Lost & Found Services in Mississippi

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

Most Populated Cities in Mississippi

Jackson

Gulfport

Hattiesburg

Southaven

Biloxi

Olive Branch

How Lost & Found Works in Mississippi

Mississippi does not run its lost and found rules through one single statute the way some states do. Instead, the state splits the job in two. Miss. Code § 21-39-21 gives municipalities the authority to take in, hold and eventually dispose of lost, stolen, abandoned or misplaced personal property that turns up in their jurisdiction, which is why what happens to a wallet handed to Jackson PD can look different from what happens in Gulfport or Southaven. Separately, Mississippi's Unclaimed Property Act, under Title 89, Chapter 12, forces banks, businesses and other holders to report money and intangible property to the State Treasurer once it has sat dormant for five years, with annual reports due before November 1.

For everyday items like phones, bags, jewelry or laptops, no state law fixes a mandatory holding period, so the clock and the claim process are set by whichever police department, airport, stadium or transit agency actually has your item. Mississippi's theft statutes do not spell out a separate crime for keeping something you found, so common law rules about lost, mislaid and abandoned property still shape whether holding onto someone else's item crosses into theft. 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 Mississippi

Disposition of Lost, Stolen, Abandoned or Misplaced Property (Miss. Code § 21-39-21)

This is the closest thing Mississippi has to a general lost and found statute. It authorizes municipal police departments to take custody of lost, stolen, abandoned or misplaced personal property, hold it, and eventually dispose of it if no owner comes forward. It does not set one statewide claim window, so the specifics are filled in city by city.

Unclaimed Property Act, Title 89, Chapter 12, Five Year Dormancy

Banks, businesses and other holders of unclaimed funds or intangible property must report to the State Treasurer once property has been dormant for five years, with reports due before November 1 each year. Written notice is required at least 60 days before reporting for property valued over $50. This track exists for financial accounts and similar holdings, not for a phone or a suitcase someone turns in at a hotel front desk.

No Separate Crime for Keeping a Found Item

Mississippi's theft code, Title 97, does not carve out a distinct offense for finding something and simply keeping it. Common law distinctions between lost, mislaid and abandoned property still apply, and knowingly holding onto an item you know belongs to someone else can support a theft charge under general theft law depending on the facts.

Local Departments Set the Day to Day Rules

Because § 21-39-21 leaves the details to municipalities, police departments across Mississippi, from Jackson to Gulfport to Southaven, each set their own intake forms, holding periods and release procedures for lost property. There is no single statewide claim form or deadline that applies everywhere.

Where items end up in Mississippi

Lost items in Mississippi tend to land wherever they were dropped. That means Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport and Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport lost and found offices for anything left at security or on a flight, city transit systems like JATRAN in Jackson and the Coast Transit Authority on the Gulf Coast for anything left on a bus, and local police departments for items found on the street or in a park. Gulf Coast casinos, hotels, restaurants, and university venues around Ole Miss and Mississippi State each run their own internal lost and found desks. 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 Mississippi?

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.

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Mississippi Lost & Found FAQ

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

If it was turned in to a police department or a venue, you will usually need to prove ownership before they release it. That typically means describing the item accurately and giving one detail only the real owner would know, like a passcode, a serial number, or what is inside a bag, before staff hand it over.

Is a reward mandatory in Mississippi?

No. Mississippi law does not require you to pay a reward for the return of a lost item. Offering one is always your choice.

What happens if I turn something in to the police in Mississippi?

Under Miss. Code § 21-39-21, municipal police departments can take custody of lost, stolen, abandoned or misplaced property, log it, and hold it while they try to locate the owner. If no one claims it, the department follows its own local disposal procedure, which varies by city.

How long will Mississippi police hold my lost item before it is disposed of?

There is no single statewide deadline. Mississippi law leaves the holding period up to each municipality's police department, so a phone held in Jackson may follow a different timeline than one held in Biloxi. The five year dormancy period under the Unclaimed Property Act applies to money and intangible holdings reported by businesses, not to a bag turned in at a police station.

Does Mississippi have one statewide lost and found law?

Not exactly. Miss. Code § 21-39-21 covers how municipalities handle lost, stolen, abandoned or misplaced personal property, while a separate Unclaimed Property Act under Title 89 handles dormant funds and intangible property held by banks and businesses. Everyday personal items fall back on common law and whatever policy the local department or venue has in place.

This page provides general information about Mississippi 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 Mississippi

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