Lost & Found Services in North Dakota
Discover how to report or find lost items across major cities in North Dakota. We help you connect with local services, transportation hubs, and more.
Most Populated Cities in North Dakota
How Lost & Found Works in North Dakota
North Dakota is unusual among the states ReportLost covers because it actually has a dedicated lost property statute on the books. North Dakota Century Code Chapter 60-01 spells out what happens when someone finds property that belongs to another person, including a specific rule about how long a law enforcement agency must hold it before the finder's claim is settled.
North Dakota also treats keeping someone else's lost property as a crime in its own right, not just a civil matter, under the state's theft code. 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 North Dakota
North Dakota's lost property chapter sets out what happens when found property or money is placed in the custody of a law enforcement agency. If the owner does not claim it within two years, the finder's claim against the original owner is exonerated by that surrender, meaning the two year window is the benchmark departments in North Dakota generally work from.
North Dakota makes it a crime to retain or dispose of property that you know has been lost, mislaid, or delivered by mistake, once you know or learn who the owner is or how to find them. This is the same theft statute used for shoplifting and other property crimes, so keeping a lost phone, wallet, or bag instead of turning it in can be charged as theft, a felony if the value tops $1,000 and a lesser offense below that.
Separate from a finder picking something up off the street, North Dakota law also covers property that banks, employers, and other businesses are holding for someone who never came back for it. Most property types are presumed abandoned after two or three years, safe deposit box contents after three years, and holders must report it to the North Dakota Unclaimed Property Division, which sends notices for amounts of $25 or more before turning funds over to the state.
Because North Dakota actually names a two year holding period in Chapter 60-01, and a separate two to three year dormancy period for money held by businesses under Title 47-30.2, the practical answer to how long you have to claim something depends on whether a person or a department is holding it versus whether a bank or business is holding uncashed funds.
Where items end up in North Dakota
Lost items in North Dakota tend to surface at Hector International Airport in Fargo, Bismarck Airport, and Grand Forks International Airport, along with transit systems like Fargo's MATBUS and Bis-Man Transit, university campuses such as NDSU and UND, and venues like the Fargodome, Bismarck Event Center, and the state's casinos and hotels. Local police departments also log found property under Chapter 60-01, and banks and employers escheat unclaimed funds to the state's Unclaimed Property Division. 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 North Dakota?
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 →North Dakota Lost & Found FAQ
Do I get my item back if someone turned it in?
Yes, but you have to prove it is yours. North Dakota departments typically ask for a description plus one detail only the true owner would know, such as a lock screen photo, a serial number, or what is inside a bag pocket, before releasing property.
Is a reward mandatory in North Dakota?
No. Offering a reward is always your choice under North Dakota law, not a legal requirement. Some finders appreciate one, but you are never obligated to offer money to get your own property back.
How long will the police hold my item in North Dakota?
Under N.D.C.C. 60-01-41, once found property or money is placed in a law enforcement agency's custody, the general benchmark is two years before an unclaimed item's status changes. Individual departments may have their own shorter storage practices, so check locally.
What happens if someone keeps my lost item instead of turning it in?
North Dakota's theft statute, N.D.C.C. 12.1-23-04, makes it a crime to retain or dispose of property you know is lost or mislaid once you can identify the owner. Depending on the value, this can be charged as a felony or a misdemeanor.
What about cash or property that ends up with a bank or business instead of a finder?
That falls under North Dakota's separate unclaimed property law. Most property is presumed abandoned after two or three years of no owner contact, and the holder must report it to the North Dakota Unclaimed Property Division, which you can search directly if a bank or employer says they escheated your funds.
This page provides general information about North Dakota 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 North Dakota
Each city page lists the local lost & found contacts and how to report a loss there.