California Code, Financial Code - FIN § 1634

All contents removed from a safe-deposit box pursuant to Section 1632 shall be retained by the bank for at least two years unless sooner delivered to or on the order of the person in whose name such box stood on the records of the bank.  The bank shall deliver the contents of such box to or on the order of the person in whose name such box stood on its records, upon payment to it before such contents are sold or destroyed, of all rental due at the time of opening the box, the cost of giving notice, the charges for opening the box and for custody of the contents, and any other proper charges.  The bank may deliver such contents on the order of the person in whose name such box stood on its records, irrespective of any information disclosed by the contents indicating ownership thereof by any other person.