Legal Definitions - claim check

A claim check is a receipt, often a small ticket or token, issued to an individual who temporarily entrusts their personal property to another party for safekeeping, service, or temporary storage. This document serves as proof that the property was deposited. To retrieve the property, the individual must present and surrender the claim check to the party holding the item.

• Example 1: Valet Parking Service
  Imagine you arrive at a busy hotel and use their valet parking service. The valet attendant takes your car keys and gives you a small, numbered ticket. This ticket is your claim check. When you are ready to leave, you present this ticket to the valet, who then retrieves your car and returns it to you. The car is your property, the valet service is the party holding it, and the ticket is the essential document you surrender to get your property back.

• Example 2: Luggage Storage at a Museum
  Suppose you are visiting a museum with a large backpack that isn't allowed inside the exhibition halls. You deposit your backpack at the museum's cloakroom or locker service. The attendant gives you a plastic token with a number. This token acts as your claim check. To retrieve your backpack at the end of your visit, you must hand this token back to the attendant, who will then return your property.

• Example 3: Shoe Repair Shop
  When you drop off a pair of shoes at a cobbler for repair, the shop typically provides you with a small paper slip detailing the repair work, the cost, and a pickup date. This slip, which you must present to collect your repaired shoes, functions as a claim check. It confirms that you left the shoes with the shop and is required for the shop to release your property back to you once the service is complete.