How long do I have to claim surplus funds in Florida?

You have 120 days from the clerk's notice of surplus funds. After that the clerk transfers the money to the Florida Department of Financial Services as unclaimed property under Chapter 717, and you must claim it from the state instead.

Do I have to pay a recovery company to get my money?

No. Filing a claim directly with the clerk is free. Florida caps a third-party recovery fee at 12% of the surplus, so anyone asking for more than that is outside the statute.

Who is entitled to Florida surplus funds?

The parties who held an interest in the property on the date the tax deed application was made — most often the former owner, and in some cases a lienholder whose lien was extinguished by the sale.

Hillsborough County, FLSurplus Funds and Excess Proceeds

Part of the Florida surplus funds guide.

Confirmed unclaimed: $2,996,094
Cases: 49
Sale dates: —

Balances confirmed against clerk records, most recently 8/15/2026. Amounts change as claims are paid.

The Office Holding the Funds

Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court — Tax Deeds

Tax Deeds Department

PO Box 3360

Tampa, FL 33601-3360

(813) 276-8100 ext. 7805 Open the Official Hillsborough County List

This office is the authoritative source for claim procedures and deadlines. Verify anything on this page against it. Last verified 2026-08-15.

What Surplus Funds Is

When a Florida property sells at a tax deed auction for more than the opening bid, the extra money is called surplus funds. The county Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller holds that money for the people who had an interest in the property on the day the tax deed application was made — usually the former owner, and sometimes a lienholder whose claim was wiped out by the sale.

Florida gives those parties a limited window to claim it. Under Fla. Stat. 197.582, the clerk mails a notice of surplus funds and a claim form to every party named in the property information report. A claim must be filed with the clerk within 120 days of that notice; if nobody claims the money, the clerk sends it to the Florida Department of Financial Services, where it becomes unclaimed property under Chapter 717.

You never have to pay anyone to get your own surplus funds. Filing directly with the clerk is free. Third-party recovery companies are allowed to help, but Florida caps their fee at 12% of the surplus, and a claim you file yourself costs nothing at all.

LeadTrace publishes only the surplus amounts a Florida clerk has published itself. We do not estimate balances, and we do not present our own arithmetic as a clerk balance.

Florida Law at a Glance

Recovery fee cap: 12% of the surplusFla. Stat. 197.582
Time to claim: 120 days from the sale
Transferred out if unclaimed: 120 days after the sale
Unclaimed funds go to: Florida Dept of Financial Services (Unclaimed Property, Ch. 717)
Assigning your claim: Permitted, subject to statutory disclosure requirements
Non-attorney recovery companies: Permitted

These rules apply statewide, including in Hillsborough County. Last verified 2026-08-13.

How To Claim in Hillsborough County

You do not need an attorney or a recovery company to claim these funds. Filing directly with the clerk is free.

If you choose to hire someone, Florida caps what they can charge at 12% of the surplus.

Find the office holding the money
Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court — Tax Deeds publishes its own list of unclaimed funds. Open the official list. That list is the authoritative source — check it before acting on anything you read elsewhere, including this page.
Confirm you were the owner of record
You have a claim if you owned the property on the date the tax deed application was made. Heirs of a deceased owner can also claim, usually through probate or a small-estate procedure.
Gather your documents
Typically a government-issued photo ID, proof of your current address, and the deed or another document showing you held title. Heirs will also need a death certificate and probate paperwork.
File before the deadline
File the claim form with the clerk. 120 days after the sale, anything still unclaimed is transferred to Florida Dept of Financial Services (Unclaimed Property, Ch. 717), and you have to claim it there instead.

Hillsborough County's Own Claim Process

Hillsborough County publishes a Weekly Tax Deed Spreadsheet of excess proceeds the Clerk's accounting department has not yet disbursed. Every Hillsborough amount we show comes from that spreadsheet, exactly as the Clerk maintains it: file (case) number and unclaimed balance only. The Clerk does not publish the sale date, former owner name, or address on that list.

To claim excess proceeds, file the Clerk's affidavit by mail — claims are only accepted by mail at the address printed on the claim form. Which form applies depends on the sale date: sales before August 15, 2019 use the TD-Excess Proceeds Affidavit; sales on or after August 15, 2019 use the TD-120 Day Surplus Proceeds Affidavit.

Titleholders must include a legible copy of government-issued identification; lienholders must document the lien. Confirm current requirements with the Clerk at (813) 276-8100 ext. 7805 before mailing anything.

Questions About Hillsborough County Claims

How long do I have to claim surplus funds in Florida?: You have 120 days from the clerk's notice of surplus funds. After that the clerk transfers the money to the Florida Department of Financial Services as unclaimed property under Chapter 717, and you must claim it from the state instead.
Do I have to pay a recovery company to get my money?: No. Filing a claim directly with the clerk is free. Florida caps a third-party recovery fee at 12% of the surplus, so anyone asking for more than that is outside the statute.
Who is entitled to Florida surplus funds?: The parties who held an interest in the property on the date the tax deed application was made — most often the former owner, and in some cases a lienholder whose lien was extinguished by the sale.

Nearby Counties

Other Florida Distress Records

Statutory summaries are research aids, not legal advice. Verify current law and current balances with the county clerk or a licensed attorney.