Claim owners · Oregon
Selling mining claims in Oregon
Oregon claims are filed with the BLM Oregon/Washington State Office in Portland and recorded with the county clerk. Oregon treats mining claims as real estate, and it requires an annual county affidavit even from owners who simply pay the BLM fee. Placer ground in essential salmon habitat has tight limits on motorized mining, which buyers take into account.
Before you sell
What to check for Oregon claims
| BLM office | BLM Oregon/Washington State Office, Portland |
|---|---|
| Federal fee | BLM maintenance fee of $200 per lode claim, or per 20 acres of placer, by September 1 each year, or a small miner waiver if you hold 10 or fewer claims. |
| County filing each year | An affidavit recorded in the county’s mining records within 30 days after doing the work or paying the BLM fee, stating that the federal requirements were met and that you intend to hold the claim (ORS 517.210). |
| New locations | Lode boundaries marked within 30 days of posting; lode and placer notices recorded with the county clerk within 60 days of posting (ORS 517.010, 517.030, 517.052). A copy goes to the BLM within 90 days. |
| Transfers | Mining claims are real estate in Oregon; deeds follow the same rules as other real property and are recorded with the county (ORS 517.080, 517.090), then filed with the BLM. |
| Permits and reclamation | DOGAMI Mineral Land Regulation and Reclamation for exploration and mining permits; Oregon DEQ and the Department of State Lands for in-water placer work and suction dredging. |
| Commonly claimed | Placer and lode gold, mainly in northeast and southwest Oregon and the Western Cascades. |
Rules and fees change. Confirm them with the BLM and the county recorder before relying on them.
How a sale of Oregon claims usually works
- Check each claim on the BLM’s records system. How to check a claim.
- Check the county record for the location notice and each year’s affidavit.
- Find out whether the ground is in essential salmon habitat or a State Scenic Waterway.
- Agree the structure and terms in writing.
- Every claimant of record signs the deed; it is recorded with the county clerk.
- File the recorded deed with the BLM state office, with a processing fee per claim for each new owner. The BLM does not recognize the buyer until the transfer is filed, and keeps treating the seller as the owner of record.
- Agree who pays the next September 1 fee and records the next county affidavit.
Things that trip up Oregon sellers
- Motorized in-stream placer mining is prohibited in essential salmon habitat, which can limit what placer ground is worth (ORS 468B.114).
- From October 26, 2026 until its new permitting system opens in early 2027, DOGAMI is not accepting permit transfers or new applications.
Sources: ORS chapter 517; DOGAMI, surface mining; Oregon DEQ, 700-PM permit fact sheet; BLM, 2027 mining claim season fees; 43 CFR part 3833 (recording and transfers). General information, not legal advice.
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