New South Wales
Search NSW
unclaimed money.
Search all official registers and databases to find money that may be owed to you.
Searching official registers is free. Previous names and addresses may assist your search.
Lived in more than one state? Build a search planHow to claim unclaimed money in New South Wales
Revenue NSW runs the state register and handles the claim from start to finish online. It is free to search and free to claim, and there is no time limit on making a claim. Here is what the NSW process actually asks of you.
- 1
Search the NSW register
Search by name in the Revenue NSW online service. Try earlier surnames and any spelling a business might have used for you, because the record is stored the way the organisation reported it.
- 2
Choose your claim type
Revenue NSW asks whether you are the owner, an authorised representative, a family member or friend, or an agent such as a solicitor, accountant or money finder. Family, friends and agents need a signed Authority to Act form (OUM004) from the owner.
- 3
Say who the money belongs to
You then pick the relationship: individual, joint, company, trust or deceased estate. Joint money needs every owner to join the claim, and a trust needs every trustee.
- 4
Upload identity and address evidence
Enter your personal, contact and bank details, upload your documents and complete the declaration. If you have no email address, Revenue NSW will post you the form, or you can download the PDF claim form.
- 5
Track your claim
You get a confirmation and a claim reference number, and you can check the status online. If a claim is declined, you can lodge a written objection within 60 days and then seek review through NCAT or the Supreme Court.
What you need to prove
- Any two identity documents: driver licence, passport, Proof of Age Card, full birth certificate, Medicare card, concession or Veteran card, ImmiCard, change of name or citizenship certificate
- Overseas claimants: certified copies of any two of an overseas passport, driver licence or birth certificate
- One document linking the owner to the address Revenue NSW holds: utility bill, bank statement, rates notice, lease, government letter or insurance policy
- If nothing links you to that address, a letter from the organisation that lodged the money confirming ownership
- Company: ID for at least two current directors, or one for a sole director company, plus current and historical ASIC extracts
- Deceased estate: executor ID and the grant of probate or letters of administration, or the will and death certificate if probate has not been granted
Fees and timing
- Cost to search or claim
- Free. Revenue NSW charges nothing to search the register or lodge a claim.
- Processing time
- Revenue NSW asks you to allow up to 28 days for assessment, and has recently flagged that a higher than usual volume of claims is stretching that out.
- Time limit
- There is no time limit on making a NSW claim, so older money can still be claimed.
- If your claim is refused
- You can lodge a formal written objection within 60 days of the determination, then seek review at NCAT or the NSW Supreme Court.
Claiming in less common situations
A deceased relative
The executor or administrator claims, supplying their own ID plus the grant of probate or letters of administration. Where probate has not been granted, the will and death certificate are used instead. If there is more than one executor, all of them must join the claim.
A company or trust
Companies need ID for two current directors, or one for a sole director company, plus current and historical ASIC extracts. Trusts and super funds need trustee ID and the current trust deed, with every trustee joining the claim.
A friend or agent claiming for you
Family members, friends, solicitors, accountants and money finders can all lodge a claim, but only with your signed Authority to Act form and identification for both of you. You can always do it yourself for nothing.
Money not held by New South Wales
A state register only covers money handed to that state. Some of the most common types of lost money are held nationally instead, so check these separately:
- Lost and unclaimed super: held by super funds or the ATO. See how to find lost super.
- Dormant bank accounts, shares and life insurance: generally transferred to ASIC. See national searches.
- Money from another state: if you have lived or worked elsewhere, search that state too. Use the Search Plan to list them.
Searching with old addresses
- Write down every address you have had, including share houses and student housing.
- Search by name first, then use the suburb or postcode shown in a result to decide if it could be yours.
- Try maiden names, previous surnames, initials and common misspellings.
- Old bills, bank statements, tax records or tenancy papers can help prove you lived at a listed address.
- Only enter details on the official government website, never on a site asking for fees to search.
About New South Wales unclaimed money
Revenue NSW holds money from businesses, trusts, solicitors, real estate agents and other organisations that could not return it to the owner.
NSW residents should also check ASIC MoneySmart for bank accounts, shares and life insurance; the ATO for lost super; NSW Fair Trading for rental bonds; and Fair Work for unpaid wages. If you have lived in other states, search their registers too.
Quick facts
- Revenue NSW is the main state register for NSW residents.
- Rental bonds are held separately by NSW Fair Trading.
- Revenue NSW publishes the current claim rules and evidence requirements on its official site.
The official searches linked on this page do not charge a search fee. Check the responsible agency's current claim instructions before providing documents or paying for outside help.
Check everywhere
Search all key places where money can be held.
Revenue NSW
Unclaimed money, uncashed cheques, refunds, dividends, trust money and more.
MoneySmart (ASIC)
Search for unclaimed bank accounts, shares, investments and life insurance.
ATO Lost Super
Find your lost or forgotten superannuation and unclaimed super.
Fair Work Ombudsman
Search for unpaid wages owed to you by employers that is being held in trust.
AFSA Unclaimed Money
Find unclaimed money from bankruptcy, debt agreements and wind-ups.
Rental Bonds
Find forgotten or unclaimed NSW rental bond refunds.
Before you search
Having these details on hand makes it easier to recognise a match on the official register.
How it works
Search
Search the official registers.
Match
If a match is found, the official register will show you the available details.
Claim
Follow the instructions to claim your money.
Frequently asked questions
Need help?
We’re here to help you every step of the way.
What to search next
Money goes missing in more than one place. These are the next things worth checking.
- Lost superSuper left behind at old jobs, plus super the ATO is holding for you.
- National registersMoneySmart, the ATO, Fair Work and AFSA cover every state.
- Step-by-step guidesHow each type of unclaimed money works and how to claim it.
- Other states you have lived inEach state keeps a separate register, so search them all.
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.