How much does it cost to stake a mining claim in Washington?

Initial filing costs approximately $274 per claim: $25 processing fee, $49 location fee, and $200 annual maintenance fee.

How long do I have to file a mining claim in Washington?

You must file a Certificate of Location with both the county recorder and the BLM state office within 90 days of physically staking your claim.

What types of mining claims can I file?

There are four types: lode claims (vein or rock in place deposits), placer claims (loose deposits like stream gold), mill sites (up to 5 acres for processing), and tunnel sites (for tunnel-based exploration).

When is the annual mining claim maintenance fee due?

The $200 annual maintenance fee is due before September 1 each year. Missing this deadline results in automatic forfeiture with no grace period.

What is the Small Miner Waiver?

If you hold 10 or fewer claims, you may file a Small Miner Waiver instead of paying the $200 maintenance fee, provided you perform at least $100 of assessment work per claim.

Guides / Washington

STAKING GUIDE

How to Stake a Mining Claim in Washington

Washington has 0 active mining claims on BLM land, targeting Gold, Silver, Copper, Magnesium. Staking a new claim requires following federal procedure under the General Mining Law of 1872 plus state-specific filing requirements.

Active Claims

0

Filing Deadline

90 days

Initial Fee

$274

Annual Renewal

$200

The Staking Process

Verify land status

Use the BLM Mineral & Land Records System to confirm the land is open for mineral entry. Check for withdrawals, existing claims, and overlapping jurisdictions.

BLM MLRS Portal →

Determine claim type

Choose one of four claim types based on the mineral deposit and your intended use:

Lode claim — vein or rock in place deposits (e.g., gold in quartz)
Placer claim — loose deposits (e.g., stream gold)
Mill site — up to 5 acres for processing facilities
Tunnel site — for tunnel-based exploration

Physically stake the land

Place legally recognized boundary monuments at the corners of your claim. GPS coordinates are now standard practice.

Washington-specific: Washington mining claim location and recording are governed by RCW Title 78. Federal requirements under 43 CFR 3832 apply on BLM-administered lands. [source]

File Notice of Location

File a Certificate of Location with both the county recorder's office and the BLM state office within 90 days of staking. [source]

Pay required fees

Initial filing costs approximately $274 per claim:

$25 processing fee
$49 location fee
$200 annual maintenance fee

Source: 43 CFR 3833. [source]

Annual renewal

Pay the $200 maintenance fee before September 1 each year, or file a Small Miner Waiver if you hold 10 or fewer claims and perform $100 of assessment work.

Missing the September 1 deadline results in automatic forfeiture with no grace period.