Leon County Unclaimed Money Search
Leon County residents can search for unclaimed money online at no cost. The state capital sits right here in Tallahassee, and the Florida Department of Financial Services holds millions in unclaimed funds tied to Leon County names. These lost accounts come from old bank balances, uncashed checks, forgotten insurance payments, and stock dividends that were never collected. The Leon County Clerk of Courts may hold additional funds from court cases, tax deed sales, and bond deposits. A quick search could turn up money you did not know was waiting for you. It takes just a few minutes to check, and the process is completely free.
Leon County Quick Facts
Search Leon County Unclaimed Funds
Start your search for Leon County unclaimed money at the state database, fltreasurehunt.gov. This is the official tool from the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Unclaimed Property. It is free and works at any hour. Type in your name and the system checks for any funds the state holds for you. One in five Floridians has unclaimed property somewhere in the system. Tallahassee being a college town and the state capital means a lot of people cycle through Leon County, and some leave money behind without knowing it.
Try all name variations when you search. Maiden names, former married names, and common nicknames can all produce different results. If you run or once ran a business in the Tallahassee area, search that name too. The Leon County unclaimed money database covers both personal and business accounts.
Where Leon County Lost Funds Come From
Unclaimed money in Leon County has many sources. Under Chapter 717, Florida Statutes, businesses and government entities must hand over funds they cannot get back to the owner. Dormant bank accounts are the most common type. Uncashed checks are next. Life insurance payouts, stocks, bonds, and safe deposit box contents round out the list. A bank account with no activity for five years gets sent to Tallahassee. Unclaimed wages have a shorter period of just one year under Section 717.115.
The Leon County Clerk of Courts may hold money as well. Court registry deposits, cash bonds, and surplus from foreclosure and tax deed sales can sit with the Clerk. Tax deed sales sometimes bring in more than the taxes owed. That extra money belongs to the former owner. The Clerk holds these Leon County funds for about a year before sending them to the state per Section 116.21. Check both the Clerk and the state database if you had any court involvement or lost property in Leon County.
The Leon County Clerk of Courts is at 301 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32301. Call (850) 577-4000 for questions about court-held funds.
Note: Tallahassee is home to two major universities, so former students who moved away may have unclaimed refunds or deposits in Leon County.
How to Claim Lost Money in Leon County
Once you find unclaimed money linked to your name in Leon County, the claim process starts right on the search results page at fltreasurehunt.gov. You fill out a claim form online. The state needs a copy of your photo ID from the government. If your ID does not have your current address, include a recent utility bill or other proof of where you live now.
Proving you own the account is the most important part. Sharing a name with the account holder is not enough because many people have the same name. You may need an old bank statement, policy number, or check stub that links you to the funds. Each claim form lists exactly what documents the state wants. For Leon County unclaimed money that belonged to someone who passed away, you need a certified death certificate along with proof that you are the heir or personal representative. The state has up to 90 days to process a completed claim, though many are handled sooner than that.
Leon County Unclaimed Money Laws
Florida law gives you strong rights when it comes to Leon County unclaimed money. There is no statute of limitations on unclaimed property claims. Your money never expires. The state holds it as custodian but never takes ownership. Owners or heirs can come forward at any time and claim their funds for free.
Under Section 717.102, intangible personal property unclaimed for more than five years is presumed abandoned and gets turned over to the state. Wages only take one year. Safe deposit box contents move after three years per Section 717.116. Travelers checks have a 15-year dormancy period under Section 717.104. Every year by May 1, holders in Leon County must report unclaimed property to the state as Section 717.117 requires. Before turning the funds over, holders are supposed to make an effort to reach the owner. When that fails, the money heads to the Division of Unclaimed Property in Tallahassee. The funds get deposited into the State School Fund, but the original amount is always set aside for the owner.
Florida Treasure Hunt Search Portal
The Florida Treasure Hunt homepage is the main entry point for Leon County residents searching for lost funds.
This is the official state website for unclaimed property. Leon County residents can search, file claims, and check claim status all from this site. The state warns against scams and will never contact you by text about unclaimed funds. For help, call 888-258-2253.
Leon County Clerk and Court Registry
The Leon County Clerk of Courts manages all funds flowing through the court system in Tallahassee. When someone posts a cash bond or deposits money into the court registry during a lawsuit, the Clerk holds those funds until a judge says otherwise. Parties sometimes move away or forget about the money after a case closes. That is how court funds go unclaimed in Leon County.
Tax deed surplus is another piece of the puzzle. When a Leon County property sells at a tax deed auction for more than the back taxes owed, the surplus belongs to the prior owner. Foreclosure sales can produce the same type of leftover funds. Under Florida Statute 45.032, the original owner or certain lien holders can claim that money. The Leon County Clerk at (850) 577-4000 can answer questions about any funds held in court accounts or from property sales.
Search Tips for Leon County
Getting better results from your Leon County unclaimed money search takes a few extra steps.
- Search every name you have used, including maiden and former married names
- Try misspellings and alternate spellings of your name
- Check under business names if you owned a company in the Tallahassee area
- Look up deceased relatives who lived in Leon County
- Use MissingMoney.com to search across all states at once
The state search runs around the clock and needs no account or login. Results show the holder name, type of property, and reported amount. You can begin a claim right from the results page. Leon County residents who have lived in other states should search those places too. Each state runs its own unclaimed property program, so funds could be sitting anywhere you used to live.
State Claim Search Tool
The Florida Treasure Hunt search page lets Leon County residents look up unclaimed property the state holds for them.
Search by person or business name. The database covers all of Florida. No interest is paid beyond what the original holder reported. But there is no fee and no deadline for claiming what belongs to you in Leon County.
Watch Out for Scams in Leon County
Scam artists target people looking for unclaimed money in Leon County and across Florida. The Department of Financial Services will never text you about a claim. Emails or phone calls asking for your Social Security number or bank details to "release" unclaimed funds are fake. The real process happens only through the official state website.
Some companies charge a fee to search for and claim unclaimed property on your behalf. You do not need them. The entire process is free when you handle it yourself at fltreasurehunt.gov. Save that money. Keep all of your Leon County unclaimed funds for yourself.
Cities in Leon County
Leon County is anchored by Tallahassee, the state capital. All unclaimed money for the area goes through the same state and county channels.
Other communities in Leon County include Woodville, Bradfordville, and Centerville. Residents of these areas search for Leon County unclaimed money the same way using the state database.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Leon County. Unclaimed money gets reported under the address the holder had on file, so check neighboring counties if you lived near the line.