Can I keep money or items I find?
Not just like that. Anyone who finds a lost item (including cash) must, under finding law (§ 965 ff. BGB), report it to the loser or owner. If they're unknown and the value is over €10, you must report the find without delay to the lost-property office/authority. If the owner comes forward, you get the item back or a finder's reward (5% up to €500, 3% above). If the owner stays unknown 6 months after the report, you become the owner. Simply keeping it without reporting can be misappropriation of found property (§ 246 StGB).
📋 The rules
- Report the find: to the loser/owner, else (from €10 value) to the lost-property office
- Report without delay — cash counts as found property
- Finder's reward: 5% up to €500, 3% above
- After 6 months with no owner: the finder becomes owner
- Keeping without reporting can be misappropriation (§ 246 StGB)
🔓 Exceptions
- Finds up to €10 value needn't be reported to the authority (the loser maybe yes)
- Finds in public buildings/transport go to that location's lost property (own rules)
- Ownerless, deliberately discarded items aren't found property
⚠️ Penalties & fines
If you don't report a find and keep it, that can be misappropriation (§ 246 StGB) — a fine or up to three years in prison — especially for higher values. You also lose the claim to a reward and must hand the item over if the owner appears. Report correctly and you're on the safe side and can lawfully become owner after six months.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
Can I keep money I find?
Not freely. Cash is found property. If the value is over €10 and the loser is unknown, you must report the find to the lost-property office. Only if no one comes forward after six months may you keep the money.
From what value must I report a find?
From €10. Finds of higher value must, if the owner is unknown, be reported without delay to the responsible office (lost property). Below that there's no duty to report to the authority.
Do I get a finder's reward?
Yes. If the owner comes forward, you're entitled to a reward: 5% of the value up to €500, and 3% on the part above. For animals it's 3%. You can claim the reward if you reported the find properly.
When does the find become mine?
If no owner comes forward six months after the report to the lost-property office, you as finder acquire ownership. Before that you may not simply keep or sell it.
What happens if I just keep the find?
That can be misappropriation of found property under § 246 StGB — a fine or up to three years in prison, especially for more valuable finds. You also lose the reward claim and must hand the item over.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “keep money you find allowed”
- “report find from what value”
- “finder reward percentage”
- “found property after 6 months ownership”
- “keep find misappropriation”
- “found money lost property”