How to File for Patent Land
Patent land is land originally owned by the federal government and granted to private parties. Most land was given or sold to private individuals by the federal government in order to populate the country as it grew. The primary agency dealing with land dispersion is the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Currently there is no land available east of the Mississippi River. The BLM does occasionally sell parcels of land in the West. It is no longer available for no cost but is sold for the appraised market value.
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Instructions
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Find the address of the district BLM office. This office will be able to tell you if there are parcels for sale in the area of interest. A potential buyer may be referred to a larger office for a more comprehensive sales list for the western United States.
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Obtain parcel information on property that is for sale. Review maps and locate the property. Often, these parcels are isolated from other BLM holdings and present difficulties in managing the property, hence the decision to place property up for sale.
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Visit the property. Often land for sale by the BLM is less than desirable. It could be landlocked with no access. or it may be dry, desolate, and fairly uninhabitable. Review ingress and egress rights to make sure it is accessible.
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Find the appraised value. The BLM has all properties for sale appraised by a licensed appraiser. This provides the purchase price.
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Tender an offer. If the BLM accepts, a land patent will be granted, which states that you are the original owner of the property. All ordinary escrow practices will be followed for payment, and the BLM will provide the patent deed to the buyer. The buyer can file the deed at the county courthouse, if desired. The BLM will maintain a permanent record of the patent, as they have since the beginning of land grants.
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