Unclaimed Money

Unclaimed Money Defined

The Riverside County Sheriff collects or seizes money for services, fees, or evidence as described. The money is acquired from the Stations, Bureaus, and Jails after the Sheriff's Office has made a reasonable effort to locate the payee. The money is moved into an unclaimed fund account for a three year period. This website allows the rightful owners of the money to claim it during that period of time. The most common type of Sheriff’s unclaimed property originates from:

• Court Services
  • Over-payment of fines
  • Sheriff Court Service judgments
• Jails
  • Inmate commissary funds
• Patrol
  • Evidence releases

California Government Code Notice

Pursuant to provisions of Section 50050 of the California Government Code, this notice is hereby given that any unclaimed money will become the sole and final property of the County of Riverside on the filing deadline date indicated unless a valid and acceptable claim is filed on or before that date.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office unclaimed property database does not include real estate property. This includes unclaimed estate property from the Sheriff’s Public Administrator’s Bureau.

How It Works

All unclaimed property will be listed in our Listing of Unclaimed Money (PDF). When the three-year filing deadline has passed, the Sheriff’s Office is legally required to post a public notification in local newspapers that the money will revert back to the Riverside County General Fund unless it is claimed. The new filing deadline will be posted in the specific claim form.

Review the Frequently Asked Questions for additional information.

Completed Claims

All claims will be reviewed and processed within 60 days. Please do not inquire on the status of your claim unless it has been over 60 days from the date you mailed your package. Such calls will only delay disbursements.

Mail completed claim forms and supporting documentation to:
Riverside County Sheriff
Attention Accounting and Finance: Unclaimed Money
P.O. Box 512
Riverside, CA 92502
Phone: 951-955-8922

Incomplete Claims

If the claim form or documentation provided is incomplete, our office will send you a letter stating why the claim is incomplete. All documents will be returned to you at this time. You may resubmit your claim with the required documents if the deadline has not passed.

Rejected Claims

If a completed claim has been rejected, our office will send you a letter stating why the claim was rejected. You may submit a verified complaint seeking to recover all, or a designated part of the money in a court of competent jurisdiction within the County of Riverside. A copy of the complaint and summons issued thereon must be served to the Sheriff’s Office within thirty days of the notice of rejection. The Sheriff shall then withhold the release of the portion of unclaimed money for which the court action has been filed, pending final decision of the court.

You may direct all inquiries to us by emailing Unclaimed Money and reference the Property Identification number.