Finders (also called locators or heir finders) contact owners and offer to recover money for a share of it. You never need one: claiming through the state is free. If you do sign with one, many states cap the fee.
Claiming is free. Your state never charges a fee to search or to claim. Be careful with letters, calls or texts that ask for a fee, a percentage or your bank login to release money. Search the official state site yourself.
| State | Limit on finder fees | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | A finder agreement is void if signed between the date the property was presumed abandoned and 24 months after it was turned over to the Treasurer (an agreement with a lawyer to file a claim is an exception). After that, the agreement must be in writing, describe the property and services, say you can claim it from the state for free, and be signed by you. The total fee cannot be more than 10% of the amount claimed. | Ala. Code § 35-12-93 |
| Alaska | A finder ("fee finder") agreement is unenforceable if made before the property is turned over to the state or within 24 months after. After that, the fee cannot be more than 20% if the property is worth less than $500, or 10% if it is worth $500 or more. The agreement must be in writing, signed by you, last no more than six months, and state the fee, the property's nature and value, and what you get after the fee. | Alaska Stat. § 34.45.700 |
| Arizona | A finder agreement is void if signed between the date the property was presumed abandoned and 24 months after it was turned over to the Department of Revenue (agreements with a lawyer to file a claim are an exception). After that, the agreement must be in writing, describe the property and services, be signed by you, and show the property's value before and after the fee. The fee cannot be more than 30% of the property's value. If you agreed to more, you (or the state for you) can sue to cut the fee. | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 44-327 |
| Arkansas | No one may charge a fee to find your property until it has been held by the Auditor for at least 24 months. A finder can charge no more than 10% of the amount collected. Finder agreements must be in writing, signed by everyone, dated and notarized, and the finder must give the full agreement to the Auditor. | Arkansas Unclaimed Property Administrative Rules, 18 CAR §§ 21-501 and 21-502 (under the Unclaimed Property Act, Ark. Code Ann. § 18-28-201 et seq.) |
| California | An investigator (heir finder) cannot charge more than 10% of the value of the property returned to you. Investigators cannot sign you up while the property is still with the business or listed on a pre-transfer notice. They may contract with you only after the property is sent to the State Controller. The 10% cap does not apply to claims for county probated estates. | Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1582 |
| Colorado | A finder agreement signed within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state is void. After that, a finder can charge at most 10% of the property. The agreement must be in writing, signed by you, describe the property and services, show the amount before and after the fee, and say you can claim directly from the state for free. The state pays only you, never the finder. If a fee is above the cap, you (or the Treasurer for you) can sue in Denver District Court to cut it. | C.R.S. §§ 38-13-1301 and 38-13-1302; Treasury rule 8 CCR 1508-1, Rule 1.5.11 (10% cap) |
| Connecticut | A finder may keep or charge no more than 10% of the property's value. The contract must be signed at least two years after the property was reported to the state. Every signature must be notarized. The contract must list the property and its value, the fee, and the amount you will get. Since January 1, 2025, it must also say clearly that you can claim directly from the Treasurer at no cost on CTBigList.gov. | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 3-70a; Public Act 24-81, § 100 |
| Delaware | A finder agreement is void if it is signed any time from when the property became payable to you until 24 months after it was turned over to the state. After that, total fees and costs cannot be more than $1,000 or 10% of the property, whichever is less. The agreement must be in writing, describe the property and services, be signed by you with a notarized signature, show the value before and after the fee, and say the property is held by the Department of Finance. | 12 Del. C. §§ 1186 and 1187 |
| District of Columbia | A finder agreement signed within 24 months after the property was turned over to the District is void. DC sets no fixed percentage cap. If you think the fee is unconscionable, you can sue in DC Superior Court to cut it down. The agreement must be in writing, signed by you, describe the property and services, and show the amount you can expect before and after the fee. | D.C. Code §§ 41-163.01 and 41-163.02 |
