How long do hotels keep lost property in Australia?
Published November 2026 • 4 min read • For guests of Australian hotels
Short answer
How long does a hotel have to keep my lost item?
Each state and territory sets its own rules. For a low-value item, most let a hotel dispose of it about two to four weeks after giving you notice. Valuable items, and guests the hotel can't contact, mean longer waits, often months. Queensland and Western Australia set six months under laws that may not cover forgotten items at all. Ask the hotel quickly either way.
The rules set the least time a hotel must wait before it can dispose of your item. They don't promise the item is still there, so the safest move is to ask the hotel in the first few days.
What the rules have in common
A hotel holding something you left is looking after it for you. Before it can sell, donate or throw out anything of value, it has to give you notice, using the details on your booking, and then wait. In most states the wait is longer for valuable items, and longer again if the hotel can't reach you. Rubbish and perishable food can go straight away.
State by state
The value is what the item is worth, not what you paid for it.
Under $1,000: 14 days after notice. $1,000 to $20,000: 28 days after written notice. Over $20,000: only with a tribunal order. Passports and other personal documents: 28 days, then returned to the issuer or destroyed.
VIC
Victoria28 days after written notice. If the hotel can't reach you: 60 days under $200, 90 days for $200 to $4,999 and 180 days for $5,000 or more.
QLD
QueenslandIf the uncollected goods law applies, six months after written notice before the hotel can sell an item. It isn't clear that law covers things guests leave behind.
Up to $3,500: at least six months after written notice, then a month's notice of sale. Over $3,500: only with a court order. Found property may fall under a different Act.
$200 or less: 14 days after notice. $200 to under $20,000: 28 days. $20,000 or more: 60 days and a court order. Personal documents: 28 days, then secure disposal.
After a written request to collect within 7 days: 7 more days for items worth $20 or less, 1 month under $500 and 3 months (then auction) for $500 or more. Personal documents go back to the issuer.
TAS
Tasmania28 days after notice. If the hotel can't reach you: 60 days under $200, 90 days for $200 to under $5,000 and 180 days for $5,000 or more.
Under $200: 28 days after notice. $200 to $999: two months. $1,000 to $6,999: three months, plus police and newspaper notice. $7,000 or more: court order.
A summary for guests, not legal advice. Each state guide above is written for hotels and names the Act.
What this means for you
- Ask in the first few days. Housekeeping logs items soon after check-out.
- Keep your booking email and phone number current: that is where the hotel sends notice.
- If the hotel says it has the item, agree on how it will come back to you before the holding period runs out.
If you'd rather we chased it, tell us what you left and we contact the hotel, usually within one working day. For the steps to take first, see left something at a hotel.
Frequently asked questions
How long do hotels keep lost property in Australia?+
It depends on the state and what the item is worth. For low-value items, most states let a hotel dispose of them two to four weeks after it has given the guest notice. Valuable items and guests the hotel can't reach mean longer waits, from two months up to six months or a court order.
Does the clock start when I check out?+
Usually not. In most states the holding period starts when the hotel gives you notice that it has the item, or once it has tried and failed to reach you. Hotels often have their own policy as well, which can be longer.
Can a hotel throw my item away straight away?+
In most states, only rubbish, perishable food and things that are a health or safety risk. Anything else needs notice and a holding period first.
What happens to my item if nobody claims it?+
Depending on its value and the state, the hotel can keep it, donate it, sell it or have it auctioned. If it is sold, the hotel can usually keep its costs, and the rest may be claimable by the owner or paid to the state. Passports and other personal documents go back to the issuer or are destroyed securely.
Is this legal advice?+
No. It is a summary for guests. Each state guide names the Act it is based on, and a hotel's own policy may give you longer.
We can ask for you
Tell us what you left and where you stayed.
We contact the hotel, usually within one working day. If they have it, we email you a link to pay for postage. Nothing is charged until then.