Lost and found laws in the United States: what the texts say
This page quotes the lost and found laws of the US states we have read in the official text, and says what each one sets about holding found property. It is information, not legal advice.
US states write their own rules, and we only describe a law we have read in full in its official source. We will add states as we read them.
Updated
Laws that set a period: United States
Information, not legal advice. Each row quotes the law as published on the date shown; read the whole section, which has conditions this table does not repeat.
| Law | Where | Period | Applies to | Afterwards | The text and its source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Statutes, section 705.185 | Florida, United States | 30 days after it is found, or longer if the operator chooses | Theme parks and entertainment complexes, zoos, museums, aquariums, restaurants and hotels that elect to follow the section | May not be sold; disposed of or donated to a 501(c)(3) charitable institution | The Florida Senate705.185 Disposal of personal property lost or abandoned on the premises of certain facilities.any lost or abandoned property must be delivered to such owner or operator, who must take charge of the property and make a record of the date such property was found.If the property is not claimed by its owner within 30 days after it is found, or a longer period of time as may be deemed appropriate by the owner or operator of the premises, the owner or operator of the premises may not sell and must dispose of the property or donate it to a charitable institution that is exempt from federal income tax under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue CodeOpened |
| Revised Code of Washington, RCW 63.21.020 | Washington, United States | 60 days after the find is reported | Finders who report found property to the police or a designated entity | The owner's claim ends; the finder may claim it | Washington State Legislature(1) If the owner satisfactorily establishes, within sixty days after the find was reported to the appropriate officer or, if so designated under RCW 63.21.090 , the appropriate entity, the owner's right to possession of the property;Opened |
| Revised Code of Washington, RCW 63.21.050(1)(e) | Washington, United States | Police keep property worth over one hundred dollars for 60 days | Police and designated entities that receive found property worth more than one hundred dollars | The finder may claim it; unclaimed property is handled under the unclaimed property chapters | Washington State Legislature(e) If the property exceeds one hundred dollars adjusted for inflation under subsection (2) of this section in value and has been requested to be surrendered to the governmental entity, retain the property for sixty days before it can be claimed by the finder under this chapter, unless the owner has recovered the property;Opened |
| Iowa Code, section 556F.11 | Iowa, United States | 1 year (12 months) after the notice of the find is published and posted | Finders of lost property in Iowa, who take it or its description to the sheriff or police within five days | The right to the property vests in the finder | Iowa LegislatureIf the owner is unknown, the finder shall, within five days after finding the property, take the money, bank notes, and a description of any other property to the county sheriff of the county or the chief of police of the city in which the property was foundIf no person appears to claim and prove ownership to said goods, money, bank notes, or other things within twelve months of the date when proof of said publication and posting isfiled in the office of the county auditor, the right to such property shall irrevocably vest in said finder.Opened |
Operators' own published rules: United States
| Operator | Where | As published | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma International Airport | Washington, United States | At least 30 days | Port of Seattle |
| Colorado Springs Airport | Colorado, United States | 7 to 10 days at the airport police office | City of Colorado Springs |
| Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport | Kentucky, United States | No longer than 30 days | Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport |
| Salt Lake City International Airport | Utah, United States | Claim by the 30th day; public notice before disposal | Salt Lake City International Airport |
| Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport | Louisiana, United States | 60 days; ID cards mailed after 7 days; bank cards destroyed after 24 hours | Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport |
| Philadelphia International Airport | Pennsylvania, United States | 30 days in the lost and found room, then 1 year in central supply | Philadelphia International Airport |
| Charlotte Douglas International Airport | North Carolina, United States | 30 days; tablets and laptops longer | Charlotte Douglas International Airport |
| Regional Transportation District (Denver) | Colorado, United States | At least 7 days | Regional Transportation District (Denver) |
| Imperial Valley Transit | California, United States | Most items 30 days | Imperial Valley Transit |
| Sound Transit (Link light rail) | Washington, United States | 30 days, held by King County Metro | Sound Transit (Link light rail) |
| San Joaquin Regional Transit District | California, United States | 10 days; ID documents, medicine and cash 30 days | San Joaquin Regional Transit District |
| St. Mary's University (Texas) | Texas, United States | 90 days | St. Mary's University (Texas) |
| University of California, Irvine | California, United States | 90 days | UCI Police Department |
| University of California, Los Angeles | California, United States | 90 days | UCLA Police Department |
| California State University, Los Angeles | California, United States | 90 days | California State University, Los Angeles |
| Cal Poly Humboldt | California, United States | 3 months | Cal Poly Humboldt |
| California State University, Chico | California, United States | Up to 30 days | California State University, Chico |
| Texas Tech University | Texas, United States | Items under $500: 30 days; $500 or more: 90 days | Texas Tech Police Department |
| Northern Michigan University | Michigan, United States | Lost and found property 90 days; abandoned property 30 days | Northern Michigan University |
| Lower Columbia College | Washington, United States | At least 30 days; usable items reviewed after 40 days | Lower Columbia College |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Colorado, United States | Items of value 30 days from impoundment | CU Boulder Police Department |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Nebraska, United States | 30 days | University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police |
