State Mining Claim Guides

All mining claims on federal land must comply with BLM regulations. Here are the key requirements for 2026:

Small Miner's Waiver

If you own 10 or fewer claims/sites on Federal land nationwide, you may qualify for a maintenance fee waiver:

• File Form 3830-002 by September 2, 2026
• No processing fee for the waiver itself
• Must file Affidavit of Assessment Work by December 30, 2026
• $15 processing fee per claim with assessment work
• Must prove $100 worth of labor/improvements per claim

Initial Recording Requirements

New claims must be recorded with both the county recorder and BLM state office within 90 days of the date of location (varies by state - some require 30-60 days).