Personal property presumed abandoned — Illegal items retained as evidence or destroyed.
RCW 63.42.030
in effect(1) All personal property, and any income or increment which has accrued thereon, held for the owner by an institution that has remained unclaimed for more than six months from the date the owner terminated without authorization from work training release, transferred to a different institution, or when the owner is unknown or deceased, from the date the property was placed in the custody of the institution, is presumed abandoned: PROVIDED, That the provisions of this section shall be extended for up to six months for any inmate, transferred to another institution, who has no recorded next of kin, or person to whom the unclaimed property can be sent. (2) All personal property, and any income or increment which has accrued thereon, the inmate owner of which has been placed on escape status is presumed abandoned and shall be held for three months by the institution from which the inmate escaped. If the inmate owner remains on escape status for three months or if no other person claims ownership within three months, the property shall be disposed of as set forth in this chapter. (3) All illegal items owned by and in the possession of an inmate shall be confiscated and held by the institution to which the inmate is assigned. Such items shall be held as required for evidence for law enforcement authorities. Illegal items not retained for evidence shall be destroyed.
(1) All personal property, and any income or increment which has accrued thereon, held for the owner by an institution that has remained unclaimed for more than six months from the date the owner terminated without authorization from work training release, transferred to a different institution, or when the owner is unknown or deceased, from the date the property was placed in the custody of the institution, is presumed abandoned: PROVIDED, That the provisions of this section shall be extended for up to six months for any inmate, transferred to another institution, who has no recorded next of kin, or person to whom the unclaimed property can be sent.
(2) All personal property, and any income or increment which has accrued thereon, the inmate owner of which has been placed on escape status is presumed abandoned and shall be held for three months by the institution from which the inmate escaped. If the inmate owner remains on escape status for three months or if no other person claims ownership within three months, the property shall be disposed of as set forth in this chapter.
(3) All illegal items owned by and in the possession of an inmate shall be confiscated and held by the institution to which the inmate is assigned. Such items shall be held as required for evidence for law enforcement authorities. Illegal items not retained for evidence shall be destroyed.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=63.42&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026