Cuyahoga County surplus funds: how to check the list and claim what's yours

If a home in Cuyahoga County (county seat: Cleveland) sold at a foreclosure or tax sale for more than was owed, the leftover money may belong to you. Here's exactly who holds it, how to check for free, and how to claim it.

County contacts verified July 2026
In Cuyahoga County, Ohio, surplus funds from a mortgage foreclosure sale are held by the Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas, General Division), and excess funds from a tax foreclosure are held by the Clerk of Courts, then Cuyahoga County Treasury (Clerk publishes an 'Excess Tax Foreclosure Funds released to Treasurer' list). The money legally belongs to the former owner, but it is not mailed out automatically. You must file a claim, and you can check whether money exists for free by calling (216) 443-7982.
Mortgage foreclosure surplus
Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas, General Division)
Tax sale surplus funds
Clerk of Courts, then Cuyahoga County Treasury (Clerk publishes an 'Excess Tax Foreclosure Funds released to Treasurer' list)
County phone
(216) 443-7982
Cost to check yourself
$0. It's public record
How sales happen
Online only via RealAuction — sales cannot be attended in person
Our cost to you upfront
$0. Attorney and filing costs are on us

Is there a Cuyahoga County surplus funds list?

Yes. The county publishes its official surplus funds list here (spreadsheet). It shows sales that left money behind; look for your name or the property address. The county's file can be hard to read and is only updated periodically, so if you don't find yourself on it, that does not mean no money exists: call the Clerk of Courts, then Cuyahoga County Treasury (Clerk publishes an 'Excess Tax Foreclosure Funds released to Treasurer' list) at (216) 443-7400 and ask directly, or have us check the record for you free.

When are Cuyahoga County sheriff sales, and how do I see the results?

Online only via RealAuction — sales cannot be attended in person. Multiple sale dates monthly on the auction calendar; tax-delinquent sales (County Treasurer as plaintiff) held Wednesdays at 9:00 AM when scheduled. Location: Online only. Sale listings and results are public. See the official Cuyahoga County sale site. Every result matters for one reason most people miss: if a home sold for more than the debt owed, the difference belongs to the former owner. That's the surplus funds this page is about. Full details: Cuyahoga County sheriff sale: schedule and results.

How to check if you're owed money from a Cuyahoga County sale

  1. Look up your foreclosure case for free: Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts case docket (CPdocket) — includes a dedicated Foreclosure/Sheriff Sale results search. Search by your name and note the case number and sale amount.
  2. Check the county's official surplus funds list: view the Cuyahoga County list (Spreadsheet). Look for your name or the property address.
  3. Call the county directly: the Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas, General Division) at (216) 443-7982 or the Clerk of Courts, then Cuyahoga County Treasury (Clerk publishes an 'Excess Tax Foreclosure Funds released to Treasurer' list) at (216) 443-7400. Ask whether excess or surplus funds are being held from your sale. This call is free, and you owe nothing to anyone for making it.
  4. Prefer someone to check for you? We'll review the public record at no cost: request a free review. No upfront costs, ever.

How mortgage foreclosure surplus works in Cuyahoga County

The Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts holds excess funds from foreclosure sales and posts downloadable lists on its website. The court publishes a free fill-in-the-blank 'Motion to Distribute Funds' for former owners: fill it in, attach a copy of your ID, mail copies to the other parties in the case, and file it with the Clerk — the other parties then have ten days to respond before the court rules. Call (216) 443-7982, or the Sheriff's Land Sales Department at (216) 443-6226, to learn the amount held in your case; heirs of a deceased owner must also intervene in the case and show a Probate Court award.

According to publicly available Ohio statute (R.C. 2329.44), when a sheriff's sale brings in more than the judgment and costs, the balance belongs to the former owner, and the clerk must send notice when the surplus is $500 or more. The claim is made by motion in your original foreclosure case. You can confirm any of this directly with the county at (216) 443-7982. We encourage it.

Official form: Motion to Distribute Funds (Property Owner) — court form with instructions.

