Public Land Mining Claim Fees and Waivers Due Sept. 1 | Bureau of Land Management (2024)

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management reminds claimants who wish to retain mining claims on public lands through the 2024 assessment year to pay a Maintenance Fee or file a Maintenance Fee Waiver Certification (Small Miner’s Waiver) on or before Friday, Sept. 1, to prevent the mining claim from being declared forfeit and void.

Courtesy Mining Claims Packets are available online by clicking here or upon request through the California State Office, Information Access Center (Public Room). The BLM will not be mailing packets, unless requested.

The Maintenance Fee for a Lode Claim, Tunnel Site, or Mill Site is $165 per claim or site. For Placer Claims only, the fees are $165 for every 20 acres or portion thereof. Claimants who filed a Small Miner’s Waiver in 2022 for the 2023 assessment year will be required to file an Affidavit of Annual Assessment Work form, including the required $15 processing fee per claim on or before Sat., Dec. 30.

The BLM is following local, state, and federal guidelines to safely operate in-person public access to the Public Room in California offices, as safety of visitors and employees is the agency’s top priority. The California State Office Public Room is open to in-person visits and has supplies to allow visitors to adhere to the current local health conditions. The BLM encourages submission of mining claims by mail or online.

• Mail: Checks must be pre-printed showing the address, with recommended Certified Mail being the preferred method of shipment, to Bureau of Land Management-CASO, ATTN: Accounts/Mining, 2800 Cottage Way, W-1623, Sacramento, CA 95825. Payments or filings by mail must be postmarked on or before Friday, Sept. 1, 2023.
  
• Phone: For Maintenance Fees Only: Call 916-978-4400 to pay with a credit card by telephone.
  
• Online: Visit the BLM’s Mineral & Land Records System (MLRS) payment portal here to make payment with a credit card. Note: The Small Miner’s Waiver cannot be filed on MLRS due to original signatures needed; please submit the Small Miner’s Waiver in-person or through the mail.
  
• In-person: claimants who wish to make filings and payments via mail or in-person must make their filing to the proper BLM State Office for the state where the mining claims or sites are located. Check the website for times and telephone numbers for BLM Public Room hours.

For information on the filing deadlines, Maintenance Fees, Maintenance Fee Waiver Certifications, or Federal Land Policy and Management Act filings (Affidavit of Annual Assessment Work or Notice of Intent to Hold) please call the Information Access Center (CA Public Room) at 916-978-4400 or visit the BLM California Public Room website online.

To review mining claim fees online, please visit the website here.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.