Bona vacantia

UK legal principle under which title in ownerless property passes to the Crown, or more specifically the Bona Vacantia division of the Treasury Solicitor’s Department. The main way in which bona vacantia can arise is when a company is dissolved and there is no claim on the assets left unsatisfied. In such a situation intangible assets such as domain names, patents, copyrights and trademarks may be sold by this office.

Related Terms