Lost & Found Services in Alabama

Discover how to report or find lost items across major cities in Alabama. We help you connect with local services, transportation hubs, and more.

Most Populated Cities in Alabama

Birmingham

Huntsville

Mobile

Montgomery

Tuscaloosa

Auburn

How Lost & Found Works in Alabama

Alabama is one of the few states that actually wrote a lost property law into its civil code. Title 35, Chapter 12 of the Code of Alabama spells out what a finder must do with something lost, and Alabama Code Section 35-12-3 even sets out that a finder is entitled to compensation for expenses reasonably incurred in preserving the item, not a reward, but reimbursement for costs like care or storage. Keep something you know belongs to someone else, though, and you cross into Alabama's criminal code: Sections 13A-8-6 through 13A-8-8.1 create the crime of theft of lost property, graded by value, first degree above $2,500 and lower degrees for smaller amounts.

That combination, a civil duty to deal honestly with found property and a criminal statute punishing those who do not, shapes how police, airports, and venues across the state handle a lost wallet, phone, or bag. Cities also run their own timelines, Alabama Code Section 11-47-116 holds unclaimed municipal proceeds for six months before conversion, and the state Treasury's Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act mails a notice to the apparent owner within 12 months of receiving property it holds. ReportLost is an independent service. A free report creates a public listing; paid options add public-web monitoring, and the $25 team-assisted option also includes relevant local outreach. Agencies and venues set their own filing and holding procedures.

What the Law Says in Alabama

Lost or Unclaimed Property, Ala. Code § 35-12-3

Alabama's civil code addresses found property directly. A finder is not obligated to take charge of lost items, but if they do, they are entitled to compensation for expenses necessarily incurred in preserving the property, not a discretionary reward. This is the legal backbone for how finders and owners are expected to deal with each other before a reward is even discussed.

Theft of Lost Property, Ala. Code §§ 13A-8-6 to 13A-8-8.1

It is a criminal offense in Alabama to actively obtain or exert control over property you know was lost or mislaid, without making reasonable efforts to return it. The charge is graded by value, exceeding $2,500 is theft of lost property in the first degree, and smaller amounts above $500 fall into lower degrees, so keeping a found item that clearly belongs to someone else can carry real consequences.

Municipal holding period, Ala. Code § 11-47-116

When a city or town in Alabama ends up holding property or its proceeds, the code requires those proceeds be held for six months for the account of the owner before they can be converted to municipal use. This is the kind of local clock that varies by department but has a baseline in state law.

State Treasury Unclaimed Property Act

Alabama's Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act, administered by the State Treasurer, requires a postcard notice be mailed to the apparent owner within 12 months of the Treasury receiving unclaimed property. This mainly covers financial assets and valuables that escheat to the state, separate from the everyday lost wallet or phone a local police department handles.

Where items end up in Alabama

A lost item in Alabama might pass through Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, Huntsville International Airport, Montgomery Regional Airport, or Mobile Regional Airport, through transit systems like the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, or through university campuses such as the University of Alabama and Auburn, football stadiums, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, or the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Each of these runs its own lost and found separate from city police departments. The city pages below list local contacts. ReportLost is independent; its free public listing, six-month automatic monitoring and twelve-month team-assisted option are described on the report form.

Lost something in Alabama?

A free report creates a public listing. The $12 option adds six months of automatic monitoring, a ReportLost certificate, an anonymous case address, and QR stickers. The $25 option adds manual research, direct service contact, report submission, local social sharing, and 12 months of monitoring.

Report my lost item →

Alabama Lost & Found FAQ

What happens if I keep something I found in Alabama?

You could be charged under Alabama's theft of lost property statutes, Ala. Code §§ 13A-8-6 through 13A-8-8.1. If you know the item was lost and you exert control over it instead of trying to return it, the degree of the charge depends on its value, over $2,500 is first degree, over $500 is a lower degree. Turning it in to police or making a genuine effort to find the owner avoids all of this.

Do I get my item back if someone turned it in?

Yes, but you have to prove it is yours. Departments typically ask for a description that includes one detail only the true owner would know, a serial number, a photo stored on the device, or something inside a bag, before releasing it to you.

Is a reward mandatory in Alabama?

No. Alabama Code § 35-12-3 entitles a finder to reimbursement for expenses they necessarily incurred preserving the property, that is not the same as a mandatory reward. Offering one is always your choice, never a legal requirement to get your item back.

How long will Alabama hold my property before it's disposed of?

It depends on who is holding it. Municipal proceeds are held six months for the owner under Ala. Code § 11-47-116 before conversion. Property that escheats to the State Treasury under the Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act gets a postcard notice within 12 months of receipt. Individual police departments and venues often set their own shorter windows, so checking directly matters.

What if I lost something at an airport, stadium, or beach in Alabama?

Airports, transit agencies, universities, and venues like the Gulf Shores beaches each run their own lost and found, separate from city police. ReportLost identifies the right one for the location you lost your item and files with them directly, alongside the local department.

This page provides general information about Alabama law as of publication and is not legal advice. Procedures vary by city and department; verify details with your local authorities. Last reviewed: July 2026.

All Cities We Cover in Alabama

Each city page lists the local lost & found contacts and how to report a loss there.