Can I keep found items in Austria?
No — you must report finds; you can only keep them later. A find must be reported without delay to the lost-property office or police; from a value of €10 there's a clear reporting duty (law of finds). The finder's reward is 10% of the market value for lost items and 5% for merely mislaid ones (§ 393 Civil Code). Above €2,000 the reward is halved on the excess. You must give information to help trace the loser. If the item isn't collected within 1 year, you become the owner. In short: no to keeping it at once, but a reward and ownership after a year.
📋 The rules
- Report finds without delay (duty from €10)
- Reward: 10% (lost), 5% (mislaid)
- Above €2,000: reward halved on the excess
- Give information about the loser
- After 1 year unclaimed: you become owner
🔓 Exceptions
- Keeping without reporting = misappropriation (§ 134)
- Finds in transport/shops: hand to the operator
- Animals, weapons, documents: separate rules, to the authority
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The reward is 10% (lost) or 5% (mislaid) of the value, dropping to half above €2,000; the reporting duty triggers from €10, and after 1 year with no claimant ownership passes to you. Keeping a find without reporting it can be prosecuted as misappropriation under § 134 of the Criminal Code. Beware a myth: "finders keepers — what I find on the street is mine" is false in Austria — you must report finds over €10 and only become owner after the year with no claimant. Tip: hand the find in at the lost-property office or police and get the report confirmed.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
Must I report a find?
Yes. A find must be reported without delay to the municipality's lost-property office or to the police. From a value of €10 there's a clear reporting duty. You must also give all information that helps trace the loser.
How high is the finder's reward?
For lost items the reward is 10 percent of the market value, for merely mislaid items 5 percent. If the value exceeds €2,000, the reward is halved on the excess, that is to 5 or 2.5 percent.
When does the find become mine?
If the found item isn't collected by the loser within one year of the report, you as the finder acquire ownership of it. Before that year is up, you may not simply keep the find but must have properly reported and stored it.
Can I just keep the find?
No. Keeping a find without reporting it can be punishable as misappropriation under § 134 of the Criminal Code, that is a criminal offence and not merely a loss of the reward. So always report the find properly.
What about finds in a bus or shop?
Finds in public transport, shops or official buildings follow special rules. They generally go to the operator or authority rather than being kept. Animals, weapons, documents and suspected stolen goods must always go to the authorities.
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