to whom it owes unclaimed funds as a result of tax sale overages.

Learn more about the laws regarding unclaimed property in Georgia

Each state has laws regarding the disposition of abandoned property. Georgia should specify the conditions that allow the state to assume custodianship of the property and any conditions that allow the property to revert to the state.

I recommend: The Georgia Retail Association discusses the disposition of unclaimed property as it pertains to retail businesses. The Georgia Attorney General has published an official opinion on the Georgia Unclaimed Property Act.

Buy a vehicle in a GA unclaimed property auction

Look at the various auctions that occur regularly throughout Georgia if you are interested in bidding on a car. Vehicles are typically the mainstays of unclaimed property auctions and consist of abandoned vehicles, vehicles seized by law enforcement and surplus vehicles.

I recommend: The Department of Administrative Services maintains a list of vehicles and other unclaimed property that is available for auction. The Augusta Procurement Department administers the sale of impounded vehicles and unclaimed property through public auctions.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The process of turning over unclaimed property in Georgia to the state is called escheatment and legal documents may therefore refer to the property as escheat. Businesses usually encounter escheat in the form of an unclaimed pay check and are generally required to make a good faith effort to find the owner.

A court may classify unclaimed property in Georgia as abandoned, lost or mislaid. These classifications have their origins in common law and can therefore be difficult to interpret under modern legal systems. Property that the original owner fails to claim after a specified number of years generally belongs to the finder. However, a property owner usually has a superior claim to property that a trespasser discovers.

There are specific forms and procedures to follow when claiming Georgia unclaimed property. Generally, the state serves as the custodian for abandoned property in Georgia until the appropriate agencies review and approve the finder’s claim. Companies frequently lose property through misfortune or carelessness. Unclaimed property can be an inexpensive way to obtain equipment for your business.

There are general types of Georgia state unclaimed property:

1. Liquid assets such as a dormant bank account, safe deposit contents, unclaimed deposits or refunds, uncashed checks and unused insurance benefits;

2. Abandoned property the original owner is unlikely to return to claim. Certain property such as wrecked cars, ships or aircraft may belong to the state;

3. Property confiscated by law enforcement or repossessed by a loan company. These items are frequently auctioned off to the public.

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Find agencies that handle state of Georgia unclaimed property

Beware of sites that charge you a fee to help you find contact information for the Georgia unclaimed property division. This information should be available from your state government at no charge.

I recommend: Sign up to use the National Unclaimed Property Database for free. It offers a search on both federal and state agencies. The Georgia Department of Revenue keeps a database of unclaimed property that is searchable by name and city.

Participate in a Georgia unclaimed property auction

Most states have their own auctions to allow prospective buyers to bid on unclaimed or otherwise abandoned property.

I recommend: PropertyRoom.com auctions property seized by law enforcement agencies across the country. SeizedLuxuryHomes.com allows you to search for seized homes by zip code. You may bid on these homes at local or online auctions.

Search for abandoned property in Georgia for your county

Some counties in Georgia have a department that attempts to reunite unclaimed property with its owner. This department can answer specific questions regarding lost or abandoned property.

I recommend: Gwinnett County maintains a list of customers are due a refund on their water bill. You can download a list of people who are owed unclaimed funds in Douglas County from the county website.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The process of turning over unclaimed property in Georgia to the state is called escheatment. In business, Georgia escheat is most commonly an unclaimed pay check and each company must file an unclaimed property report. The company must also make a good faith effort to find the owner.
• •  Unclaimed property in Georgia that the owner deliberately hides or conceals may be a treasure trove instead of abandoned property. Georgia property must remain concealed long enough for the owner to be dead or undiscoverable. A treasure trove may belong to the finder or the property owner.

Unclaimed property in Georgia laws and regulations are based partially on the common law of property. This generally means that unclaimed property is property which has left the rightful owner’s possession without directly entering another owner’s possession.

