By SDCN Staff
San Diego, CA–The City of San Diego is reaching out to businesses and individuals who may be owed money in the form of refunds or vendor payments.
More than 900 businesses and individuals are eligible for unclaimed monies, and the deadline to submit claims is fast approaching.
Unclaimed monies are refund or vendor payments issued by the city that remain uncashed. Reasons checks are not cashed include misplaced checks, outdated mailing addresses, and business closures or mergers.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. The City sends checks to the addresses on record. If a check is returned due to an address change, for example, or remains uncashed for six months, it is considered unclaimed.
According to the City’s Unclaimed Monies Report, on March 31, 2026, $1,028,390 was available for return to more than 900 individuals and businesses, with check amounts ranging from $2 to $77,994. The report is updated quarterly and is available to the public free of charge, allowing anyone to review it and file a claim at any time.
“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 (from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025), approximately $1.7 million was listed on the city’s website, of which $344,547 (about 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. For checks issued before April 1, 2025, which is a portion of the unclaimed monies, approximately $590,152 is owed to recipients. The deadline to claim these monies is June 16, 2026. After this date, any of this unclaimed money will be transferred to the Ccty of San Diego General Fund on June 30, 2026.
People and businesses are encouraged to visit the portal 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. Questions may be submitted to unclaimedmonies@sandiego.gov or call (619) 236-6310. Include “Unclaimed Monies” in the subject field of the email.
