Dover Unclaimed Money
Dover is Delaware's state capital and the county seat of Kent County, making it home to several key government offices relevant to unclaimed money searches. Dover residents searching for unclaimed money start with the same state portal used by all Delaware residents, but the city also has local resources including the Dover Police Department's found property process, the City Tax Office, and the Finance Department. This page covers all the main sources of unclaimed money connected to Dover and how to access each one efficiently.
Dover at a Glance
Searching Unclaimed Money as a Dover Resident
Dover residents use the same statewide portal as all Delaware residents to search for unclaimed money. Visit unclaimedproperty.delaware.gov to search by name at no cost. Under Delaware Code Title 12, Chapter 11, all holders of dormant accounts tied to Dover residents must report to the state once applicable dormancy periods are met. These include banks, employers, insurance companies, and utilities serving the Dover area.
As the state capital, Dover is home to many state government offices. Uncashed paychecks or refunds issued by state agencies to Dover-area employees or residents can end up as unclaimed property in the state database. If you have ever worked for a state agency or received a state benefit payment that was not cashed, it is worth running a search. The Office of Unclaimed Property is at 820 N. French Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. Contact Bridgette Dixon at (302) 577-5477 for assistance.
The MONEY MATCH program runs each September and automatically returns unclaimed money to Delaware taxpayers without requiring a claim. Over $5.6 million has been returned to nearly 40,000 taxpayers since 2021. If you file a state income tax return in Delaware, you may have already received a MONEY MATCH check. If you have not received one but believe funds exist, search the portal and file a standard claim through the Delaware unclaimed property FAQ for claimants.
Dover Police Department Found Property
The Dover Police Department manages unclaimed physical property through its evidence unit and has taken a unique approach to connecting items with their rightful owners. The department's Public Affairs Office launched a Pinterest page on July 31, 2015 to showcase found and unclaimed physical items. This page at pinterest.com/doverpolice displays items turned in to the department or found by officers, including wallets, purses, identification cards, bicycles, suitcases, clothing, electronics, and other personal property.
To claim found property from the Dover Police Department, contact Evidence Technician Dean Anderson at (302) 736-7126 between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The department is located at 400 S. Queen Street, Dover, Delaware 19904. Non-emergency calls go to (302) 736-7111. Required proof to claim physical property may include government-issued identification, a utility bill, or a receipt with a matching serial number. Dover Police typically holds unclaimed property for a minimum of one year before it is disposed of or transferred.
Physical found property handled by the police is separate from the financial unclaimed money held by the state. Items like wallets with cash or gift cards may be held at the evidence unit. Financial instruments such as checks or account funds would eventually flow to the state system if not reunited with their owner. Both channels are worth checking depending on what you are looking for.
The Dover Police Department's Pinterest page showcases physical items turned in to the department that have not yet been claimed, giving residents a visual way to identify property that may belong to them before contacting the evidence unit.
The Pinterest approach is unique among Delaware law enforcement agencies and makes it easier for residents who have lost physical property to identify it without having to visit the evidence unit in person.
City of Dover Tax Office
The City of Dover Tax Office handles property assessments and tax billing for all properties within the city. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Assessed values are based on 100% of the January 1, 2020 fair market values. The current tax rate is $0.455 per $100.00 of assessed fair market value. Tax bills are mailed on July 1 each year. Payments should be sent to City of Dover, P.O. Box 15558, Wilmington, DE 19886-5558.
A Senior Citizen Reduction is available for applicants who are 65 or older before March 1st of the year in which the reduction is filed. Overpayments on property tax bills that are not refunded within the required time period can become unclaimed property and may end up in the state system. If you believe the city owes you a tax refund and have not received it, contact the tax office first before searching the state database.
The City of Dover Tax Office page provides information on property assessments, tax rates, payment procedures, and senior citizen reduction eligibility for Dover property owners and residents.
Uncashed tax refund checks from the City of Dover would follow the same dormancy rules as other financial instruments and would eventually be reported to the Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property if not collected by the owner within the applicable period.
City of Dover Finance Department
The Dover Finance Department oversees treasury and cash management, financial reporting, payroll, debt management, and accounts payable for the city. Departments within Finance include Treasury and Cash Management, Financial Reporting, Payroll, Debt Management, and Accounts Payable. Budget inquiries go to the City Manager at (302) 736-7005. There is no public-facing unclaimed funds database maintained by the city itself. All unclaimed city-level financial obligations ultimately get reported to the Delaware state system.
Vendor payments, refunds, and payroll checks that go uncashed through the city eventually follow the same dormancy timeline as any other holder in Delaware. Once the dormancy period passes, the city is required to report and remit those funds to the Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property. If you are a former vendor, contractor, or employee of the City of Dover who believes you are owed a payment that was never received, search the state portal first.
The City of Dover Finance Department public documents page provides access to financial reports and city budget documents relevant to understanding how the city manages its financial obligations and disbursements.
While Dover does not maintain a standalone unclaimed money database, former vendors, employees, and residents who had financial dealings with the city should search the state database at unclaimedproperty.delaware.gov for any city-sourced funds that were escheated.
Kent County Resources for Dover Residents
Dover is the county seat of Kent County. County-level resources for unclaimed money searches include the Kent County Recorder of Deeds, the Register of Wills for probate matters, the Sheriff's Office for excess proceeds from property sales, and the Finance Department for tax-related questions. Visit the Kent County unclaimed money page for full details including contacts, sheriff's sale excess proceeds lists, and county-specific resources.
Excess proceeds from Kent County sheriff's sales are tracked through the Delaware Superior Court's Project Rightful Owner program at courts.delaware.gov/superior/rightfulowner/kent_sale_a_b1.aspx. Former property owners in Dover who had a property sold at a county sheriff's sale should check that list for any remaining balance that may be owed to them.