| Florida | A finder ("claimant representative") must be a Florida-licensed attorney, CPA, or private investigator registered with the Division. They must use the state's official Abandoned Property Recovery Agreement (or, if they buy your claim, the Abandoned Property Purchase Agreement); any other agreement is void. Total fees and costs are capped at 30% of the claim, and anything above that is paid back to you by the state. A purchase discount above 30% gets the claim denied. Fees can be paid only after the claim is approved. Section 717.135 sets no waiting period. | Fla. Stat. § 717.135 |
| Georgia | Finders (called Claimant Designated Representatives) must register with the Department of Revenue. They may charge no more than 30% of the property's value (or of the claimed amount, whichever is lower), unless a court order is needed to prove entitlement or the finder bought the property from you. They must use the state's standard agreement forms, or the claim is void. Under SB 403, finder agreements signed on or after July 1, 2026 cannot be enforced until 120 days after the property is paid or delivered to the state. | O.C.G.A. § 44-12-224 (fee cap and agreements); § 44-12-239.2 (prohibited acts); § 44-12-220(d.1)(4) as added by 2026 SB 403 (120-day period) |
| Hawaii | A finder agreement is void if signed between the date the property is presumed abandoned and 24 months after it is turned over to the state. After that, the agreement must be in writing, describe the property and services, be signed by you, and show the value before and after the fee. A fee above 25% of the property's value cannot be enforced against you, and you can sue to cut it to 25%. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 523A-25 |
| Idaho | An agreement with a finder to locate your property is void if it is signed before 24 months have passed since the property was turned over to the state. The law sets no percentage cap on the fee. The rule does not apply to an attorney you hire to pursue a specific claim. | Idaho Code § 14-5-1301 (added 2024) |
| Illinois | Finders must hold a license from the Illinois Treasurer. A finder agreement cannot charge more than 10% of the amount collected, and there is a waiting period before finder contracts can be used. | 765 ILCS 1026/15-1302 (Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act) |
| Indiana | A finder agreement is void if it is signed during the 24 months after the property is turned over to the Attorney General. After that, it must be in writing, describe the property and services, be signed by you, show the value before and after the fee, and tell you that you can claim for free through the Attorney General. A fee of more than 10% of the amount collected is unenforceable against you, and the fee can never be more than $5,000 (the 10% limit does not apply if $50 or less is collected). You or the Attorney General can go to court to cut an excessive fee. | Ind. Code § 32-34-1.5-74 and § 32-34-1.5-75 |
| Iowa | Any finder agreement signed within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state cannot be enforced. After that, the fee may be no more than 15% of the property's value, and the agreement must be in writing, signed by you, and say what the property is, its value, and who holds it. A person must be licensed as a private investigation business (Iowa Code ch. 80A) to charge a fee for finding abandoned property. The state will not review a claim form signed by a finder: you must sign it yourself and include a notarized copy of any finder agreement (Iowa Admin. Code r. 781-9.14(2)). These limits do not apply to a fee contract with a practicing attorney. | Iowa Code § 556.11(10) |
| Kansas | Any agreement to pay someone to recover property is unenforceable if made within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state. After 24 months, the agreement is unenforceable if the fee is more than 15% of the property's value. The state may pay the owner or heir directly, not the finder. | K.S.A. 58-3968 |
| Kentucky | We found no percentage cap or waiting period on finder fees in Kentucky's unclaimed property law. The law lets you name a locator as your agent in a signed record, and the state then shares your property information with that agent. A finder filing for you must send the owner's SSN proof and the finder agreement with an addendum. The Treasury says you do not need a finder and should try to claim on your own first. | KRS 393A.760 |
| Louisiana | Any agreement to pay someone to find or recover your property is void if made between the date the property became abandoned and 24 months after it was turned over to the state. A finder ("fiduciary agent") can be paid no more than 10% of the claim value. You and the agent must both sign a payment request in front of a notary, and it must be filed with the claim. Any agreement must be in writing, describe the property and services, be signed by you, and state the value before and after the fee. You or the state can sue to cut an unconscionable fee. | La. R.S. 9:177 |
