Key takeaways
- Photo ID and proof of current address are required for almost every claim.
- Name-change documents are needed if the record is under a previous name.
- Estate claims need a death certificate and authority to act for the estate.
The core documents almost every claim needs
- Photo identification: driver licence, passport or proof of age card.
- Proof of your current residential address: a recent utility bill, bank statement or government notice.
- Something linking you to the listed record: an old bank statement, share certificate, lease, payslip or super statement.
When the record is under a different name
Registers match the exact name an institution recorded. If your money is under a maiden name, a previous married name, an anglicised name or a misspelling, you need evidence of the link between that name and your current legal name.
| Name situation | Document to use |
|---|---|
| Maiden name | Marriage certificate or birth certificate |
| Previous married name | Marriage certificate and divorce order, or change of name certificate |
| Anglicised name | Migration or citizenship documents showing the change |
| Common misspelling | Evidence showing the name refers to the same person, such as an old address match |
Claiming for a deceased relative
- 1A certified copy of the death certificate.
- 2A grant of probate or letters of administration, or a statutory declaration for small amounts.
- 3Your own photo identification.
- 4Evidence linking the deceased to the listed record, such as an old address.
- 5Bank details for the estate account or the entitled beneficiary.
Claiming for a company or trust
Business claims need proof that you are authorised to act for the entity, such as a current company extract from ASIC, a trust deed, or a letter of authority signed by the directors or trustees.
Ready to search?
Not sure which registers apply to you? Our free search guide turns six quick answers into a personalised checklist of official searches. Every register it links to is a government service and free to use.
Official sources checked
- Researched and reviewed by
- Find Lost Money Australia
- Information last verified
- 1 August 2026 (first published August 2026)
Find Lost Money Australia is an independent information service, not a government agency. Our review checks the responsible agency's current page, search location and claim instructions. Agencies can change their rules, so confirm details on the official site before you act.
More reading
Continue your lost-money search
With your documents together, these are the claims worth lodging next.
- Proving your identityThe documents each register asks for before it will release money to you.
- Bank accounts, shares and dividendsASIC holds bank money inactive for seven years, plus unclaimed dividends and share proceeds.
- Your state or territory registerEach state holds unclaimed refunds, deposits and trust money from businesses in that state.
- Deceased estate searchesHow an executor searches and claims money that belonged to someone who has died.
Searching is free. Every register we link to lets you search at no cost, and you can lodge a claim yourself. Be cautious of any business that asks for an upfront fee simply to search a public register on your behalf. Find Lost Money Australia is an independent information service. We are not a government agency and we do not hold or search unclaimed money databases.