Oregon Mining Claims

Claim-Staking Guide

A step-by-step checklist for locating, recording, and maintaining a placer or lode mining claim on federal public land in Oregon — with real office contacts, phone numbers, fees, and form links.

Educational guide only — not legal advice. Gold Monster provides document-preparation assistance and educational information. It is not a law firm. Fees, deadlines, and rules change. Verify everything with the agency before filing. If you have edge cases — association claims, patented ground, split estate, tribal or withdrawn land — consult a mineral title professional or attorney.
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Deadlines at a Glance

All clocks start from the date you post your location notice on the claim. The county deadline is shorter than the federal one — don’t get tripped up.

60
days
County Recording
ORS 517.030 / 517.052
Miss it → location void under state law
90
days
BLM Filing + Fees
43 CFR 3833.1
Miss it → abandoned & void, no appeal
Sept 1
yearly
Annual Maintenance
43 CFR 3834/3835
Miss it → forfeited by operation of law
30
days
DEQ 700-PM Registration
700-PM Permit
Register ≥30 days before operating

Step-by-Step Checklist

Work through these in order. Each step builds on the last. Check off what you’ve done — your progress saves to this browser.

Research Land Status

Do this first — it’s free

Before you spend a dime, confirm (a) nobody holds a valid existing claim on the ground, (b) the land is federal public domain open to mineral entry, and (c) who manages the surface (BLM or USFS).

  • MLRS claim search (free, online) — mlrs.blm.gov. Run the Mining Claim Geospatial search by township/range. Note: existing-claim data can lag ~90 days behind brand-new locations.
  • County mining-claim index — closes the MLRS lag gap. Grant County keeps a dedicated mining index. Baker, Josephine, Jackson search via the recorder (contacts below).
  • GLO Records / Master Title Plats — glorecords.blm.gov → Land Status tab. The MTP is the authoritative graphic record of withdrawals.
  • Questions about a specific parcel? Call the district office that manages it — Vale 541-473-3144, Medford 541-618-2200, or Prineville 541-416-6700.

Cost: $0 · Timeline: self-paced

Confirm the Land Is Open to Mineral Entry

Withdrawn land = claim void from day one, fees not refunded. Check the MTP (Step 1) for withdrawal notations; ask the district office to confirm.

If you plan to operate (not just hold title), also pre-check the Essential Salmonid Habitat (ESH) map — motorized in-stream mining is banned in ESH regardless of claim validity:

Cost: $0

Stake & Monument the Claim

State law controls monument requirements (43 CFR 3832.11 defers to it). Physically mark the boundaries so they can be readily traced on the ground.

  • Lode claims: ORS 517.010 — post notice at point of discovery, monument boundaries.
  • Placer claims: ORS 517.044 — post location notice on the claim, boundaries marked so they can be readily traced.
  • Full Oregon mining statutes: ORS Chapter 517

Critical: The posting date starts both clocks — 60-day county and 90-day BLM. Write it down.

Cost: materials only (posts, notice, flagging)

Prepare the Location Notice

Guided form prep — coming soon

No federal form exists. Content must include (per ORS 517.010/.044 + 43 CFR 3833.11):

  • Claim name
  • Locator name(s) and mailing address(es)
  • Claim type (lode or placer)
  • Date of location (the posting date)
  • Legal description tied to PLSS subdivisions or a permanent monument

Historical Oregon example for layout reference (do not file as-is): Form No. 897 (historical placer notice).

Cost: $0 · Federal content rules: 43 CFR 3833.11

Record with the County

Within 60 days of posting

File a copy of the location notice with the recorder/clerk of the county where the claim sits. In person or by mail — cover letter + original notice + check.

Fees vary by county under ORS 205.320. Jackson posts $99 first page + $5/page for deed-class documents (Jan 2024 schedule). Baker confirms mining documents are largely exempt from the HB 4007 $40 housing surcharge. Call your county recorder to confirm the exact fee and check payee before mailing.

Keep the stamped copy with instrument/book-page number — BLM wants a copy of the recorded notice in Step 6.

