---
title: O.C.G.A. § 44-12-228. Maintenance and retention of records.
collection: code
id: 44-12-228
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 44-12-228 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/44-12-228
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/44-12-228.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/44-12-228/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t44-ch8-17-(v32)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=a600a9b5_0#page=33
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/44-12.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: PROPERTY / RIGHTS IN PERSONALTY / DISPOSITION OF UNCLAIMED PROPERTY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 44-12-228. Maintenance and retention of records.

(a) Every financial institution, banking organization, and business association and all other holders required to file a report under Code Section 44-12-214 shall retain all books, records, and documents necessary to establish the accuracy and compliance of such report for ten years after the property becomes reportable, except to the extent that shorter time is provided in accordance with Article 5 of Chapter 18 of Title 50, the “Georgia Records Act,” or in subsection (b) of this Code section or by rule of the commissioner. As to any property for which it has obtained the last known address of the owner, the holder shall maintain a record of the name and last known address of the owner for the same ten-year period.

(b) Any business associations that sell in this state their traveler’s checks, money orders, or other similar written instruments, other than third-party bank checks on which the business association is directly liable, or that provides such instruments to others for sale in this state shall maintain a record of those instruments while they remain outstanding, indicating the state and date of issue for three years after the date the property is reportable.

(c) Every claimant’s designated representative and buyer of unclaimed property shall keep and use in his or her business such books, accounts, and records of the business conducted under this article to enable the department to determine whether such person is in compliance with this article and the rules adopted by the department under this article. Every claimant’s designated representative and buyer of unclaimed property shall preserve such books, accounts, and records, including every Unclaimed Property Recovery Agreement or Unclaimed Property Purchase Agreement between the owner and such claimant’s representative or buyer, for at least three years after the date of the initial agreement.

(d) Upon request by the department, a claimant’s designated representative or buyer of unclaimed property shall provide all books, accounts, and records maintained in compliance with subsection (c) of this Code section to the department for examination.

(e) Electronic documents shall satisfy the requirements of this Code section.

## History

Code 1981, § 44-12-228, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1506, § 1; Ga. L. 2023, p. 266, § 9/SB 103, effective July 1, 2024.

## Amendments

The 2023 amendment, effective July 1, 2024, added subsections (c), (d), and (e).