Table of contents

Found property that might belong to you?

Submit a claim if you found property at missingmoney.com that might belong to you or someone you know.

Important notice

Changes to the report completed by property holders were implemented on November 19, 2022. See the Unclaimed Property Holder Reporting Quick Guide or watch the How to submit an unclaimed property report video.

Overview

The Alberta government maintains a central registry of property that has been presumed abandoned by its owner. The person or entity that keeps or maintains abandoned property is required to report and transfer the abandoned property or its cash equivalent to Alberta Tax and Revenue Administration (TRA). Once transferred, the owner or their legal representative, or a creditor, can make a claim to that property.

As of March 31, 2022, there were approximately 326,770 unclaimed items in the unclaimed property repository, with an estimated value of $135 million.

Find your property

Search for missing property on the official websites at no charge. Try searching using your first initial, nickname, or any other name you have previously used.

System downtime notice

Search for Lost Property and Money will not be available on:

  • Thursdays from 11 pm to midnight MT
  • Sundays from 7 am to 10 am MT
  • the first working day of each month from 5:30 pm to midnight MT

Locator assistance

If you use the assistance of a person or agency to locate your property, make sure you have the arrangement in writing. The locator fee in Alberta cannot be greater than 10% of the value of the property.

Submit a claim

There is no charge to submit a claim; however, you may be required to pay a fee for the administration costs of the property (e.g., storage costs, holder fees).

Step 1: Search for and select the property

Step 2: Complete the online claim form

  • Enter the information requested to complete the form.

Step 3: Submit your claim

  • Submit your claim and print the confirmation page to keep for your records.
  • Claims must be submitted within 10 years from the date the property was received by TRA.

Step 4: Submit documents to your existing claim

After submitting a claim, you must provide supporting documents as proof of ownership. You will need the confirmation number that was provided when you submitted your claim.

Step 5: After you submit your claim

  • All claims are reviewed within 120 days of receipt of the claim. If other documentation is required, additional time may be needed to review the claim.
  • If your claim is approved, the property will be returned within 30 days if there are no amounts owing.
  • The claimant is responsible for any delivery charges incurred for returning the property.
  • If your claim is not approved, you may submit Form AT4954 – Notice of Objection (PDF, 259 KB).

Property holders

Definition of a property holder

A holder is a person or entity that keeps or maintains property (both tangible and intangible) for an owner.

  • Tangible property is any physical property such as paintings or jewelry that is not land, and has an aggregate net value of $1,000 or more per person.
  • Intangible property is an interest held, issued or owing by a business organization or government that has an aggregate net value of $250 or more per person. See Information Circular UP-1 - General Information for a listing of intangible properties.

Responsibilities of a property holder

  • Determine when property is considered unclaimed. See section 6 of the General Regulation (the Regulation).
  • Notify property owners between 3 and 8 months prior to transferring property to TRA.
  • Within 120 days of the end of the reporting year:
    • submit to TRA a list of all unclaimed property you were holding as of December 31 that was presumed to be abandoned during the year; and
    • pay, transfer or deliver the property (or its cash equivalent) to TRA
  • Retain records for 10 years from the date of submission

Abandonment periods

Each property has a defined abandonment period, which determines when property is required to be remitted. Depending on the type, property must be dormant for 1 to 15 years before it can be declared unclaimed. Refer to section 6 of the Regulation for more details including how to determine when the abandonment period begins for each property type.

Table 1. Abandonment periods

Property type Abandonment period (years)
Traveler’s cheque 15
Money order 7
Security or equity interest in a business 7
Street certificate 5
Demand deposit, certificate of deposit, GIC, guaranteed investment certificate or other deposit made for a fixed period 5
Savings or deposit without a fixed period 5
All other personal property not listed 5
Debt of a business or organization accruing interest 5
Amount owed by insurer for life, endowment or annuity 3
Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) or other account eligible for tax deferral 3
Disbursements from a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) 3
Personal property of a corporation, society, or cooperative after dissolution 1
Wages or compensation for personal services 1
Personal property held by a court 1
Deposit owed to a utility subscriber 1
Personal property held by a court, government, or governmental organization 1

Submit property

Refer to the Unclaimed Property Holder Reporting Quick Guide or watch the How to submit an unclaimed property report video.

Property holders must pay, transfer or deliver the property or its cash equivalent to TRA within 120 days from December 31.

System downtime notice

The Submit property web page will not be available on the first working day of each month from 5:30 pm to midnight MST.

How to pay

For cash value transfers, payment must be made for each submission. Do not combine your payment for multiple submissions.

Pay online through your financial institution

  • Tax Payment and Filing Service is available at most financial institutions.
  • Select ‘Alberta Finance – Unclaimed Property Program – ABUPP’ as the Payee.
  • Include your Submission Number.

Pay by cheque

  • Cheques are payable to the Government of Alberta.
  • Include your Legal Name and Submission Number.

Pay by wire

Publications and forms

Video

Information Circulars

Special Notices

Forms for claimants

Forms and other resources for property holders

Legislation

Contact

Connect with Tax and Revenue Administration:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-3044
Fax: 780-422-5284
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]

Was this page helpful?

All fields are required unless otherwise indicated.

Your submissions are monitored by our web team and are used to help improve the experience on Alberta.ca.