To claim your funds from BC Unclaimed, you need to provide 3 pieces of documentation in total:
2 pieces of government-issued ID to prove who you are, AND
1 piece of documentation that connects you to the amount listed in our database.
If you don’t know the source of your unclaimed funds, refer to the email we sent you after you submitted your request about the unclaimed property.
Two pieces of government-issued ID
If you aren’t sure what counts as valid government-issued identification, here are some examples:
Driver’s license
BC Services card
Combined Driver’s license and BC Services card
Passport
Birth certificate
BC ID
Permanent resident card
Citizenship card
Firearms license
Certificate of Indian status
Sometimes you have the option to provide proof of your Social Insurance Number. Or we may need your SIN so we can issue you a tax slip with your unclaimed funds.
If you no longer have your SIN card, here are some other ways to provide proof of your SIN:
Notice of Assessment
T4 or T4A
CRA Remittance Voucher
Confirmation of SIN document from Service Canada
Documentation connecting you to unclaimed money
Find the type of unclaimed money you want to claim in the list below. Expand the heading to see what kind of documentation you need to provide to claim that type of money.
If you don’t find the type of money you want to claim here, refer to the email we sent you after you requested information from us about the unclaimed money.
Credit union document citing the account number (e.g. account statement, cancelled cheque, a letter from the credit union confirming account details)
Proof of your employment with the correct company (e.g. payroll stub, T4 income tax slip).
If you don’t know which company the wages are from, start by providing a list of your former employers.
Proof of the deposit with the real estate brokerage (e.g. receipt of deposit, a cancelled cheque, purchase & sale agreement)
Insurance policy relating to the funds
Contract or receipt of payment with the collection agency
Original share certificate with your signature guaranteed on the back by a chartered bank or trust company (Note: credit unions are not acceptable).
If you do not have the original share certificate, you may provide other documentation verifying your investment in the company (e.g. T5 interest income slip, Statement of Account).
Membership card or any other documentation proving your membership with the co-operative
Document citing the correct Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) contract number (e.g. RESP Statement, Educational Assistance Payment (EAP) Reminder Notice)
Document verifying your pension plan membership (e.g. Pension Plan Statement, T5 income tax slip)
Documentation requirements for deceased owners
If you are the executor or administrator for someone BC Unclaimed holds money for, expand the applicable heading to see what kind of documentation you need to provide to claim their money.
The estate's executor or administrator will need to provide the following documentation:
Documentation connecting the owner to their unclaimed money (this varies depending on the type of money held in their name):
Certified true copy of the owner’s death certificate;
officially naming the executor or administrator of the owner’s estate;
Two pieces of government-issued ID belonging to the executor or administrator.
If the unclaimed balance exceeds $1000, BC Unclaimed requires the certified true copies of the death certificate and grant are sent by mail. You can refer to either the letter or email correspondence BC Unclaimed has sent with the details of the unclaimed funds to determine the property’s approximate dollar value
If you are the executor or administrator for an estate that did not require probate, then please provide our office with the following:
Documentation connecting the owner to their unclaimed money (this varies depending on the type of money held in their name):
Certified true copy of the owner’s death certificate;
Certified true copy of their Last Will and Testament naming you as their executor;
A document proving you acted as the executor (e.g., a CRA tax document addressed to the estate in your care);
A signed letter explaining why the estate was not probated;
Two pieces of your government-issued ID.
If the unclaimed balance exceeds $1000, BC Unclaimed requires the certified true copies of the death certificate and grant are sent by mail. You can refer to either the letter or email correspondence BC Unclaimed has sent with the details of the unclaimed funds to determine the property’s approximate dollar value.