The disposition of Georgia state unclaimed property depends on the specific circumstances under which it is found. There are three types of unclaimed property:

1. Lost property is found in a location where the owner did not intend to leave it and is not likely to find it. The finder of unclaimed property in GA is entitled to possession against everyone but the true owner. One exception to this rule occurs when a trespasser finds lost property while on private land.
2. Mislaid property is found in a location where the owner did intend to leave it and simply forgot to pick it up. Mislaid property must be returned to the owner.
3. Abandoned property is found in a place where the owner intended to leave it. However, the condition of the property is such that it is unlikely that the true owner intends to reclaim it. GA abandoned property belongs to the finder.
   

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Learn about the laws regarding the owners of Georgia unclaimed property

Laws on unclaimed property are frequently used to determine the circumstances under which property must be returned to the owner. Unclaimed property laws and regulations are a resource for owners who wish to locate their unclaimed property. Contact the Georgia Department of Revenue to locate your own property.

I recommend: The City of Atlanta provides its laws for returning unclaimed property to its owner. The City of Kingsland offers regulations for owners who wish to locate their unclaimed property.

Examine laws on holders of state of Georgia unclaimed property

Unclaimed property laws describe the requirements for holders of unclaimed property to return the property to the rightful owner. They can determine when ownership of the unclaimed property passes to the holder.

I recommend: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia describes the regulations regarding unclaimed property holders in Georgia. The Georgia Retail Association offers a discussion on the laws that affect unclaimed property holders in Georgia.

Review laws on Georgia unclaimed property for finders

Unclaimed property laws for finders address procedures for how finders charge owners for locating, delivering, recovering or assisting in the recovery of their unclaimed property. Unclaimed property laws for finders may also cover the rights of the state to recover compensation for unclaimed property.

I recommend: The Garden City Police Department provides its rules for finders of unclaimed property in that city. The Georgia Department of Revenue provides a FAQ on the laws regarding locators of unclaimed property in Georgia.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The Uniform Unclaimed Property Act is a key piece of federal legislation that affects abandoned property of Georgia. The Act seeks to address the problems of unclaimed property that arise from its origins in English common law. The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws first drafted the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act in 1981 and last revised it in 1995.

Unclaimed property in Georgia basics define unclaimed property as property that has not been claimed for a specified period of time, known as the abandonment period. Financial institutions and other businesses routinely report unclaimed property to the state of Georgia and are generally required to turn it over to the state once the abandonment period expires.

The state is required by federal law to administer Georgia state unclaimed property once the abandonment period has expired. Georgia has state laws that specify the procedures for locating the owners of unclaimed property that is in its custody. There are generally three types of information sources for unclaimed property in Georgia:

1. The state government. The official site of abandoned property for Georgia maintains the state’s property database, and other government departments may offer basic information on unclaimed property.
2. Third parties. Businesses and other private organizations may provide free information on unclaimed property, in addition to selling unclaimed property services in Georgia.
3. Local jurisdictions. Generally, each county and city in Georgia has specific procedures for locating owners of unclaimed property before the abandonment period expires.
   

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Find state agencies that deal with abandoned property in Georgia

The Georgia State Treasurer provides a FAQ of basic questions on unclaimed property in Georgia. The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia specifies the procedure for recovering unclaimed funds in a bankruptcy court.

I recommend: The Georgia Department of Revenue provides the official answers to basic questions on unclaimed property in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Banking & Finance offers information on finding unclaimed property from financial institutions.

Learn about unclaimed property in Georgia from private sources

There are many businesses that provide searches of GA abandoned property. While these companies may charge a fee for these services, they often provide free information about unclaimed property in Georgia.

I recommend: Unclaimed Money Search provides specific information on the value of unclaimed property in Georgia. The Georgia Retail Association has basic information on unclaimed property that is specific to Georgia.

Look for state of Georgia unclaimed property in local jurisdictions

Universities, cities and counties frequently hold unclaimed property temporarily. The property will eventually be turned over to the state, reclaimed, auctioned off or otherwise disposed of.

I recommend: The City of Atlanta provides its policy for unclaimed property auctions in Atlanta. Gwinnett County maintains a current list of unclaimed refunds due to residents of that county.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Unclaimed property in Georgia is administered by the state as a result of the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. This act was last revised in 1995 and specifically deals with unclaimed property that is in the custody of businesses. These funds frequently can be located in databases that contain the property of more than one state.