Lost & Found Services in Utah

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

Most Populated Cities in Utah

Salt Lake City

Provo

Ogden

St. George

West Valley City

Logan

How Lost & Found Works in Utah

Utah is one of the few states with a real, dedicated lost and found statute. Title 77, Chapter 11D of the Utah Code, the Lost or Mislaid Property Act, spells out what a finder has to do, what a local law enforcement agency has to publish, and how long property has to sit before anyone can claim it or dispose of it. That is different from states that only rely on old common law rules, and it means a lost wallet, phone, or bag turned in to a Utah police department or sheriff's office follows a specific legal sequence rather than an informal one.

Utah also has a specific criminal statute for keeping something you know was lost or mislaid, so the law treats pocketing a found item as more than just bad manners. 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 Utah

Lost or Mislaid Property Act, Utah Code Title 77, Chapter 11D

Utah has a statewide statute covering property that comes into the possession of a peace officer or local law enforcement agency after being found. It sets out what happens from the moment property is turned in to the point it is either claimed, released to the finder, or disposed of.

Finder's statement, Utah Code 77-11d-103

A person who finds lost or mislaid property and delivers it to a local law enforcement agency must sign a statement on a form provided by that agency. This creates a paper trail tying the found item to the person who turned it in and the date it arrived.

Publication, posting and holding period, Utah Code 77-11d-105

The agency has to publish and post notice of the found property, and it cannot dispose of the item until at least eight days after that publication and posting. If no owner comes forward within nine days of publication, the agency notifies the finder, who may then have a claim to the property. Some campuses and departments hold items even longer, for example University of Utah surplus holds lost property for thirty to sixty days.

Theft of lost, mislaid, or mistakenly delivered property, Utah Code 76-6-407

Utah's theft code specifically covers keeping property you know was lost, mislaid, or delivered by mistake. Holding on to a found item without making a reasonable effort to return it or turn it in can be prosecuted as theft, separate from the civil process of claiming abandoned property.

City ordinances mirror the state process

Cities including Salt Lake City have their own municipal code sections on disposition of lost, mislaid and unclaimed property, generally following the same publication and minimum holding period set at the state level, with unclaimed items eventually released to the finder or the city.

Where items end up in Utah

Lost items in Utah typically surface at Salt Lake City International Airport, with Utah Transit Authority buses, TRAX light rail and FrontRunner trains, at university campuses like the University of Utah and Utah State, at arenas such as the Delta Center, at ski resorts around Park City and Deer Valley, and at national parks including Zion and Arches. Local police departments and sheriff's offices, including Salt Lake City PD, Ogden PD and county sheriffs, are the ones who actually process turned in property under the state's lost property statute. 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 Utah?

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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Utah Lost & Found FAQ

What happens after I report a lost item to Utah police?

Under Utah Code 77-11d-105, the agency that receives your found item has to publish and post notice of it. It cannot dispose of the property until at least eight days after that publication and posting, which gives you a window to come forward and claim it.

How long do Utah police hold found property before releasing or disposing of it?

At minimum eight days after the notice is published and posted, per state law. If nobody claims the item within nine days of publication, the agency notifies the person who found it, since finders can have a claim to unclaimed property. Some holders, like university surplus departments, keep items for thirty to sixty days before final disposition.

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

Yes, but you have to prove it is yours. Departments typically ask you to describe the item and confirm one detail that was not made public, such as a serial number, a specific mark, or what is stored inside a bag, before releasing it.

Is a reward mandatory in Utah?

No. Nothing in Utah's lost property statute requires a reward. Offering one is always your choice, not a legal obligation.

Is it a crime to keep something you found in Utah?

Yes. Utah Code 76-6-407 makes it theft to keep property you know was lost, mislaid, or delivered to you by mistake, if you do not make a reasonable effort to return it or turn it in to law enforcement.

This page provides general information about Utah 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 Utah

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