Baker County

Baker County Clerk
1995 Third Street, Suite 150
Baker City, OR 97814

541-523-8207 · Fax 541-523-8240

M–F 8am–5pm · Website

Grant County

Grant County Clerk
201 S Humbolt Street
Canyon City, OR 97820

541-575-1675 (recordings)

Dedicated mining-claim index (records to 1879) · Website

Josephine County

Josephine County Clerk & Recorder
500 NW 6th Street, Room 170
Grants Pass, OR 97526

541-474-5240

M–F 8am–4pm · Website

Jackson County

Jackson County Clerk — Recording
10 S Oakdale Avenue, Room 114
Medford, OR 97501

541-774-6152

M–F 8:00–11:15am & 12:30–4:00pm (closed for lunch) · Website

Deadline: 60 days from posting (ORS 517.030 lode / ORS 517.052 placer) · Fees: ~$5–$99+ depending on county & page count — call to confirm

File with BLM + Pay Federal Fees

Within 90 days of location date

File a copy of the county-recorded location notice with BLM by the 90th calendar day after the date of location. Miss it → abandoned and void by operation of law — no grace, no appeal (43 CFR 3833.1).

Two ways to submit:

  • Online — MLRS (preferred): mlrs.blm.gov — create an account, "Add New Claim/Site", upload the county-recorded notice, pay by card/ACH.
  • Paper — mail or walk-in: BLM Oregon/Washington State Office, Public Room, 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97204. Walk-in 9am–4pm M–F.

BLM fees due in full at filing (schedule effective Sept 1, 2024 — confirmed current 2026-07-18):

FeeAmountNotes
Processing fee$25Per claim/site — BLM administrative
Location fee$49One-time, per claim/site
Initial maintenance$200 per lode claim
$200 per 20 acres (or portion) per placer		Covers the assessment year you located the claim in — the one already running, which ends the next Sept 1 (43 CFR 3834.11)

Typical totals: Single ≤20-acre placer = $274. 40-acre association placer = $474 ($25 + $49 + $400).

⚠ BLM’s Feb 2026 notice flags possible fee changes July 1, 2026 — re-check the BLM fees page before every filing. Current national packet: BLM Mining Claims Packet (Mar 2026).

You receive: a BLM serial number (OR-MC-…) — everything downstream keys off it.

Permits Before You Operate

Guided form prep — coming soon

Claim title ≠ permission to dig. Oregon has one of the strictest regulatory regimes in the country. Here’s what you need before putting equipment in the water:

7a. ESH Check First

Motorized in-stream placer mining (any motorized equipment, including gas suction dredges) is prohibited in Essential Salmonid Habitat — codified at ORS 468B.114. Non-motorized methods (gravity and siphon dredges) are excepted. Check the ESH map.

7b. DEQ 700-PM Water Quality Permit

Register via Your DEQ Online ≥ 30 days before operating. Permit runs to April 30, 2030.

  • $250/year — motorized suction dredge (outside ESH)
  • $25/year — gravity/siphon dredge
  • 4-inch max intake in ESH (gravity/siphon only); 6-inch outside ESH
  • Daylight hours only; ODFW work windows; annual monitoring report

Contact: 700PM@deq.oregon.gov · Permit text: 700-PM Permit PDF

7c. DSL Removal-Fill

Required for >50 cy/year anywhere, or any amount in ESH. Non-motorized placer in ESH can use the streamlined General Authorization — notification form, no fee. DSL has 30 days to concur.

GA form: General Authorization Notification Packet (.docx)

Contact: Salem 503-986-5200 (west of Cascades) / Bend 541-388-6112 (east of Cascades) · DSL Removal-Fill page

7d. DOGAMI Surface Mining

Operating Permit required if you exceed 1 acre disturbed or 5,000 cy in 12 months (ORS 517.790). Below threshold, an Exclusion Certificate may apply — annual renewal $165 (statutory cap $200, ORS 517.753).

