Alaska
A. All mining claims and sites must pay at the time of recording, a $34 location fee, a $140 maintenance fee (to cover the assessment year of location), and a $15 new mining claim processing fee (recording fee) for a total of $189 for each claim.
B. Who is exempt from paying the maintenance fee(s):
- A mineral patent applicant issued the first half of the mineral entry final certificate.
- A claimant - including all related parties - who holds 10 or less federal mining claims in the United States on the payment date of September 1.
- A claimant who has filed a petition for or received a deferment of assessment work.
- A claimant who has been denied physical access to his claims/sites within the National Park System or on other federal agency lands. Proof of denial of physical access by the federal agency must be filed with the proper BLM office by each September 1 with a list of affected claims/sites.
- A claimant whose claims/sites are in final reclamation and has no further intent to mine, process or dispose of minerals or mineral products on the affected claims or sites. Proof of such status must be filed with the proper BLM office by each September 1 and a certified statement with a list of claims and sites undergoing final reclamation.
Note: A small miner must complete their previous year assessment work to qualify for a waiver for the current assessment year. The waiver for the current assessment year must be filed in the proper BLM office by September 1 of the previous year.
For example, if a miner filed a waiver for the 2008 assessment year, he/she files a waiver for assessment year 2009, he/she MUST file an Affidavit of Annual Labor for the 2008 assessment year by December 30.
C. When to pay the maintenance fee.
- All maintenance fees are paid in advance for the upcoming assessment year. The maintenance fee must be paid in the proper BLM Office* where the claim/sites are recorded on or before September 1, immediately preceding the assessment year for which the fees are due.
* Proper BLM office means the Bureau of Land Management State Office listed in 1821.2-1 (d) of this title (43 CFR 3830.5) and in Alaska, the BLM’s Fairbanks District Office, having jurisdiction over the claims area.
Anchorage: Bureau of Land Management Anchorage State Office 222 West 7th Avenue Anchorage, AK 99513-7599 (907) 271-5960 | Fairbanks: Bureau of Land Management Fairbanks District Office 1150 University Avenue Fairbanks, AK 99709 (907) 474-2200 |
D. What to provide with payment of maintenance fee.
- Cash, check, money order, or credit cards are acceptable to the BLM. We currently take Visa and MasterCard. Checks are made payable to DOI - Bureau of Land Management.
- A written list of claim/site names and the BLM serial numbers for the maintenance fee, and the assessment year paid for must be provided with each payment.
**NOTE: 43 CFR 3830.23(b) provides that if the issuing institution of your check, negotiable instrument or credit card refuses to pay and it is not because the institution made a mistake, BLM will treat the processing fee and files as unpaid.
Non-payment of new location(s) will result in the location(s) being declared null and void ab initio. Non-payment of fees on existing claims will result in claim(s) becoming forfeited or declared abandoned and void.
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