§ 1352.Property Held For Third Persons Or Title Subject to Rights of Third Persons
Title 10. Unclaimed Property · Chapter 3. Payment of Claims · Article 3. Claims · Last amended 1990 · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1352 lets a person owed unclaimed money or property worth less than $60,000 (or a distributee of any amount) present an administrative claim to the Controller on a prescribed form, and lets anyone aggrieved by the Controller's decision sue the Controller in superior court.
(a)Whenever unclaimed money or other property is deposited in the State Treasury under this title, and, except as otherwise provided by law, whenever there is in the possession of the state or its officers any money or other property which is held for third persons or the title to which has vested in the state subject to the rights of third persons, and the period during which it may be claimed by a person entitled thereto has not terminated, the period and person being prescribed by law, if the value of the money or other property to which the claimant is entitled is less than sixty thousand dollars ($60,000), any such person may present his or her claim for it to the Controller.
The claim shall be made in the form prescribed by the Controller, which shall set forth the information required by Section 1355 or any other information that the Controller may deem necessary to establish right or title to the money or other property in the claimant.
(b)Property assigned or distributed to a name distributee may be claimed by the distributee himself or herself or his or her legal guardian or conservator, as provided in subdivision (a) regardless of the amount. This subdivision does not apply to the heirs or estate of a distributee, or to property distributed to the state for lack of known heirs.
(c)Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Controller may commence an action, naming the Controller as a defendant, to establish his or her claim in the superior court in any county or city and county in which the Attorney General has an office pursuant to Section 1541.
Plain-English Summary
This section creates the everyday, lower-cost path for recovering unclaimed property, reserved for smaller claims. Whenever unclaimed money or property is deposited in the State Treasury, or is otherwise held by the state or its officers for third persons or subject to their rights, and the claim window has not yet closed, a person entitled to property worth less than $60,000 can present a claim directly to the Controller, using the form the Controller prescribes and setting out the information Section 1355 requires or anything else the Controller considers necessary to establish the claimant's right or title.
Property assigned or distributed to a named distributee gets special, more generous treatment: that distributee (or their guardian or conservator) can use this same administrative process regardless of the dollar amount involved, though this exception does not extend to the distributee's own heirs or estate, or to property distributed to the state for lack of known heirs. Finally, if the Controller's decision does not satisfy the claimant, this section does not leave the Controller as the last word -- anyone aggrieved can sue, naming the Controller as defendant, in the superior court of any county where the Attorney General keeps an office, to establish the claim judicially.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the dollar threshold for using this administrative claims process?
Property valued at less than $60,000, though a named distributee (or their guardian or conservator) can use this process for any amount.
What form does a claim under this section take?
The form the Controller prescribes, setting out the information Section 1355 requires or any other information the Controller considers necessary.
What can a claimant do if dissatisfied with the Controller's decision?
Sue the Controller in the superior court of any county or city and county where the Attorney General has an office, to establish the claim.
Does the distributee exception cover the distributee's own heirs after the distributee dies?
No -- it applies to the distributee personally (or a guardian or conservator), not to the distributee's heirs or estate, and not to property distributed to the state for lack of known heirs.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats. 1990, Ch. 450, Sec. 1. Effective July 31, 1990.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as:administrative claim controller unclaimed property california60000 dollar threshold unclaimed property claim