| Maine | A finder agreement is void if it was signed between the date the property became abandoned and 24 months after it was turned over to the state (this does not apply to hiring a lawyer to file a claim for identified property). For agreements signed 24 to 36 months after that date, the fee cannot be more than 15%. After 36 months, the law sets no percentage cap, but an unconscionable fee can still be cut. Any agreement must be in writing, describe the property and services, be signed by you, and show the value before and after the fee. You or the state can sue to cut an unconscionable fee. The state says heirfinders must be private investigators licensed in Maine, with some exceptions. | 33 M.R.S. § 2201 |
| Maryland | Any agreement to pay someone to recover your property is unenforceable if it was made within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state. The statute sets no percentage cap. | Md. Code, Com. Law § 17-325 |
| Massachusetts | A finder agreement made within 24 months after the property reached the state is unenforceable. After that, it is valid only if it is in writing, signed by you, says what the property is, its value and who holds it, and the fee is 10% or less. The Treasury says no extra legal or filing fees may be added on top. Heir finders must register with the Treasury. Their agreements must be notarized and sent in with the claim. | M.G.L. c. 200A, § 13; 960 CMR 4.06 |
| Michigan | Any agreement to pay someone to recover your property is unenforceable if it was made within 24 months after the property was delivered to the state. This applies to written agreements with locators too. The statute sets no percentage cap. | MCL 567.256 (Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, 1995 PA 29, sec. 36) |
| Minnesota | It is illegal for anyone to charge you to locate property within 24 months after it was turned over to the state. After that, a finder agreement for more than 10% is valid only if it is in writing, signed by you, and says what the property is, its value and who held it. You can challenge an unfair fee at any time. | Minn. Stat. § 345.515 |
| Mississippi | The Treasury says claim finders may charge you no more than 10% of a paid claim. They also may not collect fees on money the state has held for less than 7 months. The Treasury does not take finder fees out of your check, and you never need a finder to file. | Exact section not confirmed. The Treasury attributes both limits to the Mississippi unclaimed property statute (Miss. Code Ann. Title 89, Ch. 12) but names no section. |
| Missouri | Any finder agreement signed within 12 months after the property was turned over to the Treasurer cannot be enforced. After that, the fee is capped: 10% if signed 12 to 24 months after, 15% if 24 to 36 months after, and 20% after 36 months. The agreement must be in writing, signed and acknowledged by you, and must state what the property is and what it is worth. Paid finders must register with the Treasurer. | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 447.581 |
| Montana | Any finder agreement signed between the time the property is presumed abandoned and 24 months after it is turned over to the state is void. After that, the agreement must be in writing, signed by you, describe the property and services, and state the property's value before and after the fee. Montana sets no fixed percentage cap, but a fee that is unconscionable can be reduced in court. The 24-month ban does not apply to a deal with a lawyer to file a claim for property you have already identified. | Mont. Code Ann. § 70-9-825 |
| Nebraska | A finder cannot charge a fee until 24 months after the owner names are published or officially disclosed, and the fee is capped at 10% of the property's value. To collect a fee, the finder must tell you what the property is, where it is, what it is worth, when it was reported, and that you can claim it from the Treasurer for free. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 69-1317 |
| Nevada | Any finder agreement signed between the time the property is presumed abandoned and 24 months after it is turned over to the state is void. After that, the fee is capped at 10% if the property was turned over less than 5 years before you sign, and 20% if 5 years or more. The agreement must be in writing, signed by you, state when the property was turned over, and show its value before and after the fee. The 24-month ban does not apply to a deal with a lawyer to file a claim for property you have already identified. | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 120A.740 |
