The paperwork a claim actually needs.
Incomplete documentation is the most common reason an unclaimed property claim sits at the Division for months. This page covers what the Division asks for in each type of claim — and, if you no longer have a record it requires, how to obtain it through us.
It depends on who is claiming
We tell you exactly which of these applies to your claim before you go spend money on anything. Do not order records on a guess.
Claiming in your own name
- Government-issued photo identification
- Documentation tying you to the name and address on the reported account
- Proof of any name change, if the account is under a former name
- A notarized signature on the claim form
Claiming as an heir or estate
- Certified death certificate for the owner
- Documents establishing your entitlement to the funds
- Proof of relationship, where relationship is the basis of the claim
- Probate documents, depending on the size and nature of the estate
Claiming for a business or trust
- Proof of your authority to sign for the entity
- Formation or dissolution records for the company
- The trust instrument, for trust-held accounts
- Identification for the signing officer or trustee
Florida's rules are specific about what counts. For estate claims in particular, a will on its own is generally not sufficient, and the documentation path changes depending on the total amount the state is holding. Call before ordering anything — the wrong certificate costs you time and money for nothing.
Don't have it? You can obtain it through us.
Not every claim needs these. But when the Division asks for a certified record you no longer have, the claim stops until you produce it — and tracking down a certificate from a county office in another state, or a foreign record that needs translating, is where people give up.
We can obtain it for you. Each of these is a paid service with its own price, quoted before you order. You are also free to obtain any of these yourself directly from the issuing office; we will tell you where to go if you prefer that.
Death Certificate
A certified death certificate is the starting point for any claim on an account belonging to someone who has passed away. The Division will not release funds without it.
Birth Certificate
Used to establish the line from a deceased owner to the heir claiming the account — a child, grandchild, or sibling relationship the state needs documented.
Marriage Certificate
Accounts reported under a maiden name are one of the most common reasons people never find their own property. A certified marriage certificate connects the two names.
Divorce Certificate
The same problem in reverse. If your name changed at divorce, the decree or certificate documents the change for the claim file.
Certified Translations
English translations of foreign birth, marriage, or death records, certified for submission. Common on estate claims where the family's documents come from outside the United States.
Apostille & Legalization
Authentication for records issued abroad, or for U.S. records that a foreign authority needs to accept. Relevant when an heir or the original owner's records are from another country.
Remote Online Notary
Claim forms and sworn statements require notarization. Remote online notarization lets you sign by secure video instead of traveling to an office.
Certified Copies
Certified copies of court orders, deeds, or vital records where the Division requires a certified version rather than a photocopy.
How this works with our contingent fee. Our recovery fee is contingent — if the state does not release your funds, you owe us no fee. Document services are not part of that fee. They are priced individually, paid when you order, and yours to keep whether or not a claim is ever filed or approved. We will always tell you whether a document is actually required for your claim before you spend anything on it.
Ask before you order
Tell us whose account it is and how you are related. We will tell you which documents the Division will want for that specific claim.
1-888-815-7782Request an appointment
Tell us how to reach you and when works. We confirm by phone or email, usually the same business day.