Title 43

SECTION 2563.2-1

2563.2-1 Procedures for initiating claim.

§ 2563.2-1 Procedures for initiating claim.

(a) Who must file. Any qualified person initiating a claim under the Act of May 26, 1934, must file notice of the claim for recordation in the proper office for the district in which the land is situated, within 90 days after such initiation.

(b) Form of notice. The notice must be filed on a form approved by the Director in triplicate if the land is unsurveyed, or in duplicate if surveyed, and shall contain: (1) The name and address of the claimant, (2) age and citizenship, (3) date of settlement and occupancy, and (4) the description of the land by legal subdivisions, section, township and range, if surveyed, or, if unsurveyed, by metes and bounds with reference to some natural object or permanent monument, giving, if desired, the approximate latitude and longitude.

(c) Failure to file notice. Unless a notice of the claim is filed within the time prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section no credit shall be given for occupancy of the site prior to filing of notice in the proper office, or application to purchase, whichever is earlier.

(d) Recording fee. The notice of the claim must be accompanied by a remittance of $10.00, which will be applied as a service charge for recording the notice, and will not be returnable, except in cases where the notice is not acceptable to the proper office for recording because the land is not subject to the form of disposition specified in the notice.

(e) Form and contents of application. Applications under the Act of May 26, 1934, must be filed in duplicate, if for surveyed land, and in triplicate, if for unsurveyed land, in the proper office for the district within which the land is situated.

An application need not be under oath but must be signed by the applicant and corroborated by the statements of two persons and must show the following facts:

(1) Full name, post office address and age of applicant.

(2) Whether the applicant is a native-born or naturalized citizen of the United States, and if naturalized, evidence of such naturalization must be furnished.

(3) A description of the habitable house on the land, the date when it was placed on the land, and the dates each year from which and to which the applicant has resided in such house.

(4) That no portion of the tract applied for is occupied or reserved for any purpose by the United States, or occupied or claimed by any native of Alaska, or occupied as a townsite, or missionary station, or reserved from sale, and that the tract does not include improvements made by or in the possession of any other person, association, or corporation.

(5) That the land is not included within an area which is reserved because of hot, medicinal or other springs, as explained in § 2311.2(a) of this chapter. If there be any such springs upon or adjacent to the land, on account of which the land is reserved, the facts relative thereto must be set forth in full.

(6) That no part of the land is valuable for mineral deposits other than coal, oil or gas, and that at the date of location no part of the land was claimed under the mining laws.

(7) That the applicant has not theretofore applied for land under said act, or if he has previously purchased a tract he should make a full showing as to the former purchase and the necessity for the second application.

(8) An application for surveyed land must describe the land by aliquot parts of legal subdivisions, not exceeding 5 acres. If the tract is situated in the fractional portion of a sectional lotting, the lot may be subdivided; where such subdivision, however, would result in narrow strips or other areas containing less than 2 1/2 acres, not suitable for disposal as separate units, such adjoining excess areas, in the discretion of the authorized officer and with the consent of the applicant, may be included with the tract applied for, without subdividing, and the application will be amended accordingly. Where a supplemental plat is required to provide a proper description, it will be prepared at the time of approval of the application.

(9) All applications for unsurveyed land must be accompanied by a petition for survey, describing the land applied for with as much certainty as possible, without actual survey, not exceeding 5 acres, and giving the approximate latitude and longitude of one corner of the claim.

(f) Filing fee. All applications must be accompanied by an application service fee of $10 which will not be returnable.

(Sec. 10, 30 Stat. 413, as amended; 48 U.S.C. 461)