Contact: 541-967-2039 · mlrr.info@dogami.oregon.gov · Office visits by appointment only — call first.

DOGAMI MLRR Surface Mining page

7e. OWRD Water Rights

Mining is absent from OWRD’s exempt-uses list — so pumping water out of channel (highbanking, bench sluicing) presumptively requires a water right. In-channel dredges returning water immediately are generally treated differently — ask your district watermaster.

Contact: 503-986-0900 (main) · Watermaster directory

7f. ODFW In-Water Work Windows

Schedule all in-stream work inside the published window for your basin. ODFW In-Water Work Guidelines (2024 edition).

7g. USFS Surface (National Forest Claims)

If your claim is on National Forest land (much of the Applegate, Illinois, and Blue Mountains gold country), 36 CFR 228 applies — file a Notice of Intent to Operate with the District Ranger if work "might cause significant disturbance." Contact the Forest district office for your drainage.

Path: 7a (ESH check) → 7b (DEQ) → 7c (DSL) → 7d (DOGAMI) → 7e (OWRD) → 7f (ODFW) → 7g (USFS)

Annual Maintenance — Keep It Alive

Every year, on or before Sept 1

Your first payment comes sooner than most people expect. Assessment years run September 1 to September 1, and the maintenance fee you pay at recording covers the assessment year you located the claim in — the one already running (43 CFR 3834.11). So the next payment is due on the first September 1 after your date of location, not a year later. Stake in July, and your first annual deadline is that same September.

Two paths to keep your claim alive each year:

Path A — Pay the Fee

$200 per lode claim or $200 per 20 acres (or portion) per placer claim. Pay online via MLRS or mail/walk-in to the BLM Portland State Office. Due on or before September 1 each year. When Sept 1 falls on a weekend/holiday, BLM publishes the effective date.

Path B — Small Miner Waiver

If you hold ≤10 claims nationwide (including related parties — spouses, partners, co-locators):

  1. File BLM Form 3830-002 by Sept 1 (no fee). Form 3830-002 PDF
  2. Do $100+ assessment work per claim during the assessment year (noon Sept 1 → noon Sept 1).
  3. Record the affidavit with the county within 30 days of completing the work (ORS 517.210).
  4. File a copy with BLM by December 30 (+$15/claim). Optional federal form: Form 3830-004.

Other lifecycle filings: Transfer of interest — record deed at county, then file with BLM, $15/claim/transferee. Amended location notice — county first, then BLM, $15/claim.

Source: BLM Annual Maintenance page

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Agency Contact Directory

Every office you might need to call, mail, or visit — verified 2026-07-18.

Federal — BLM Oregon

BLM OR/WA State Office

1220 SW 3rd Avenue
Portland, OR 97204

503-808-6001 · Fax 503-808-6422

Public Room, 11th floor, 9am–4pm M–F (walk-in mining-claim filings) · Office 8:30am–4:00pm

Website

BLM Vale District

100 Oregon Street
Vale, OR 97918

541-473-3144 · Fax 541-473-6213

8:00am–4:30pm M–F — SE Oregon gold country

Website

BLM Baker Field Office

22267 OR Hwy 86
Baker City, OR 97814

541-523-1256

Vale District — Baker/Grant County ground

BLM Medford District

3040 Biddle Road
Medford, OR 97504

541-618-2200 · Fax 541-618-2400

8am–4:30pm M–F — SW Oregon gold country

Website

BLM Grants Pass Interagency

2164 NE Spalding Avenue
Grants Pass, OR 97526

541-471-6500 · Fax 541-471-6514

Medford District — handy for Josephine County claims

BLM Prineville District

3050 NE 3rd Street
Prineville, OR 97754

541-416-6700 · Fax 541-416-6798

Public hours 9:00am–3:00pm M–F (shorter window)

Website

State of Oregon

DOGAMI MLRR

229 Broadalbin Street SW
Albany, OR 97321

541-967-2039

mlrr.info@dogami.oregon.gov

Operating permits, exclusion certificates, exploration permits. By appointment only — call first.

