How do I transfer a mining claim?

Sign a deed (usually a quitclaim deed) with every claimant of record, record it with the county where the claims sit, then file a copy of the recorded deed with the BLM state office and pay its processing fee for each claim and each new owner.

How to transfer a mining claim: deed, county recording and BLM filing

1. Get the record right first

Every claimant of record has to sign to transfer the whole claim. Check the BLM’s Mineral & Land Records System (MLRS) for the claimant names, serial numbers and the next September 1 fee. If a claimant has died, the estate may need to be settled first; see mining claims in an estate and co-owners and heirs.

2. Sign the deed

Most transfers use a quitclaim deed. The BLM also accepts other legal documents, such as a will or a court decision. Each document should show the claim name, the BLM serial number, the new owner’s name and current mailing address, and the grantor’s signature with a notary stamp. A missing name, signature, notary stamp or address can get the filing rejected, so check each item before you send it.

3. Record it with the county

State law governs how a transfer takes effect. Record the deed with the county recorder or clerk where the claims sit, and keep the recorded copy. County fees and formats differ; the state pages list the offices and county rules for eight western states.

4. File it with the BLM

For unpatented claims, file a copy of the recorded deed with the BLM state office for the state where the claims sit, with a processing fee for each claim and each new owner ($15 per claim, per transferee, in the BLM’s February 2026 filing requirements). Until the transfer is filed, the BLM sends its notices to the claimant of record in its files.

5. Keep the claims in good standing

A transfer does not move the September 1 deadline. Agree in writing who pays the next BLM maintenance fee, or files the small miner waiver, and any county filing that falls due around the closing. See the maintenance fee and small miner waiver.

General information, not legal advice. Fees and forms change; confirm them with the BLM state office and the county before you file. Triple 8 buys mining claims, so it has an interest in this subject. Sources: BLM, mining claim filing requirements (February 2026); BLM, 2027 mining claim season fees; 43 CFR part 3833, subpart C.