Title 63 — Title 63 PERSONAL PROPERTY

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Administrator" means the department of revenue established under RCW 82.01.050.(2) "Administrator's agent" means a person with which the administrator contracts to con…

This chapter does not apply to property held, due, and owing in a foreign country if the transaction out of which the property arose was a foreign transaction.[ 2022 c 225 s 103.]

The administrator may adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW to implement and administer this chapter.[ 2022 c 225 s 104.]

Subject to RCW 63.30.120, the following property is presumed abandoned if it is unclaimed by the apparent owner during the period specified below:(1) A traveler's check, 15 years after issuance;(2) A money order, five years after issuance;(3) A state or municipal bond, bearer bon…

(1) Subject to RCW 63.30.120, property held in a pension account or retirement account that qualifies for tax deferral under the income tax laws of the United States is presumed abandoned if it is unclaimed by the apparent owner three years after the later of:(a) The following da…

Subject to RCW 63.30.120 and except for property described in RCW 63.30.050 and property held in a plan described in section 529A of the internal revenue code, as it existed on January 1, 2023, 26 U.S.C. Sec. 529A, property held in an account or plan, including a health savings a…

(1) Subject to RCW 63.30.120, property held in an account established under a state's uniform gifts to minors act or uniform transfers to minors act is presumed abandoned if it is unclaimed by or on behalf of the minor on whose behalf the account was opened three years after the …

Tangible property held in a safe deposit box and proceeds from a sale of the property by the holder permitted by law of this state other than this chapter are presumed abandoned if the property remains unclaimed by the apparent owner five years after the earlier of the:(1) Expira…

(1) Subject to RCW 63.30.120, the net card value of a stored value card, other than a payroll card, is presumed abandoned on the latest of three years after:(a) The card is issued or additional funds are deposited into it;(b) The most recent indication of interest in the card by …

(1) Subject to RCW 63.30.120, a security is presumed abandoned three years after:(a) The date a second consecutive communication sent by the holder by first-class United States mail to the apparent owner is returned to the holder undelivered by the United States postal service; o…

At and after the time property is presumed abandoned under this chapter, any other property right or interest accrued or accruing from the property and not previously presumed abandoned is also presumed abandoned.[ 2022 c 225 s 208.]

(1) The proceeds of any prearrangement funeral service contract for which money paid is required to be deposited in a trust, including money required to be deposited in a trust under RCW 18.39.250, is presumed abandoned three years after the earlier of the following:(a) The date …

(1) The period after which property is presumed abandoned is measured from the later of:(a) The date the property is presumed abandoned under this section and RCW 63.30.040 through 63.30.110, 63.30.130, and 63.30.140; or(b) The latest indication of interest by the apparent owner …

(1) In this section, "death master file" means the United States social security administration death master file or other database or service that is at least as comprehensive as the United States social security administration death master file for determining that an individua…

If proceeds payable under a life or endowment insurance policy or annuity contract are deposited into an account with check or draft writing privileges for the beneficiary of the policy or contract and, under a supplementary contract not involving annuity benefits other than deat…

In this section and RCW 63.30.160 through 63.30.210, the following rules apply:(1) The last known address of an apparent owner is any description, code, or other indication of the location of the apparent owner which identifies the state, even if the description, code, or indicat…

The administrator may take custody of property that is presumed abandoned, whether located in this state, another state, or a foreign country if:(1) The last known address of the apparent owner in the records of the holder is in this state; or(2) The records of the holder do not …

(1) Except as in subsection (2) of this section, if records of a holder reflect multiple addresses for an apparent owner and this state is the state of the most recently recorded address, this state may take custody of property presumed abandoned, whether located in this state or…

(1) Except as in subsection (2) of this section or RCW 63.30.160 or 63.30.170, the administrator may take custody of property presumed abandoned, whether located in this state, another state, or a foreign country, if the holder is domiciled in this state or is this state or a gov…

Except as in RCW 63.30.160, 63.30.170, or 63.30.180, the administrator may take custody of property presumed abandoned whether located in this state or another state if:(1) The transaction out of which the property arose took place in this state;(2) The holder is domiciled in a s…

The administrator may take custody of sums payable on a traveler's check, money order, or similar instrument presumed abandoned to the extent permissible under 12 U.S.C. Secs. 2501 through 2503, as it existed on January 1, 2023.[ 2022 c 225 s 306.]

If the administrator asserts a right to custody of unclaimed property, the administrator has the burden to prove:(1) The existence and amount of the property;(2) The property is presumed abandoned; and(3) The property is subject to the custody of the administrator.[ 2022 c 225 s …

(1) A holder of property presumed abandoned and subject to the custody of the administrator shall report in a record to the administrator concerning the property.(2) A holder may contract with a third party to make the report required under subsection (1) of this section.(3) Whet…

(1) The report required under RCW 63.30.220 must:(a) Be signed by or on behalf of the holder and verified as to its completeness and accuracy;(b) If filed electronically, be in a secure format approved by the administrator which protects confidential information of the apparent o…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section and subject to subsection (3) of this section, the report under RCW 63.30.220 must be filed and paid on or before October 31st of each year and cover the 12 months preceding July 1st of that year.(2) Subject to su…

A holder required to file a report under RCW 63.30.220 must retain records for six years after the later of the date the report was filed or the last date a timely report was due to be filed, unless a shorter period is provided by rule of the administrator. The holder may satisfy…

Property is reportable and payable or deliverable under this chapter even if the owner fails to make demand or present an instrument or document otherwise required to obtain payment.[ 2022 c 225 s 405.]

