Unclaimed Property

County of Marin may receive unclaimed money from estates of decedents administered by the Public Administrator who have unknown or unlocated heirs. These monies may be transferred to the County Treasurer and may be claimed pursuant to applicable Probate and/or Government Code Section(s).

Government Code Section 50050 provides that certain unclaimed monies, which remain in the treasury or in the custody of the officers of a local agency for three years, become the property of the agency. At the end of the three-year period, items in excess of $15 must be published as notification that the money will become the property of the County at a designated date if left unclaimed.

Government Code Section 29802, states that unless otherwise provided by ordinance, any warrant issued is void if not presented to the county treasurer for payment within six months after its date.

Under the provisions of this section, whenever warrants become void, the monies in the county treasury represented by the warrants may be transferred to the general fund.  Any time within two years from the date which the original warrant becomes void, the payee of the warrant may present it to the agency on which it was drawn (or declare by affidavit that the warrant has been lost or destroyed) and the governing body may authorize a new warrant to be issued.