Urban Honolulu Unclaimed Money
Urban Honolulu residents can search for unclaimed money through two separate programs: the Hawaii state unclaimed property database and the City and County of Honolulu escheated checks system. The state program, run by the Department of Budget and Finance, holds dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance payouts, utility deposits, and other lost funds. The search is free, and so is filing a claim. This page walks you through both programs, what you need to file, and where the state office is located right here in Honolulu.
Urban Honolulu Overview
Urban Honolulu Unclaimed Money Search
Urban Honolulu residents have a distinct advantage: the state Unclaimed Property Program office sits right here in the city. The office is at 250 S. Hotel Street, Room 304, Honolulu, HI 96813. You can walk in, ask staff to search for your name, and start a claim the same day. Not many cities in Hawaii can say that. If you prefer to search from home, the state portal is available online at unclaimedproperty.ehawaii.gov. Enter a name or business name and the system returns any matching property records the state is holding.
Beyond the state program, Honolulu has its own separate database for city-issued checks that were never cashed. The City and County of Honolulu Treasury Division manages this through the escheated checks program. You can search by payee name, check number, or check amount. The database covers checks issued in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. This is for city checks only, not state funds. Run both searches so you don't miss anything.
The state program phone number is (808) 586-1589. Staff are available Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time. You can also mail inquiries to P.O. Box 150, Honolulu, HI 96810. The state program page has links to search tools, claim forms, and contact details.
The Hawaii state unclaimed property main page at budget.hawaii.gov is the starting point for any Urban Honolulu resident looking to find lost funds held by the state.
What Urban Honolulu Residents May Have Coming
Unclaimed money in Urban Honolulu comes from the same sources you find across the state, but in a city this size the volume is significant. Banks, insurance companies, employers, utilities, and investment firms all report property to the state when they lose contact with the owner. The funds sit idle. After a set dormancy period, the holder must turn the property over to the state. The state then holds it indefinitely until the rightful owner or heir files a claim.
Common types of unclaimed property held for Urban Honolulu residents include dormant checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, uncashed payroll or dividend checks, life insurance policy proceeds, security deposits from utility companies, contents of safe deposit boxes, and proceeds from matured annuities. Wages go dormant after one year. Most bank accounts go dormant after five years. CDs go dormant after seven years. Life insurance proceeds that have matured go dormant after three years. Traveler's checks have the longest dormancy period at fifteen years.
Business owners in Urban Honolulu should also check. If you dissolved a company, moved, or changed your registered agent, the state may be holding property reported under your business name.
Note: Act 184 created a deadline for certain funds. Property under $100 that the state received on or before June 30, 2016, will permanently escheat to the state on July 1, 2026. Check now if you think small amounts may be out there under your name.
How to File a Claim for Honolulu Unclaimed Money
Filing a claim is free. The state program does not charge a fee to search or to submit a claim. If someone approaches you and offers to find or recover your unclaimed property for a fee, know that Hawaii law caps finder fees at 10 percent of the property value under Section 523A-25 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. You can always go directly to the state and file for free.
Three claim types exist. Original owners file as themselves. If the owner is deceased, heirs file as a deceased owner claim and need to provide an Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property of Decedent along with supporting documents like a death certificate and proof of relationship. Business claims are filed separately from individual claims. The owner information page on the state site walks through what each claim type needs.
Claims over $50 require notarization. Most claims also ask you to provide a copy of a government-issued photo ID and documentation that connects you to the property, such as an old account statement, a policy number, or a prior address. Securities claims require IRS Form W-9 in addition to the standard paperwork. Once your claim is complete, mail it to P.O. Box 150, Honolulu, HI 96810, or drop it off at the Hotel Street office.
For the Honolulu city escheated checks program, you download the Claim for Recovery of Escheated Check form from the financial forms page on the city site. Complete it and submit it to the Treasury Division at Honolulu Hale, 530 South King Street, Room 115. You can also reach them by email at bfstreasmailbox@honolulu.gov.
Honolulu City Escheated Checks Program
The city program is separate from the state. It only covers checks that the City and County of Honolulu issued but that were never cashed. Think vendor payments, tax refunds, court disbursements, or other city-issued payments. If you did work for the city, received a refund that you never collected, or think the city owes you money from prior years, search this database.
The Honolulu escheated checks program lets you search by name or check details and download a claim form directly from the site. It covers four years of city-issued checks and is managed by the Treasury Division under the Department of Budget and Financial Services.
The Treasury Division is located at Honolulu Hale, 530 South King Street, Room 115. The department's main page is at honolulu.gov/bfs/treasury-division. The broader Budget and Financial Services department page is at honolulu.gov/bfs.
Hawaii Unclaimed Money Laws
Hawaii's unclaimed property law is codified at HRS Chapter 523A. The law governs who must report property, how long the dormancy periods run, what the state must do once it receives property, and how owners and heirs can get their money back. Holders include banks, credit unions, insurance companies, utilities, retailers, courts, and other entities that hold money or property on behalf of others.
Once property is turned over to the state, the law requires the state to hold it indefinitely. There is no deadline for most claims. The state is the custodian, not the permanent owner. You can file at any time. The exception is the Act 184 provision that permanently escheats small amounts received before a certain date. You can also find a plain-language summary of the statute at Justia's Hawaii Chapter 523A page.
For dormant bank accounts specifically, the Hawaii Division of Financial Institutions maintains a dormant account FAQ page that explains when accounts go dormant and what happens to the funds. The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators also maintains a Hawaii reporting page with resources for holders and claimants.
The Honolulu Treasury Division at honolulu.gov/bfs/treasury-division handles city-level unclaimed checks separate from the state unclaimed property program that Urban Honolulu residents should also check.
Honolulu County Unclaimed Money
Urban Honolulu is part of Honolulu County. The county page covers unclaimed money resources for all residents across Honolulu County, including city and state programs, filing details, and legal references. If you want the full county-level overview, start there.
Nearby Cities
These Honolulu County communities also use the same state and city unclaimed money programs.