Can I keep money I find in Liechtenstein?
No — money you find is not a gift; you must report it or hand it in. Money counts as a lost thing; whoever finds it must notify the loser or report and hand the find to the police or the commune's lost-property office. This is governed by the Property Law (Sachenrecht, SR, LR 214.0). Only if no one entitled comes forward after about five years does the finder become owner. For an honest report there is a finder's reward — a claim to reasonable compensation (Art. 445 para. 3 SR). The myth: „Found is found" or „below a small amount I may keep it." Wrong — anyone who conceals and keeps a find commits embezzlement of a find. In Switzerland the same sits in the Civil Code (Art. 720–722) — same rule, a different code and different numbers.
📋 The rules
- Report or hand in: Anyone who finds a lost thing or money must notify the loser or report and hand in the find — to the police or the commune's lost-property office. That is a duty, not a courtesy.
- Ownership only after about five years: If no one entitled comes forward within the statutory period of about five years, the thing passes to the finder. Until then it still belongs to the loser.
- Finder's reward (Art. 445 para. 3 SR): The honest finder has a claim to reasonable compensation. The reward is the payment for correct behaviour — it lapses if you breach the duty to report.
- Finds in buildings: Anyone who finds something in an inhabited house or in premises of public transport — bus, train, office, shop — hands it to the occupier or operator, who takes the place of the lost-property office.
- Same rule, different number: Liechtenstein's Property Law (SR) governs finds in substance like the Swiss Civil Code (Art. 720–722), only under its own articles. Cite the Civil Code number and you name the wrong source.
🔓 Exceptions
- Treasure trove: A treasure — long-hidden, ownerless valuables — follows its own Property Law rules and can be archaeologically significant; then heritage protection is involved, not the lost-property office.
- Small amounts in daily life: Small sums must be reported too; in practice the finder quickly becomes owner once the period expires. That does not change the fact that keeping it without reporting stays unlawful.
- Animals: For stray or found animals special find-and-report rules apply; the commune and animal welfare are responsible, not the classic lost-property office for things.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Anyone who conceals and keeps a find commits an offence — embezzlement of a find is a property offence under the Criminal Code. The exact penalty depends on value and circumstances; we quote no fixed figure here, because it cannot be cleanly sourced in the abstract. What is certain: the finder's reward lapses the moment you breach the duty to report — so you lose the lawful advantage. If the loser comes forward later, you must hand the thing over and may owe damages if you have already spent the money. Not obvious: anyone who „takes" a stranger's card, wallet or phone risks, depending on the facts, the charge of theft rather than mere embezzlement of a find — and a criminal record weighs more than any find.
📎 Official sources
- LILEX — Property Law (Sachenrecht, SR, LR 214.0), finds and finder's reward (Art. 445) (legal register home page) →
- Commune of Schaan — lost-property office and loss reports (home page) →
- National Police Liechtenstein — found property and reports (home page) →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I keep money I have found?
No, money counts as a lost thing that you must report or hand in, to the police or the commune's lost-property office. You acquire ownership at the earliest after about five years, if no one entitled comes forward by then.
How much finder's reward am I entitled to?
The Property Law gives the honest finder a claim to reasonable compensation (Art. 445 para. 3 SR), without naming a rigid percentage. The key point: you only get the reward if you reported the find correctly.
Where do I hand in a find?
Something found on the street you take to the police or the lost-property office of your commune. What you find in a shop, bus or office you hand to the occupier or operator, who takes the place of the lost-property office.
What happens if I simply keep the find?
Then you commit embezzlement of a find, a property offence under the Criminal Code, and lose any claim to a finder's reward. If the loser comes forward, you must hand the thing over and may owe damages.
Is the find rule like in Switzerland?
In substance yes, only in Liechtenstein it sits in the Property Law (SR, LR 214.0) instead of the Swiss Civil Code (Art. 720–722). Same basic rule, a different code and different article numbers, so you must cite the SR here.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “keep found money liechtenstein”
- “report a find liechtenstein”
- “finder reward liechtenstein”
- “lost property office liechtenstein”
- “found property law liechtenstein”
- “found money what to do liechtenstein”