Escheated funds and escheated checks
Updated
An escheated check is one that was never cashed and whose value the issuer turned over to the state. The paper check is void, but the money is not gone: the state holds it for the payee.
How a check escheats
A company issues a check. It is lost, filed away, or sent to an old address, and never cashed. After a period with no contact, the issuer stops treating it as an outstanding check and reports the amount to the State Controller under the payee's name. In California, the Controller then holds it.
The checks businesses leave uncashed
| Check type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vendor checks | $22.9M |
| Cashier's checks | $21.7M |
| Miscellaneous outstanding checks | $13.7M |
| Bank-issued checks | $10.3M |
| Aggregate uncashed checks | $8.4M |
| Warrants | $7.2M |
| Expense checks | $1.7M |
| Treasurer's checks | $801k |
| Drafts | $617k |
| Pension checks | $308k |
Source: California State Controller unclaimed property file, records of $500 and up, dated November 4, 2026. Open records only (no claim pending or paid), owner address in California, owner = name + ZIP code, business-type names only, government names removed, owners whose records total $10,000 or more. RecoverOwed computation; classifying owners by name pattern is approximate. No individual owner is named on this site.
Escheated funds beyond checks
"Escheated funds" also covers bank balances, credits, refunds, securities and insurance money that went to the state. The process to get them back is the same.
Getting escheated funds back
Find the record, then file a claim with proof of identity and of the address the issuer had. A business adds proof of authority and its FEIN. Do not try to deposit the old check; claim the funds from the Controller instead.
Common questions
Can I still cash an old check after it has escheated?
Generally no. Once the issuer has turned the funds over to the state, the money is claimed from the Controller, not through the check.