Delaware County Unclaimed Property
Delaware County ranks 4th in Pennsylvania for unclaimed property, with 972,547 claims totaling more than $149 million. That is a significant sum tied to addresses in Media, Upper Darby, Chester, Springfield, and Havertown. The county government itself actively works to recover unclaimed funds from the Pennsylvania Treasury. Whether you are an individual or a business owner, if you have ever lived or operated in Delaware County, your name may appear in the state database.
Delaware County Unclaimed Property Facts
Delaware County Treasurer and Unclaimed Property Recovery
The Delaware County Treasurer's Office is unusual among Pennsylvania counties in that it openly publicizes its own effort to recover unclaimed property from the state. The county website at delcopa.gov/treasurer/unclaimed states directly: "The County of Delaware has an ongoing process to collect unclaimed property from the Pennsylvania State Treasury Department." That process involves the county identifying funds owed to county government and filing claims to recover them on behalf of taxpayers.
This approach makes Delaware County a model for how local government can interact with the unclaimed property system. The Treasurer's Office tracks accounts, payments, and deposits that were once owed to the county but went unreported or uncollected. By filing claims through the same process available to individual residents, the county demonstrates exactly how the system works and why it matters.
The Treasurer's Office is located in the Government Center Building in Media, the county seat. Residents can use the Treasurer's contact information as a starting point for questions about county financial matters. For personal unclaimed property claims, the state Treasury portal remains the primary resource.
The Scale of Unclaimed Property in Delaware County
Nearly a million individual claims worth more than $149 million represents one of the largest concentrations of unclaimed property in Pennsylvania. Delaware County's position as 4th in the state reflects its dense population, proximity to Philadelphia, and the strong financial services sector that operates throughout the county. Banks, credit unions, insurance companies, and investment firms in and around Upper Darby, Chester, and Media have been turning over dormant accounts for decades.
Upper Darby alone, with its large and historically diverse population, accounts for a substantial portion of Delaware County's unclaimed property total. Residents who moved frequently, changed names, or lost contact with financial institutions are most likely to have property in the database. The same applies to the many former residents of Chester and other communities who relocated but left accounts behind.
Corporate entities registered in Delaware County also contribute. The county's business community includes retail, healthcare, and professional services firms that have changed ownership or closed over the years. Former employees, customers, and vendors of those businesses may have uncashed checks or unreturned deposits waiting in the state system.
Searching for Delaware County Unclaimed Property
Start your search at unclaimedproperty.patreasury.gov. Enter your last name and filter by Delaware County. Then try specific cities: Media, Upper Darby, Chester, Springfield, and Havertown. If you have lived in multiple Delaware County communities over the years, search each city separately. Property is indexed by the last known address on file with the holder, not your current address.
Search maiden names and previous names. Delaware County's population has historically included many residents who changed surnames through marriage or legal name changes. Each name variation should be searched independently. If you have relatives who lived in Delaware County, search their names as well. The state database holds property for deceased individuals until an heir files a claim. Unclaimed property does not expire or revert to the state permanently.
Business owners and former business owners should search every company name they have used. Corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and sole proprietorships all appear in the database. A dormant account associated with a closed Delaware County business may be searchable by the exact legal entity name.
Common Types of Unclaimed Property in Delaware County
The 972,547 claims associated with Delaware County include a wide range of property types. Dormant bank accounts are the most common, covering both checking and savings accounts that have had no activity for several years. Uncashed checks follow closely, including payroll checks, insurance settlements, utility refunds, and dividend payments. Life insurance proceeds that were never claimed by beneficiaries represent another large category, particularly among older Delaware County families.
Securities are also a significant component of the Delaware County total. Stocks, bonds, and mutual fund shares held in inactive brokerage accounts are transferred to the state after the dormancy period. In some cases, the value of these securities has grown considerably since they were originally reported. Claiming securities requires a few extra documentation steps, but the process remains free.
Safe deposit box contents, utility deposits, and vendor payments round out the most common categories. Contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes are auctioned by the holder, and the proceeds are turned over to the state. If a family member rented a safe deposit box in a Delaware County bank and never retrieved its contents, the proceeds may be searchable in the database.
Delaware County Government Resources
Delaware County operates under a County Council form of government. The main county website at delcopa.gov provides access to a wide range of county services, including information from the Controller, Sheriff, and Treasurer offices. The county seat is Media, located in zip code 19063. The Government Center Building houses most county offices.
The Delaware County Daily Times at delcotimes.com covers local news across the county and publishes legal notices including unclaimed property announcements. The Pennsylvania Bulletin at pacodeandbulletin.gov carries statewide notices that include Delaware County property listings. Reviewing past notices by name can help identify unclaimed property that has not yet been found through the standard search portal.
Pennsylvania Unclaimed Property Law and the Claim Process
Pennsylvania's unclaimed property program operates under the Disposition of Abandoned and Unclaimed Property Act (DAUPA). Holders of dormant accounts, including banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions, must turn property over to the state after the applicable dormancy period. For most accounts, that period is three years. For money orders and traveler's checks, the period is seven years. Once property reaches the state, it is held indefinitely.
Recent legislation has made claiming easier for Delaware County residents. Act 81 of 2024 created the Money Match program, allowing the Treasury to automatically return property of $500 or less to identifiable residents using state tax data. If you have filed a Pennsylvania tax return with a Delaware County address, you may receive a Money Match payment without filing a claim at all. Act 50 of 2025, effective May 25, 2026, allows claims up to $20,000 to be processed using an affidavit rather than a full documentation package.
To file a standard claim, visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property. The Treasury can also be reached at 1-800-222-2046. Processing is free. There is no fee to search or to file a claim. Avoid any third-party service that charges a fee to find or recover your unclaimed property, as none of those fees are required by the state.
Cities in Delaware County
Delaware County includes many communities spread across a compact but densely populated area. Upper Darby is among the largest and most populous. Residents of each community should search the state database using their specific city name to find property associated with their addresses.
Upper Darby is one of the most populous communities in Delaware County. Many Upper Darby residents have unclaimed property on file with the Pennsylvania Treasury. Search by name and city to find property tied to Upper Darby addresses.
Nearby Counties
Delaware County sits between Philadelphia, Chester County, and Montgomery County. Residents near county lines or those who have moved among these counties should check each county's resources.