Website

DSL (Removal-Fill)

775 Summer Street NE, Suite 100
Salem, OR 97301-1279

West of Cascades: 503-986-5200

East of Cascades (Bend): 541-388-6112

County coordinators

DEQ 700-PM Program

700PM@deq.oregon.gov

503-229-5696 (general DEQ)

Water-quality permit for suction/gravity/siphon dredges. Fastest first contact is email.

Website

OWRD

725 Summer Street NE, Suite A
Salem, OR 97301

503-986-0900 (main) · 503-986-0801 (customer service)

Water rights for out-of-channel diversion (highbanking).

Watermaster directory

ODFW In-Water Work

In-Water Work Guidelines

Published work windows per basin — 2024 edition.

Phone-Tree Tips

  • BLM Portland routes mining-claim questions to the Public Room — call 503-808-6001 and ask for the Public Room / mining claims records.
  • DSL splits intake by geography: Salem 503-986-5200 (west of Cascades), Bend 541-388-6112 (east of Cascades). Ask for the "aquatic resource coordinator" for your county.
  • DEQ 700-PM answers fastest by email: 700PM@deq.oregon.gov.
  • DOGAMI MLRR is a small Albany office — leave a voicemail with your ORS 517 question and claim county.
  • Jackson County recording closes 11:15am–12:30pm daily — plan around it.
  • MLRS technical support is ticket-only via phd.blm.gov (no published help-desk phone).

Key Forms & Fee Links

Direct links to the official forms and fee schedules referenced throughout this guide. All verified 2026-07-18.

BLM Mining Claims — Fees

Current federal fee schedule ($274 typical new placer). Re-check before every filing — BLM flagged possible changes July 1, 2026.

BLM Fee Schedule

BLM Mining Claims Packet (Mar 2026)

National packet with filing requirements, form inventory, and current instructions.

Download PDF

Form 3830-002 — Small Miner Waiver

File by Sept 1 each year if you hold ≤10 claims nationwide. No fee for the waiver itself. OMB 1004-0114, exp. 5/31/2027.

Form 3830-002 PDF

Form 3830-004 — Affidavit of Assessment Work

File with BLM by Dec 30 after a waiver year (+$15/claim). County recording due within 30 days of completing the work (ORS 517.210).

Form 3830-004 PDF

Form 3830-005 — Fee Listing

Reference form for BLM fee listings.

Form 3830-005 PDF

DEQ 700-PM Permit Text

Full permit conditions — 4-inch max intake ESH, 6-inch outside, daylight only, ODFW work windows, annual monitoring.

700-PM Permit PDF

DSL Removal-Fill General Authorization

Notification form for non-motorized placer in ESH. No fee — DSL has 30 days to concur.

GA Notification Form (.docx)

BLM Annual Maintenance

Everything about the Sept 1 deadline, Small Miner Waiver process, and assessment work requirements.

BLM Annual Maintenance

Common Beginner Mistakes

These are the most frequent reasons claims get rejected, voided, or forfeited.

1

Missing the federal 90-day BLM filing

"Abandoned and void by operation of law" — most unforgiving deadline in the system. No grace, no appeal.

2

Missing the county 60-day deadline

Oregon’s county deadline is shorter than the federal one. Late county recording voids the location under state law even if BLM filing was timely.

3

Claiming withdrawn or closed land

Void from day one; fees are not refunded. Relying on claim-map apps instead of Master Title Plats is the #1 cause.

4

Underpaying placer fees

Forgetting the per-20-acres multiplier on association placers: $200 per 20 acres or portion thereof. A 40-acre association placer is $400, not $200.

5

Small Miner Waiver errors

Counting only your own claims when "related parties" push the total over 10. Filing the waiver but skipping the $100 assessment work. Or doing the work but missing the Dec 30 BLM affidavit deadline.

6

Assuming the claim = permission to dig

Operating a motorized dredge in Oregon ESH (prohibited), or mechanized digging without a 3809 notice/plan, invites enforcement independent of claim title.