Officials say San Diegans can claim more than $1 million in ‘unclaimed’ money

San Diego Friday announced more than $1 million in unclaimed money was available for more than 900 businesses and individuals in the form of refunds or vendor payments, and a deadline to claim the funds is approaching.

According to the city’s Unclaimed Monies Report, released on March 31, $1,028,390 was owed, with check amounts ranging from $2 to $77,994. Reasons checks are not cashed include misplaced checks, outdated mailing addresses, and business closures or mergers. In some cases, recipients may simply forget to deposit a check.

“Reuniting individuals and businesses with their unclaimed funds reflects the city’s ongoing commitment to accountability and sound financial stewardship,” said Roma Nichols, disbursements manager with the Department of Finance. “We encourage everyone to take a moment to search for their name or business; it’s a quick and easy way to claim funds that rightfully belong to you.”

In Fiscal Year 2025 around $1.7 million was listed on the city’s website, of which $344,547 — around 20% — was returned to 91 recipients.

“Recipients are reminded that they typically have about one year from when the check was issued to claim their money,” a statement from the city read. The deadline to claim these monies is June 16. After this date, any of this unclaimed money will be transferred to the City of San Diego General Fund on June 30.

People and businesses can visit the portal at sandiego.gov/finance/unclaimed and search by name or business name.

To submit a claim, the Unclaimed Monies Form must be printed and mailed to:

City of San Diego, Department of Finance
Unclaimed Monies Claim Processing
202 C St. – Mail Station 7A
San Diego, CA 92101

A check will be issued, once the claim is verified, in three to four weeks, the city statement reads.