LAX lost and found: who has your item
The short answer: items lost in LAX's public areas (ticketing, curbside, baggage claim, gate areas, restaurants, stores, the LAX-IT shuttle and lot, and airport parking) go to the LAX Airport Police Lost and Found, and you file a claim online at no cost. Items left at a TSA checkpoint are with TSA, and items left on a plane are with the airline.
There's no phone line for lost item inquiries; the process is online.
Checked on October 28, 2026 against LAX's lost and found page. This is an independent guide from TangoTag, not LAX's own page, and policies change, so confirm anything important there.
Who has it at LAX
- Ticketing, curbside, baggage claim, gate areas, restaurants, stores, LAX-IT and the parking lots: the LAX Airport Police Lost and Found Unit.
- Security checkpoint: TSA. Find the LAX contact on tsa.gov's lost and found page. TSA says it holds checkpoint items for at least 30 days.
- On the plane, or a lost suitcase: your airline. See our Delta and American guides.
- Lost passport at customs: LAX lists U.S. Customs at (310) 665-4560.
How to file a claim with LAX
- Go to LAX's lost and found page and pick the area where you lost the item.
- Fill in the claim with as much detail as you can. LAX says owner verification is required by law, so the questions are there to prove it's yours.
- Check for a confirmation email. LAX's emails come from its software providers' domains, @pixithq.com or @crowdfind.com, so add those to your safe senders.
- Wait for a reply. LAX says claims are reviewed Monday to Friday and the average response time is 5 to 7 business days. It tries to reach you twice by email before closing the claim.
Getting it back
- Filing a claim is free; LAX says it charges no service fee and isn't affiliated with third-party lost item search sites.
- If it's found, you get an emailed shipping invoice to have it shipped at your expense, plus information for an in-person return.
- LAX holds property for 97 days. A claim is closed if you don't recover the item within 90 days.
- A claim isn't a police report. To report a theft, LAX lists the Airport Police front desk at 424-646-6100.
Next time
A lost-and-found form is where things wait. Something with a way to reach its owner usually goes home faster: the cleaner, driver or passenger who finds it can contact you directly instead of hoping it reaches the right desk.
A TangoTag sticker on your bag, keys or laptop does that. Whoever finds it scans the code with their phone camera and can call, text or leave you a note, without seeing your address. It isn't a tracker and can't show where something is; it only helps when a person finds it and scans it. How it works.
Other guides
- Who has my lost item? All the guides, by place
- Delta lost and found
- American Airlines lost and found
Questions
Is there a phone number for LAX lost and found?
No. LAX says its inquiry process is online: submit a claim on its lost and found page for the area where you lost the item.
How long does LAX keep lost items?
LAX says property is held for 97 days, and a claim is closed if the item isn't recovered within 90 days.
Does LAX lost and found have items left at TSA security?
No. LAX's Lost and Found Unit doesn't handle items left in TSA areas or on aircraft. Contact TSA's lost and found for LAX, or your airline.
Does it cost anything to file an LAX lost and found claim?
No. Filing a claim is free. If your item is found and you want it shipped, you pay the shipping.