| University of Missouri | Missouri, United States | At least 60 days | University of Missouri |
| Boise State University | Idaho, United States | Miscellaneous items 30 days at Central Lost and Found | Boise State University |
| Montana State University | Montana, United States | Clothing, bottles and most items at least 30 days; bank cards 7 days | Montana State University |
| Western New Mexico University | New Mexico, United States | Up to 30 days | Western New Mexico University |
| Rocky Vista University | Colorado, United States | 90 days | Rocky Vista University |
| M&T Bank Stadium | Maryland, United States | Phones, clothing, bags and jewellery 30 days | Baltimore Ravens |
| Highmark Stadium | New York, United States | Clothing and bags 7 days; phones 30 days | Buffalo Bills |
| Washington Commanders stadium | Maryland, United States | 30 days | Washington Commanders |
| GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium | Missouri, United States | 30 days | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium |
| Lumen Field | Washington, United States | 30 days | Lumen Field |
| Shell Energy Stadium | Texas, United States | 30 days | Houston Dynamo FC |
| Xcel Energy Center | Minnesota, United States | 7 days from the date turned in | Minnesota Wild |
| Huntington Center (Toledo) | Ohio, United States | Clothing, bags and jewellery 14 days; phones and tablets 60 days | Huntington Center (Toledo) |
| Hollywood Bowl | California, United States | 30 days | Los Angeles Philharmonic Association |
| Signature Boston (Boston convention centres) | Massachusetts, United States | No obvious value 14 days; up to $250 60 days; over $250 1 year | Massachusetts Convention Center Authority |
| America's Center (St. Louis) | Missouri, United States | Phones, clothing and bags 30 days | Explore St. Louis |
| Boise Centre | Idaho, United States | 30 days | Boise Centre |
| Cincinnati Museum Center | Ohio, United States | General items 60 days; jewellery and electronics up to 1 year | Cincinnati Museum Center |
| Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | California, United States | At least 30 days under National Park Service policy | National Park Service |
| Worlds of Fun | Missouri, United States | Within 48 hours | Six Flags |
| Sundance Mountain Resort | Utah, United States | Up to 30 days, in line with Utah law as the resort states | Sundance Mountain Resort |
| Winter Park Resort | Colorado, United States | Soft goods 30 days; hard goods 90 days; valuables 1 year | Winter Park Resort |
| Providence Seaside Hospital | Oregon, United States | 30 days | Providence |
| Hartford Hospital | Connecticut, United States | Unidentified patient belongings 15 days | Hartford HealthCare |
| YMCA of Central Kentucky | Kentucky, United States | Low-value items 15 days; valuables at least 60 days | YMCA of Central Kentucky |
See every published holding period and how we collected them
Reviewed . Next review due .
Florida: theme parks, museums, restaurants and hotels
Florida Statutes section 705.185 covers property found in a theme park or entertainment complex, a zoo, a museum or an aquarium, a public food service establishment or a public lodging establishment, when the owner or operator of the premises elects to comply with the section.
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Found property is delivered to the owner or operator, who takes charge of it and records the date it was found. If its owner does not claim it within 30 days after it is found, or a longer period the operator chooses, the operator may not sell it and must dispose of it or donate it to a charitable institution under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Washington: the find is reported to the police
Under RCW 63.21.020, a finder’s claim ends if the owner establishes their right to the property within sixty days after the find was reported to the appropriate officer or designated entity.
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Under RCW 63.21.050, the officer or designated entity that receives property worth more than one hundred dollars, adjusted for inflation, and that has been asked to keep it, retains it for sixty days before the finder can claim it, unless the owner has recovered it.
Iowa: notice, then twelve months
Under Iowa Code chapter 556F, a finder whose owner is unknown takes the money, bank notes and a description of the other property to the county sheriff or the chief of police within five days of finding it.
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Section 556F.11 says that if no one claims and proves ownership within twelve months of the date the proof of the published and posted notice is filed with the county auditor, the right to the property vests in the finder.
What this means for a lost and found desk
Where a state law covers your premises, start your own holding period from it, and keep records that show the date each item was found. Where no law we have quoted applies, your own written policy sets the period, and the operators’ rules below show what others publish.
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This page does not cover United States privacy law about the names and contact details in a lost property log; we have not reviewed it for this page. Keep only the details you need to return an item, and delete them under your own policy.
This page is information, not legal advice. It quotes only the sections named, as published on the date we opened them; laws change and carry conditions and exceptions this page does not repeat. Ask a lawyer about your own site.
Frequently asked questions
Which US states have a lost and found law for businesses?+
Of the laws we have read, Florida section 705.185 is written for premises such as theme parks, museums, zoos, aquariums, restaurants and hotels whose operator elects to comply. Washington and Iowa set rules for a finder who reports the find to the authorities. We only list a state once we have read its text.
Can a Florida hotel sell unclaimed lost property?+
Under section 705.185, an operator that elects to comply may not sell property unclaimed after 30 days, or a longer period it chooses; it must dispose of it or donate it to a charitable institution under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Read the section itself before relying on this.
Is this page legal advice?+
No. It quotes and summarises the sections named, as published on the date we opened them. Laws carry conditions and exceptions this page does not repeat, so ask a lawyer about your own site.
Record the date of every find
vFound Lost & Found records when and where each item was found and who handled it, and lists the items whose holding period ends within a week.
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