Unclaimed Money in Delaware: What You Need to Know
Delaware law requires banks, corporations, employers, and insurance companies to remit dormant accounts to the Division of Revenue after 5 years of inactivity. The Division holds property indefinitely — no deadline, no fee. Delaware's extraordinary position as America's corporate domicile capital means its unclaimed property database is unlike any other state — housing billions in unclaimed shareholder dividends, stock certificates, and dissolved corporation accounts.
Why Delaware Has So Much Unclaimed Property
Delaware's role as the preferred incorporation state for US businesses is the defining feature of its unclaimed property system. Under the US Supreme Court's two-step priority rule for unclaimed corporate property, unclaimed shares and dividends go first to the state of the shareholder's last known address — but if that address is unknown, they go to Delaware as the state of incorporation. This means Delaware receives billions in unclaimed corporate property from every US state and many foreign countries, for companies of every kind from every industry.
Delaware's own local economy contributes separately — the state hosts major credit card banks (Bank of America's card operations, JPMorgan Chase card division, Capital One), chemical industry employment (DuPont, Corteva), and pharmaceutical operations. DuPont's corporate restructurings — which spawned Corteva Agriscience and Chemours, with DowDuPont serving as an interim entity — created one of the most complex corporate separation events in Delaware history, generating significant employee equity account disruptions that have contributed to Delaware's unclaimed property database.
What Types of Property Are Unclaimed?
Dormant bank accounts
Uncashed payroll & dividend checks
Stocks, bonds & mutual funds
Safe deposit box contents
Life insurance proceeds
Utility deposits & court deposits
Official Databases to Search
revenue.delaware.gov/unclaimed-property — Delaware Unclaimed Property
The official Delaware unclaimed property database managed by the Delaware Division of Revenue. Search by name or business for accounts dormant 5 years or more.
MissingMoney.com
NAUPA's multi-state search portal. Often returns Delaware results alongside other states you've lived in — useful if you've moved around.
SEC EDGAR — Corporate Dissolution Records
If you held shares in a Delaware-incorporated company that dissolved or was delisted, the SEC's EDGAR database can help you trace what happened to the company's assets. Dissolution proceeds from Delaware companies may be held in Delaware's unclaimed property fund if shareholders could not be located.
How to Claim Unclaimed Money in Delaware — Step by Step
Claiming is free and straightforward. Follow these steps to search every relevant database and successfully lodge your claim.
Visit revenue.delaware.gov/unclaimed-property and enter your full name. Try variations — maiden names, middle names, and former addresses increase your chances. Search for deceased relatives' names too.
MissingMoney.com (run by NAUPA) covers Delaware and other states simultaneously. If you've lived in multiple states, this single search can surface property from all of them at once.
When you find a match, click to view claim details. You'll typically need: a government-issued photo ID, proof of current address (utility bill or bank statement), and documentation proving ownership of the account or property.
Most Delaware claims can be filed online with document upload. Paper mail-in claims are also accepted by the Delaware Division of Revenue. Submit everything together — incomplete claims are the most common cause of processing delays.
After submission, the Delaware Division of Revenue reviews your documents and verifies your identity. Processing typically takes 60 to 180 days. You can check claim status online. Once approved, payment is made by check or direct deposit.
Search Tips for Delaware Residents
- ✓ Shareholders of any US publicly traded company — regardless of where you live — should search Delaware's database if you believe you are owed dividends or shareholder distributions from a company that could not locate your address, as most US corporations escheat to Delaware when the shareholder address is unknown
- ✓ Former DuPont, Corteva Agriscience, or Chemours employees should search Delaware's database for unclaimed equity distributions from the complex 2017-2019 DowDuPont corporate merger and subsequent company separations
- ✓ If you held stock in a company that went bankrupt and was dissolved, search Delaware's unclaimed property database for any liquidation proceeds from the estate — when Delaware corporations wind down, residual assets may be reported to the Delaware Division of Revenue
- ✓ Delaware has a state income tax — unclaimed Delaware state tax refunds are held by the Delaware Department of Finance separately from unclaimed property; search mytax.delaware.gov if you believe you are owed a state refund
- ✓ If you received a physical stock certificate in a Delaware-incorporated company that you cannot locate, Delaware's unclaimed property database may have the proceeds from that share position — contact the company's transfer agent (Computershare, Broadridge, or similar) and the Delaware Division of Revenue
Ready to Search for Free?
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Search Delaware Free Now →Or search the official database directly: revenue.delaware.gov/unclaimed-property