Where to find your state landlord-tenant law on abandoned property.
Most states regulate the way landlords must handle property left behind (abandoned) by departed tenants. Many set notice requirements as to how landlords must contact tenants regarding abandoned property and what to do if the tenant doesn't respond to the notice. States may also regulate how landlords must store abandoned property and dispose of it if the tenant doesn’t claim his or her belongings. Sometimes state rules on abandoned property vary depending on the circumstances of the tenant's departure (for example, if a tenant moves out after giving proper notice versus someone who is evicted in a court proceeding). For details, check your state statute, listed below. You can find these statutes on the website maintained by the Cornell Legal Information Institute.
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State Laws on Handling Abandoned Property |
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State |
Statute |
State |
Statute |
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Ala. Code 1975 § 35-9A-423 |
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.065 |
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Alaska |
Alaska Stat. § 34.03.260 |
Montana |
Mont. Code Ann. § 70-24-430 |
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Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 33-1370 |
Nebraska |
Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 69-2303 to 69-2314 |
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Arkansas |
Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-108 |
Nevada |
Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 118A.450, 118A.460 |
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Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1965, 1980 to 1991 |
New Hampshire |
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:3(VII) |
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Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 38-20-116, 13-40-122 |
New Jersey |
N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 2A:18-72 to 2A:18-84 |
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Connecticut |
Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. §§ 47a-11b, 47a-42 |
New Mexico |
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 47-8-34.1 |
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Delaware |
Del. Code Ann. tit. 25, §§ 5507, 5715 |
No statute |
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D.C. |
No statute |
N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-25.9, 42-36.2 |
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Fla. Stat. Ann. §§ 715.104 to 715.111 |
North Dakota |
N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-30.1 |
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Ga. Code Ann. § 44-7-55 |
Ringler v. Sias, 428 N.E.2d 869 (Ohio Ct. App. 1980) |
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Hawaii |
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-56 |
Oklahoma |
Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 41, § 130 |
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Idaho |
Idaho Code § 6-311C |
Oregon |
Ore. Rev. Stat. §§ 90.425, 105.165 |
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735 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/9-318 |
68 P.S. § 250.505a |
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Indiana |
Ind. Code. Ann. §§ 32-31-4-1 to 32-31-4-5, 32-31-5-5 |
Rhode Island |
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-50 |
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South Carolina |
S.C. Code Ann. §§ 27-40-710(D), 27-40-730 |
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Iowa |
Khan v. Heritage Prop. Mgmt., 584 N.W.2d 725, 730 (Iowa Ct. App. 1998) |
South Dakota |
S.D. Codified Laws Ann. §§ 43-32-25, 43-32-26 |
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Kansas |
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 58-2565 |
Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-405 |
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Kentucky |
No statute |
Texas |
Tex. Prop. Code § 92.014 |
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Louisiana |
La. Civ. Code § 2707, La. Civ. Proc. § 4705 |
Utah |
Utah Code Ann. § 78B-6-816 |
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Maine |
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 14, §§ 6005, 6013 |
Vermont |
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 9, § 4462; Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 4854a |
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Maryland |
Md. Code, Real Property, § 8-208 |
Va. Code Ann. §§ 55-225.40 to 55-225.42; 55-248.38:1 to 55-248.38:2 |
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M.G.L.A. 239 § 4 |
Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 59.18.310 |
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No statute |
West Virginia |
W.Va. Code §§ 37-6-6, 55-3A-3 |
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Minnesota |
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 504B.271 |
Wis. Stat. Ann. § 704.05(5) |
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Mississippi |
Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-7-31, 89-7-35, 89-8-13 |
Wyoming |
Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1210 |
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Updated: November 2017
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