| New Hampshire | Any agreement to pay a finder made within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state cannot be enforced. After that, the agreement is valid only if it is in writing, signed by you, states the property's value and your share after the fee, and includes a required disclosure about the state's abandoned property office. The Treasury's page quoting the law shows no percentage cap, but you can always challenge an excessive fee. | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. ch. 471-C (the Treasury's Heir Finders page cites RSA 471-C:21; exact section not confirmed) |
| New Jersey | A finder agreement made within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state is void. After that, the fee can be no more than 20% of the property's value. The agreement must be in writing, signed by you, and show the property's value and what you keep after the fee. | N.J.S.A. 46:30B-106 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico law sets no percentage cap. A finder agreement is void if it is made any time from when the property is presumed abandoned until 48 months after it is turned over to the state. Later agreements must be in writing and signed by you, and must show the property's value before and after the fee. A court can cut an unfair (unconscionable) fee. Finders must file form RPD-41343 with a copy of their agreement. | NMSA 1978 § 7-8A-25 |
| New York | A finder (location service provider) can charge no more than 15% of the property's value. The agreement must be in writing on the Comptroller's form, signed by you, and notarized. It must state in bold that you can get the money from the state for free. There is no waiting period in the law. | N.Y. Abandoned Property Law § 1416 |
| North Carolina | A finder agreement is void if it is made any time from when the property became payable to you until 24 months after it is turned over to the Treasurer. After that, total fees and costs can be no more than $1,000 or 20% of the property's value, whichever is less (20% for certain heir and estate agreements). The agreement must be in writing, signed by you with your signature notarized, and also signed (and notarized) by a licensed private investigator for the finder. Finders must register with the Treasurer each year. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 116B-78 (PI license: § 116B-78.1) |
| North Dakota | A finder can charge no more than 10% of the amount recovered. Any agreement made from the time the property is presumed abandoned until 24 months after it is turned over to the state is void. The agreement must be in writing, signed by you, and say that you could get the property from the state for free. Heir finders generally need a North Dakota private investigator license. The state pays the full amount to you, not the finder. | N.D.C.C. §§ 47-30.2-68, 47-30.2-69 |
| Ohio | A finder may charge no more than 10% of the amount recovered. Any finder agreement signed within 2 years after the business reported the funds to the state is invalid, and finders may not contact you during that 2-year window. Later agreements must be in writing, signed by you, notarized, and list the property and what you will get after the fee. Finders must hold an Ohio Certificate of Registration. | Ohio Rev. Code § 169.13 |
| Oklahoma | Anyone who tells you about unclaimed property or files a claim for you can't charge more than 25% of what is recovered. If the owner has died and didn't agree to the fee in writing, the fee can only be collected from heirs who each agreed to it in writing. We found no waiting period during which finder agreements are void. | Okla. Stat. tit. 60, § 674.1 (as amended by HB 2226, effective Nov. 1, 2021) |
| Oregon | We found no percentage cap on finder fees in Oregon's unclaimed property law (ORS chapter 98). A finder must be a private investigator licensed by Oregon's Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, and must file a notarized power of attorney from you. You must sign the claim form yourself. | OAR 170-140-0110; ORS 703.401–703.470 |
| Pennsylvania | A finder may charge no more than 15% of the property's value. The agreement must be in writing, signed and acknowledged by you, list the property's nature and value, and include the finder's Pennsylvania registration number. Finders must be registered with Treasury. Treasury pays only you, never the finder. We found no waiting period that voids finder agreements. | 72 P.S. § 1301.11(g); registration at 72 P.S. § 1301.11a |
| Rhode Island | Any finder agreement made within 24 months after the property was paid to the state can't be enforced. After that, the fee can't be more than 10% of the property's value, and the agreement must be in writing, signed by you, show the property's value and your share after the fee, and say you can claim it from the Treasurer for free. Rhode Island doesn't require finders to register. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-21.1-35 |
