Stale-Dated Warrants (Uncashed Checks)
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Warrants (checks) issued by a state agency have a negotiable period of one year from the date of issuance. If you have an old, uncashed State check, please refer to the table below for the handling of these stale-dated warrants.
Age of Check
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How to Proceed
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Less than one year
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Cash the check; it is still valid.
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| More than one year but less than three years |
Contact the agency or department that originally issued the check and ask them to issue you a new check.
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| More than three years |
You must file a Government Claim with the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board.
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You must file a Government Claim for checks older than three years because the fund from which the check was originally drawn has expired. The Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (VCGCB) can approve the issuance of a new check for a valid, still outstanding stale-dated warrant, but most new replacement checks must be issued through the legislative process.
If your claim for a stale-dated warrant is approved by the VCGCB, then your check request, along with many other claims the VCGCB approved, are combined into a claims bill. Once the Legislature passes the VCGCB’s claims bill, and the Governor signs it, then the State Controller can issue the new checks.
California state law requires VCGCB to follow this claims bill process in order to issue a replacement check for stale-dated warrants. This process can take up to 18 months.
Please note that the $25 application fee is not refunded for allowed claims involving stale dated warrants.
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