Fla. Stat. Ch. 717 · Florida Dept. of Financial Services — Division of Unclaimed Property
Florida April 30 Escheatment Compliance, 5-Year Dormancy & Gift Card Exemption
Florida combines a longer 5-year corporate dormancy window and full gift card exemption with strict enforcement of negative reporting and an April 30 spring filing cutoff.
Deadline: April 30
Cutoff: December 31
No Statutory B2B Exemption
Zero Report: Mandatory
Florida Statutory Dormancy & Compliance Schedule
| NAUPA Property Stream | Statutory Dormancy | Compliance Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Uncashed AP Vendor Checks (CK13) | 5 yrs | Florida does not provide a B2B exemption for commercial AP checks or AR credits; general corporate items carry a 5-year dormancy period. |
| Payroll, Wages & Commissions (MS01) | 1 yr | Never B2B exempt; applies to employee final & bonus checks. |
| AR Credit Balances & Overpayments (MS09) | 5 yrs | Write-offs to income do not extinguish reporting obligation. |
| Customer Refunds (MS05) | 5 yrs | Due diligence window: 60–120 days prior to April 30. |
| Gift Cards & Stored Value (GC / MS12) | 100% Exempt | Unaddressed cards route to corporate domicile under 2nd Priority. |
| Securities & Dividends (SC01 / SC08) | 3 yrs | First-class mail for items >= $50 |
| Virtual Currency / Digital Assets (VC) | 5 yrs | Verify liquidation vs. native custodial transfer mandate. |
Key Florida Compliance Traps & Enforcement Risks
Gift Card Second-Priority Domicile Trap
While Florida exempts gift cards whose owner address is in Florida, unaddressed retail gift cards sold in Florida revert to the issuer's State of Incorporation (often Delaware) under Second-Priority rules!
April 30 Filing & Negative Report Enforcement
Florida actively assesses late penalties against businesses that miss the April 30 deadline or omit required zero reports.
Florida DFS Voluntary Disclosure Agreement
Self-audit VDA waiving civil penalties and statutory interest for proactive holders prior to DFS examination.
Statutory Interest & Penalties: 12% per annum interest + up to $500/day willful failure fines. Negative Report Policy: Strictly enforced for entities registered or licensed to do business in Florida with active prior filing history or statutory nexus.
Statutory Questions & Answers
Are unredeemed gift cards reportable to Florida?
No. Florida Stat. § 717.1045 exempts qualified gift certificates and store credit memos issued in Florida.
What is Florida's dormancy period for AP checks vs. payroll?
AP vendor checks and AR credits carry a 5-year dormancy period; unclaimed wages carry a 1-year dormancy period.