# Title 55 — State Historical Society and State Parks

## Chapter 55-12 — Museum or Historical Society Unclaimed Property

### § 55-12-01. When property held by museum or historical society deemed abandoned.

Any property held by a museum or historical society in this state that is held for ten years or
more and to which no person has made claim is deemed to be abandoned and becomes the
property of the museum or society, provided the museum or society has complied with the
publication and notice requirements of this chapter.
### § 55-12-02. Publication of notice of abandoned property.

The museum or society shall publish a notice as a display advertisement entitled "notice of
abandoned property held by a museum or historical society" at least once each week for two
successive weeks in a legal newspaper of general circulation in the county in this state where
the last-known address of any owner of property named in the notice is located. If no address is
listed or if the address is outside this state, the notice must be published in the county in which
the holder of the abandoned property has that person's principal place of business within this
state.
### § 55-12-03. Notice requirements for abandoned property.

The published notice for abandoned property held by a museum or historical society must
contain:
1. The name and last-known address, if any, of the last-known owner of property;
2. A description of the property; and
3. A statement that if proof of claim is not presented by the owner to the museum or
society and if the owner's right to receive the property is not established to the
museum's or society's satisfaction within sixty-five days from the date of the second
published notice, the property is deemed abandoned and becomes the property of the
museum or society.
### § 55-12-04. Title to abandoned property vested in museum or historical society.

If no claim has been made to the property within sixty-five days from the date of the second
published notice, title to the property vests in the museum or society, free of all claims of the
owner and of all persons claiming through or under the owner.