| South Carolina | A finder may not charge more than 15% of the value returned to you. Any agreement to pay someone to recover property is unenforceable if it is made within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state. | S.C. Code Ann. § 27-18-360 |
| South Dakota | Any agreement to pay someone to recover your property is unenforceable if made in the 12 months before the property is reported or within 24 months after it is turned over to the state. After that, an agreement charging more than 25% of the property's value is not valid unless it is in writing and signed by you, and you can always challenge a fee as excessive. Violations are a Class 1 misdemeanor. | SDCL § 43-41B-36 |
| Tennessee | A locator may charge no more than 10% of the value recovered or $50, whichever is greater. The contract must be written, signed by you, describe the property and services, and show the estimated amount before and after the fee. The Treasury must approve the contract, and locators must be licensed private investigators in Tennessee. Payment always goes directly to you. | Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-29-176 |
| Texas | A finder may not charge more than 10% of the value recovered (plus reasonable attorney's fees needed to pursue the claim), and the Comptroller says this includes all expenses. The agreement must be signed by you, describe the property and services, and show the expected amount before and after the fee. A finder paid a percentage may not file the claim form for you, and heir finders must be licensed by the Texas DPS Private Security Bureau. No waiting period was found in the statute. | Tex. Prop. Code § 74.507 |
| Utah | Any agreement with a finder made within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state is void. After that, a state rule caps the finder's fee at 20% of the amount collected; the agreement must be in writing, signed by you, and show the expected amount before and after the fee, and finders charging a contingent fee must hold a Utah private detective license. | Utah Code §§ 67-4a-1301 and 67-4a-1302; Utah Admin. Code R966-1-37 |
| Vermont | A finder (asset locator or heir finder) cannot charge more than 10% of the property's value; an agreement for more is unenforceable. Any finder agreement signed from the day the property is turned over to the Treasurer until 24 months after that is void. The agreement must be in writing, describe the property and services, and state the value before and after the fee. The state always pays you directly, never the finder. | 27 V.S.A. §§ 1601-1602 |
| Virginia | A finder may not charge you, or even sign you up, for property that has been reported to the state until 36 months after the business turned it over to Treasury. After that, a finder agreement is invalid if the fee is more than 10% of the property's value. Violating this is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000. Treasury can pay you directly and does not have to honor a power of attorney or assignment to a finder. | Va. Code § 55.1-2542 |
| Washington | A finder (locator or heir finder) cannot charge more than 5% of the value of the property expected to be recovered; an agreement for more is unenforceable. The agreement must be in writing, describe the property and the services, be signed by you, and state the value before and after the fee. The current statute sets no waiting period, but the Department's finder instructions still say a finder's affidavit must state that no fee may be taken on property within 24 months of it being turned over to the state. Finders must be registered to do business in Washington. The cap does not apply to an attorney you hire to pursue a specific claim. | RCW 63.30.780 and RCW 63.30.790 (as amended 2025, c 29 s 24) |
| West Virginia | West Virginia law sets no cap on what a finder can charge and no waiting period. The Unclaimed Property Act (W. Va. Code ch. 36, art. 8) has no section on finder agreements. The Treasurer's Office never charges a fee and never sends owners to a third party, so you can always claim yourself for free. | W. Va. Code ch. 36, art. 8 (no finder-fee provision) |
| Wisconsin | An heir finder or locator cannot charge you more than 10% of the value of the property recovered. An agreement is void if the property has been held by DOR for less than 24 months. The written agreement must be filed with the claim, and DOR pays you directly, not the locator. Locators do not need a license in Wisconsin. | Wis. Stat. ch. 177, subch. XIII (§§ 177.1301-177.1302) |
| Wyoming | Wyoming does not cap what a finder (asset finder or third-party researcher) can charge. But any agreement to pay a finder is unenforceable if made within 24 months after the business turns the property over to the state, or within 12 months before the business is due to report it. After that, the agreement must be in writing. Finders don't need to register, and checks are only made out and sent to the owner. | Wyo. Stat. § 34-24-136 |