At the time of the next county settlement following the expiration of one year from the date of its deposit in the county treasury, all money or other property distributed in the administration of an estate of a deceased person and heretofore or hereafter deposited in the county treasury to the credit of known heirs, legatees, or devisees, and any money or other property remaining on deposit to the credit of an estate after final distribution to such known heirs, legatees or devisees, shall be paid to the Treasurer or Controller as provided in Chapter 2.
§ 1444.Money Or Property Deposited In County Treasury Paid to Treasurer Or Controller
Title 10. Unclaimed Property · Chapter 6. Disposition of Unclaimed Property · Article 1. Estates of Deceased Persons · Enacted 1708 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1444 requires a county treasurer, at the next county settlement after money or property from an estate has sat in the county treasury for one year, whether held for known heirs, legatees, or devisees or left over after final distribution, to pay it to the state Treasurer or Controller under Chapter 2.
Full Text of § 1444
Plain-English Summary
Estate money sometimes ends up parked in a county treasury rather than paid straight out to the people entitled to it, and this section sets the deadline for moving it along to the state. If money or other property distributed in administering a deceased person's estate has been deposited in the county treasury to the credit of known heirs, legatees, or devisees, and it's still there a year later, it has to go to the state at the next county settlement following that year.
The same rule reaches any money or property left over in the county treasury to the credit of the estate itself, after final distribution to those known heirs, legatees, or devisees has already happened. Either way, the payment to the state Treasurer or Controller follows the transmission procedure Chapter 2 sets out, keeping county-held estate leftovers from sitting indefinitely instead of moving into the state's unclaimed property system.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can estate money sit in a county treasury before it must go to the state?
One year from the date of deposit; it must then be paid to the state at the next county settlement following the expiration of that year.
Does this cover money held for heirs who are known, or only unknown claimants?
It covers money and property held to the credit of known heirs, legatees, or devisees, as well as leftover estate funds remaining after final distribution to them.
How is the payment to the state made?
As provided in Chapter 2, which governs the deposit and transmission of unclaimed money and property to the Treasurer or Controller.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 1708.
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: county treasury estate money to stateone year deposit county treasurer