§ 121-56 — Acquisition of undocumented property

(a) Property in the possession of a museum or archives repository that the museum or archives repository has reason to believe may be on loan and for which the museum or archives repository does not know the owner or have any reasonable means of determining the owner becomes the property of the museum or archives repository as provided in this section. If no person has claimed the property within seven years after the museum or archives repository or a predecessor or assignor of the museum or archives repository took possession of the property, then the museum or archives repository shall follow the notification process set out in G.S. 121-52(c). Pursuant to G.S. 121-52(d), if the Department receives a claim and determines that the claim is valid and that the claimant is the legal owner of the artifact, the Department shall return the artifact to the owner at the owner's expense. Otherwise, after following the notification process and consistent with G.S. 121-52(e), the museum or archives repository shall become the owner of the property, shall acquire title to the property and shall own the property free and clear from all claims of ownership.
(b) The requirements of G.S. 121-52 and G.S. 121-53 shall apply to valid and disputed claims of ownership to undocumented property. (2015-218, s. 2.)