(1) A local government holding abandoned intangible property that is not forwarded to the department of revenue in subsection (2) of this section is not required to maintain current records of this property for longer than five years after the property is presumed abandoned, and …

(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, the holder of property presumed abandoned shall send to the apparent owner notice by first-class United States mail that complies with RCW 63.30.290 in a format acceptable to the administrator not more than 180 days nor less than 60 …

(1) Notice under RCW 63.30.280 must contain a heading that reads substantially as follows:"NoticeThe state of Washington requires us to notify you that your property may be transferred to the custody of the department of revenue if you do not contact us before (insert date that i…

(1) The administrator shall give notice to an apparent owner that property presumed abandoned and appears to be owned by the apparent owner is held by the administrator under this chapter.(2) In providing notice under subsection (1) of this section, the administrator shall:(a) Ex…

Unless prohibited by law of this state other than this chapter, on request of the administrator, each officer, agency, board, commission, division, and department of this state, any body politic and corporate created by this state for a public purpose, and each political subdivis…

In this section and RCW 63.30.330 through 63.30.410, payment or delivery of property is made in good faith if a holder:(1) Had a reasonable basis for believing, based on the facts then known, that the property was required or permitted to be paid or delivered to the administrator…

(1) A holder may deduct a dormancy charge from property required to be paid or delivered to the administrator if:(a) A valid contract between the holder and the apparent owner authorizes imposition of the charge for the apparent owner's failure to claim the property within a spec…

(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, on filing a report under RCW 63.30.220, the holder must pay or deliver to the administrator the property described in the report. Holders who are required to file a report electronically under this chapter must remit payments u…

(1) On payment or delivery of property to the administrator under this chapter, the administrator as agent for the state assumes custody and responsibility for safekeeping the property. A holder that pays or delivers property to the administrator in good faith and substantially c…

(1) A holder that under this chapter pays money to the administrator may file a claim for a refund from the administrator of the amount paid if the holder:(a) Paid the money in error to the administrator; or(b) After paying the money to the administrator, paid money to a person t…

Property removed from a safe deposit box and delivered to the administrator under this chapter is subject to the holder's right to reimbursement for the cost of opening the box and a lien or contract providing reimbursement to the holder for unpaid rent charges for the box. The a…

If property other than money is delivered to the administrator, the owner is entitled to receive from the administrator income or gain realized or accrued on the property before the property is sold. If the property was an interest-bearing demand, savings, or time deposit, the ad…

(1) The administrator may decline to take custody of property reported under RCW 63.30.220 if the administrator determines that:(a) The property has a value less than the estimated expenses of notice and sale of the property; or(b) Taking custody of the property would be unlawful…

(1) If the administrator takes custody of property delivered under this chapter and later determines that the property has no substantial commercial value or that the cost of disposing of the property will exceed the value of the property, the administrator may return the propert…

(1) Expiration, before, on, or after January 1, 2023, of a period of limitation on an owner's right to receive or recover property, whether specified by contract, statute, or court order, does not prevent the property from being presumed abandoned or affect the duty of a holder u…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in RCW 63.30.430, the administrator may sell the property not earlier than two years after receipt of property stored in a safe deposit box and presumed abandoned.(2) Before selling property under subsection (1) of this section, the administrator …

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the administrator must sell all securities delivered to the administrator as required by this chapter as soon as practicable after taking custody, in the judgment of the administrator, after receipt by the administrator. Howeve…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person making a claim under this chapter with respect to securities is only entitled to receive the proceeds received from sale, even if the sale of the securities has not been completed at the time the administrator receives th…

A purchaser of property at a sale conducted by the administrator under this chapter takes the property free of all claims of the owner, a previous holder, or a person claiming through the owner or holder. The administrator shall execute documents necessary to complete the transfe…

(1) The administrator may not sell a medal or decoration awarded for military service in the armed forces of the United States.(2) The administrator, with the consent of the respective organization under (a) of this subsection, agency under (b) of this subsection, or entity under…

(1) Except as otherwise provided by this section, the administrator shall promptly deposit in the general fund of this state all funds received under this chapter, including the proceeds from the sale of property under RCW 63.30.420 through 63.30.460. The administrator shall reta…

The administrator shall:(1) Record and retain the name and last known address of each person shown on a report filed under RCW 63.30.220 to be the apparent owner of property delivered to the administrator;(2) Record and retain the name and last known address of each insured or an…

The administrator may expend from the unclaimed personal property account for the following purposes:(1) Expenses of disposition of property delivered to the administrator under this chapter;(2) Costs of mailing and publication in connection with property delivered to the adminis…