Find Unclaimed Money in Santa Rosa County

Santa Rosa County has unclaimed money waiting for residents who may not realize it exists. This panhandle county with over 207,000 people sees a steady flow of lost funds from dormant bank accounts, insurance payouts, and uncashed checks that end up in the state system. The Santa Rosa County Clerk of Courts in Milton also holds local court funds, including tax deed surplus and bond refunds. You can search for unclaimed money tied to your name in Santa Rosa County for free through the state database. It takes less than a minute to check.

Santa Rosa County Unclaimed Property Search

Go to fltreasurehunt.gov to start your search. This is the official state tool for all unclaimed property in Florida, including Santa Rosa County. The Florida Department of Financial Services runs it. It is free. Type your name and the system checks every unclaimed account the state holds. One in five people in Florida has unclaimed funds sitting in this database. Santa Rosa County is no different.

Search under all your names. Maiden name, old married name, nicknames. People miss their own unclaimed money in Santa Rosa County because they only try one version. Spelling errors hide funds too. Someone may have entered your name wrong years ago. The state search page checks both personal and business names. If you have owned a business in Milton, Navarre, Gulf Breeze, or anywhere else in Santa Rosa County, try that name as well.

Note: The state search runs 24 hours a day, and you should never pay anyone to do it for you.

Clerk of Courts Unclaimed Funds in Santa Rosa County

The Santa Rosa County Clerk of Courts holds unclaimed funds at the local level. The office is at 6865 Caroline St., Milton, FL 32570. Phone is (850) 981-5556. The Clerk manages money from court cases that nobody has collected. Tax deed surplus is a common source. When a Santa Rosa County property sells at a tax deed auction for more than the amount owed in taxes, the excess belongs to the prior owner. If that person never picks it up, the Clerk holds the funds.

Foreclosure surplus is another category. Court registry deposits from civil lawsuits, cash bonds from criminal cases, and uncashed checks for jury service or vendor payments all sit with the Clerk. Under Florida Statute Section 116.21, the Santa Rosa County Clerk tracks court-related unclaimed money on a yearly basis. After a holding period of about one year, the office sends unclaimed funds to the state. So checking both the Clerk and the state database gives you the best chance of finding everything.

For multi-state searches, try MissingMoney.com. Santa Rosa County is close to the Alabama state line. If you have lived or worked across the border, MissingMoney checks multiple states at once.

How to Claim Unclaimed Money in Santa Rosa County

When you find your name in the search results, the next step is filing a claim. For funds held by the state, click on the account at fltreasurehunt.gov and follow the instructions. You will receive a claim form listing what documents you need. Every claim requires a government-issued photo ID. It must show your current address. If your address on the ID is outdated, include a utility bill or bank statement.

Proof that the account is yours is what matters most. Having the same name is not enough. The state often gets claims from different people with the same name on the same account. For Santa Rosa County unclaimed money, you may need old bank records, insurance documents, or employer pay stubs. If the original owner has passed away, heirs must provide a certified death certificate and proof of their relationship. The state allows up to 90 days to review a complete claim package.

For county-held funds like tax deed surplus in Santa Rosa County, you may need to file a motion with the court. Contact the Clerk at (850) 981-5556 for details on that process. A W-9 form is standard for any county payout.

Santa Rosa County Unclaimed Money Sources

The types of unclaimed money from Santa Rosa County cover a wide range. Dormant bank accounts lead the list. Under Chapter 717, Florida Statutes, bank accounts idle for five years become unclaimed property. Insurance payouts, stocks, dividends, and refunds follow the same rule. Wages that go uncollected for more than one year get reported per Section 717.115. Safe deposit box contents have a shorter three-year period under Section 717.116.

Traveler's checks sit 15 years. Money orders go dormant at seven. At the county level, Santa Rosa County generates surplus from tax deed and foreclosure sales. Cash bonds and court deposits round out the local picture. All county-level funds are tracked under Section 116.21 and held by the Clerk before going to the state.

Note: All types of unclaimed property in Santa Rosa County can be claimed free of charge, with no time limit.

Unclaimed Property Laws for Santa Rosa County

Florida law makes it clear that your unclaimed money does not expire. There is no statute of limitations. The state holds the funds as a custodian under the Florida Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act, Chapter 717. It never takes legal ownership. Santa Rosa County residents or their heirs can claim the money at any time. The original amount reported is always there for you.

Holders of unclaimed property in Santa Rosa County, like banks and businesses, must report idle accounts to the state by May 1 each year per Section 717.117. They must first try to find the owner. When that fails, the money goes to the Division of Unclaimed Property in Tallahassee. Unclaimed funds get deposited into the State School Fund for public schools. But the full amount stays claimable. Section 717.124 explains how the Department reviews claims. Heirs should check administrative rule 69G-20.0022 for what they need to send.

The Florida Treasure Hunt homepage gives Santa Rosa County residents direct access to the free search tool.

Start a name search or check your claim status from this page. It covers all unclaimed property in Santa Rosa County and across the state.

Santa Rosa County Unclaimed Funds Resources

The state FAQ page is a good place to start if you have questions about the claim process. The contact page lists email and phone numbers for each department. Call the toll-free line at 888-258-2253 for direct help with a Santa Rosa County claim. Email FloridaUnclaimedProperty@MyFloridaCFO.com for written questions.

For local court funds, the Santa Rosa County Clerk of Courts at 6865 Caroline St. in Milton handles claims in person. Call (850) 981-5556. The Clerk website has info about court services and local filings.

The state search tool is shown here for Santa Rosa County residents.

Use this page to look up your name and find any unclaimed money from Santa Rosa County or elsewhere in Florida.

Nearby Counties

These counties are next to Santa Rosa County. If you have lived in any of them, search for unclaimed funds there too. The state database covers all Florida counties in one search, but county-held court funds may be with a different Clerk office.