Estate property distributed to the State (escheat): claim within 5 years after order for distribution or forever barred

60 months after date of the order for distribution to the state, under Cal. Prob. Code 11903.

Rule text

(a) Property distributed to the state shall be held by the Treasurer for a period of five years from the date of the order for distribution, within which time any person may claim the property in the manner provided by Title 10 (commencing with Section 1300) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (b) A person who does not claim the property within the time prescribed in this section is forever barred, and the property vests absolutely in the state, subject to the provisions of Title 10 (commencing with Section 1300) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Cal. Prob. Code 11903, official source

Calculate this deadline

Deadline
Thursday, November 6, 2031
  1. Trigger (Date of the order for distribution to the State): Friday, November 6, 2026.
  2. Add 60 months: Thursday, November 6, 2031.
Rules applied
Cal. Prob. Code 11903
(a) Property distributed to the state shall be held by the Treasurer for a period of five years from the date of the order for distribution, within which time any person may claim the property in the manner provided by Title 10 (commencing with Section 1300) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (b) A person who does not claim the property within the time prescribed in this section is forever barred, and the property vests absolutely in the state, subject to the provisions of Title 10 (commencing with Section 1300) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
Official source
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b, 10, 17(b)(4), applied to probate proceedings by Prob. Code 1000; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10
CCP 12: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." CCP 12a(a): "If the last day for the performance of any act provided or required by law to be performed within a specified period of time is a holiday, then that period is hereby extended to and including the next day that is not a holiday. For purposes of this section, “holiday” means all day on Saturdays, all holidays specified in Section 135 and, to the extent provided in Section 12b, all days that by terms of Section 12b are required to be considered as holidays." CCP 12b: "If any city, county, state, or public office, other than a branch office, is closed for the whole of any day, insofar as the business of that office is concerned, that day shall be considered as a holiday for the purposes of computing time under Sections 12 and 12a." CCP 10: "Holidays within the meaning of this code are every Sunday and any other days that are specified or provided for as judicial holidays in Section 135." CCP 17(b)(4): "“Month” means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed." Prob. Code 1000(a): "Except to the extent that this code provides applicable rules, the rules of practice applicable to civil actions, including discovery proceedings and proceedings under Title 3a (commencing with Section 391) of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, apply to, and constitute the rules of practice in, proceedings under this code."
Official source
  • Claims follow the CCP 1300 et seq. procedure (Controller). Enacted by Stats. 1990, ch. 79.
  • If the clerk's office is closed or inaccessible on the last day (weather, emergency or local closure orders), the deadline may be extended. Check local orders.

This calculator applies the cited rules to the dates you enter. It is not legal advice. Court orders, local rules, and case-specific facts can change a deadline; verify before relying on it. Rule set pending attorney review.

Worked example

Date of the order for distribution to the State on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Monday, March 15, 2032.

  1. Trigger (Date of the order for distribution to the State): Monday, March 15, 2027.
  2. Add 60 months: Monday, March 15, 2032.

Notes

Claims follow the CCP 1300 et seq. procedure (Controller). Enacted by Stats. 1990, ch. 79.

Local rules by county

County local rules and courtroom procedures can add to or change this deadline. Pick a county to calculate with them applied.

Rules current as of 2026-10-23. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.