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HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 1Pt. 1Ch. 1Art. 3§ 50050 Unclaimed Funds Ownership Rules

§ 50050 Unclaimed Funds Ownership Rules

Government Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 50050 Unclaimed Funds Ownership Rules

Key Takeaways

  • •If money is left unclaimed with a local agency (like a city or county) for 3 years, it becomes their property after they publish a notice in a newspaper for 2 weeks.
  • •Money that was meant to pay back victims (like from a crime) must be used for victim services or put in a special fund if not claimed in 3 years. The agency must try to find the victim first.
  • •If the person who should get the money is a kid or someone who can't make decisions, they get extra time (until 1 year after they turn 18 or get better) to claim it.
  • •This rule started on January 1, 2022.

Example

Imagine someone paid a fine for damaging your fence, but you never collected the $500. The money sits with the city for 3 years.

The city will try to find you by putting a notice in the newspaper for 2 weeks. If you don’t claim the $500, they can keep it or use it to help other victims. But if you were a kid when this happened, you’d have until 1 year after turning 18 to claim it.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 50050 Unclaimed Funds Ownership Rules

(a) For purposes of this article, “local agency” includes all districts. Except as otherwise provided by law, money, excluding restitution to victims, that is not the property of a local agency that remains unclaimed in its treasury or in the official custody of its officers for three years is the property of the local agency after notice if not claimed or if no verified complaint is filed and served. At any time after the expiration of the three-year period, the treasurer of the local agency may cause a notice to be published once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation published in the local agency. At the expiration of the three-year period, money representing restitution collected on behalf of victims shall be deposited into the Restitution Fund or used by the local agency for purposes of victim services. If a local agency elects to use the money for purposes of victim services, the local agency shall first document that it has made a reasonable effort to locate and notify the victim to whom the restitution is owed. With respect to moneys deposited with the county treasurer pursuant to Section 7663 of the Probate Code, this three-year period to claim money held by a local agency is extended for an infant or person of unsound mind until one year from the date their disability ceases. (b) For purposes of this section, “infant” and “person of unsound mind” have the same meaning as given to those terms as used in Section 1441 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (c) This section shall become operative January 1, 2022. (Repealed (in Sec. 6) and added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 257, Sec. 7. (AB 177) Effective September 23, 2021. Operative January 1, 2022, by its own provisions.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

restitutiondisabilityinfantsperson of unsound mindpropertyclaimcustodyfine

Related Statutes

  • § 50052.5 Unclaimed Money Release Rules
  • § 20085 Benefit Fraud Prohibitions
  • § 23010 County Loans To Districts
  • § 50052 Claiming Unclaimed Local Funds
  • § 50055 Unclaimed Small Funds Transfer

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 50050.
View Official Source