How tax-sale surplus funds work in Cuyahoga County

Tax-foreclosure excess in Cuyahoga County also flows through the court: the Clerk of Courts posts a downloadable list of 'Excess Tax Foreclosure Funds released to Treasurer.' Check the Clerk's excess funds page or call (216) 443-7982; for funds already transferred, the county Treasury is at (216) 443-7400. According to Ohio R.C. 5721.20, tax-sale excess carries a hard time limit before permanent forfeiture — you can confirm your case status directly with the county, and we encourage it.

According to publicly available Ohio statute (R.C. 5721.20), excess from a tax foreclosure is held for the former owner, but unclaimed money can be permanently forfeited three years after it is paid into the county treasury. This is the one deadline in Ohio you cannot miss. You can confirm any of this with the Clerk of Courts, then Cuyahoga County Treasury (Clerk publishes an 'Excess Tax Foreclosure Funds released to Treasurer' list) at (216) 443-7400.

You can do all of this yourself, for free.The county will never charge you to check, and you don't need anyone's permission to file your own claim. Where we help is when it gets complicated: a deceased owner, competing liens, missed deadlines, or a court hearing. Our licensed attorneys handle the entire claim with no upfront costs: attorney fees, filing fees, and court costs are on us, and you pay nothing unless money is recovered.

Good to know in Cuyahoga County

  • The Clerk posts three downloadable Excel lists at cuyahogacounty.gov/coc/excess-funds: Excess Funds – Foreclosure, Excess Funds – Non-Foreclosure, and Excess Tax Foreclosure Funds released to Treasurer.
  • Cuyahoga is one of the few Ohio counties with an official, owner-specific DIY packet: the court's 'Motion to Distribute Funds' form plus a companion 'Motion to Intervene of Heir of Owner' for heirs, who must also provide Probate Court documentation.
  • After you file the motion, other parties in the case get ten days to respond — the court will not rule before then, and may allow extra time for lienholders to assert claims.
  • The Sheriff's Land Sales Department at (216) 443-6226 can tell you the exact amount of sale proceeds being held for your case number.
  • Unclaimed funds from sheriff foreclosure sales (including uncashed sheriff's checks) are now held by the Cuyahoga County Treasury per the Sheriff's unclaimed funds page.

We help former homeowners throughout Cuyahoga County, including Cleveland, Parma, Lakewood, Euclid, Cleveland Heights, Strongsville.

Related guides

Nearby counties: Butler County, Delaware County, Franklin County, Hamilton County, Lorain County, Lucas County, or see all of Ohio.

Cuyahoga County questions

Straight answers, before you ask.

The county publishes its official list at https://cuyahogacounty.gov/coc/excess-funds (spreadsheet). Not finding your name doesn't always mean no money exists. Lists update periodically, so confirm by calling the Clerk of Courts, then Cuyahoga County Treasury (Clerk publishes an 'Excess Tax Foreclosure Funds released to Treasurer' list) at (216) 443-7400, or request a free record check from us.

Mortgage foreclosure surplus is held by the Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas, General Division) in the original foreclosure case (per publicly available Ohio statute R.C. 2329.44). Excess money from a tax foreclosure is handled through the Clerk of Courts, then Cuyahoga County Treasury (Clerk publishes an 'Excess Tax Foreclosure Funds released to Treasurer' list) (R.C. 5721.20). You can confirm either directly with the county at (216) 443-7982, and we encourage it.

It depends on which kind of sale it was. Mortgage-foreclosure surplus stays with the clerk until 90 days after the last notice, then moves to the county treasurer, who holds it for the owner; under R.C. 9.39, money unclaimed there for five years reverts to the county's general fund. Tax-foreclosure excess is stricter: according to R.C. 5721.20, it is permanently forfeited three years after it is paid into the county treasury. Don't wait. Confirm your dates with the county, and read our deadline guide.

Yes. You never need to pay anyone to find out if money exists or to file a claim. The county process is free apart from routine court costs. Our guide on claiming surplus funds yourself walks through it. Where claims get complicated (a deceased owner, competing liens, missed notices), our attorneys handle everything with no upfront costs, and you pay nothing unless money is recovered.

Heirs can usually claim, but the money is treated as part of the estate, so counties and courts typically require probate paperwork before paying anyone. See our guide for heirs. This is one of the situations where attorney help matters most, and ours costs nothing upfront.

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