Welcome to the North Dakota Department of Trust Lands.
Use this website to see how we impact the funding of North Dakota schools, find upcoming Trust Land auctions, download or submit official forms, and search for unclaimed property.
LEASE AUCTIONS
View available school trust land tracts, minimum bid amounts, county auction details, and more.
RIGHTS-OF-WAY
Submit information online to obtain easements, surface damage agreements, and other permits.
Upcoming Events
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Board of University & School Lands Regular December Meeting
Monday, December 18, 2023 at 09:00 am - 12:00 pm
Categories: Land BoardThe Board of University & School Lands will meet on MONDAY, December 18th at 9:00 AM in the Governor's Conference Room and via Microsoft Teams.
Members of the public are invited to attend this public meeting in person or online using the Teams information below.
Agenda Materials will be provided upon availability.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
Phone Conference ID: 275 778 099#
Upcoming Oil & Gas Lease Auction
Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 08:00 am - Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 05:00 pm
Categories: MineralsThe Department of Trust Lands on behalf of the Board of University & School Lands will hold the next online oil & gas lease auction from February 6th through 13th, 2024.
The deadline for nominated tracts for the auction deadline is January 5th, 2024.
Recent News
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Department of Trust Lands 2021-2023 Biennial Report Now Available!
Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 03:00 pm
The most recent Department of Trust Lands' Biennial Report is now available! - 2021-2023 Biennial Report
To view the Department's historical reports please visit Resources - Biennial Reports.
Red Tape Reduction 2.0 (RTR 2.0) Open for Your Feedback
Sunday, October 1, 2023 at 08:00 am
Watch the Red Tape Reduction video here
Public input is now being accepted for the second round of Gov. Doug Burgum’s Red Tape Reduction initiative aimed at eliminating unnecessary and outdated regulations, rules, policies and procedures to make government more efficient and effective and help lower costs for taxpayers, Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller announced today.
Burgum created the Red Tape Reduction Working Group by executive order in August 2022. With representatives from 34 state agencies, the group reviewed state law, administrative rules and internal policies and procedures to identify opportunities to reduce burdensome red tape. Of the roughly 500 ideas submitted by Team ND and the public, 385 received internal or legislative action, including 52 bills advanced by the working group – 51 of which were signed by the governor – and about 40 additional approved bills that reduced red tape during the 2023 legislative session.
Help reduce State red tape and submit your suggestions here - Red Tape Reduction Working Group | North Dakota Office of the Governor (nd.gov)
NO SURFACE LEASE AUCTIONS FALL 2023
Monday, August 21, 2023 at 08:00 am
As in the past, in keeping with the terms of the leased land, no tracts are available for auction this fall. The next round of surface lease auctions will be held in March of 2024.
Dept. of Trust Lands sets record in 2023 with $9.7M in unclaimed property returned to rightful owners
Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at 08:30 am
Record also set for amount of unclaimed property submitted by businesses
BISMARCK, N.D. (AUG. 16, 2023) –The Unclaimed Property Division of the North Dakota Department of Trust Lands returned a record $9.7 million of unclaimed property to its rightful owners during the fiscal year that ended June 30, an increase of $3 million over the previous fiscal year.
The amount of unclaimed property submitted by businesses to the Unclaimed Property Division also hit a record high of $20.3 million in fiscal year 2022-23, a $4.6 million increase over 2021-22.
State-owned trust lands generate record $522M in oil and gas royalty revenues in fiscal year ending June 30
Thursday, July 27, 2023 at 12:00 pm
Nearly $500M to be distributed to K-12 from Common Schools Trust Fund this biennium, easing pressure on property taxes and state’s general fund
BISMARCK, N.D. (JULY 27, 2023) –The state of North Dakota collected a record $522.5 million in oil and gas royalties paid on state-owned mineral acres during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, according to information presented today to the North Dakota Board of University and School Lands (Land Board). This is on top of a previous record of $457 million in fiscal year 2021-22...
Department of Trust Lands Permanent Trusts and Funds Value and Distributions
Thursday, April 27, 2023 at 01:00 pm
At the Board of University & School Lands regular April meeting the Department of Trust Lands (DTL) presented an overview of the trusts and funds they manage, including the upcoming 2023-2025 distributions to our beneficiaries, to showcase the contribution these distributions make towards the beneficiaries' budgetary needs.
2023 County Rents and Prices Survey Available Now
Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 09:30 am
The Most Recent Survey - 2023 County Rents and Prices Survey
Last Year's Survey - 2022 County Rents and Prices Survey
Past Surveys can be found under the Resources tab.
Spring 2023 Surface Lease Auction Results
Friday, March 31, 2023 at 12:15 pm
The Department of Trust Lands on behalf of the Board of University and School Lands completed spring surface lease auctions in March.
2023 Spring Surface Lease Auction Results
Unleased Tracts Available for Lease
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF ND EDUCATION THROUGH LEASING OF SCHOOL TRUST LANDS.
February 1 is National Unclaimed Property Day
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 09:42 am
NEWS: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Unclaimed Property Day is back to return money to citizens of North Dakota
Search for your cash at unclaimedproperty.nd.gov
BISMARCK, N.D. (JAN. 31, 2023) – Nearly 33 million people in the United States – 1 in every 10 – has what the industry calls unclaimed property: financial accounts or items of value in which the owner has not initiated any activity for a number of years. When that happens, and the company cannot locate the owner, the money or properties are submitted to the state. Common examples include unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts, and uncashed checks...
North Dakota Land Board Announces Successful Completion of Missouri River Acreage Adjustment Project – Part II
Monday, December 19, 2022 at 12:00 pm
North Dakota Land Board Announces Successful Completion of Missouri River Acreage Adjustment Project - Part II
BISMARCK, N.D. (DEC. 19, 2022) – The North Dakota Board of University and School Lands (Land Board) today announced full completion of the Missouri River Acreage Adjustment Project, which in total returned a net of approximately $130 million to North Dakota private mineral owners and oil and gas operators...
North Dakota Land Board Announces Successful Completion of Missouri River Acreage Adjustment Project – Part I
Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 10:00 am
North Dakota Land Board Announces Successful Completion of Missouri River Acreage Adjustment Project - Part I
BISMARCK, N.D. (OCT. 4, 2022) – The North Dakota Board of University and School Lands (Land Board) today announced the successful completion of Part I of the River Acreage Adjustment Project, which returned a net of approximately $120 million to North Dakota private mineral owners and oil and gas operators….
Fall 2022 Surface Division Newletter
Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 05:00 pm
2019 - 2021 Biennial Report
Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 09:00 pm
The most recent Department of Trust Lands' Biennial Report - 2019 - 2021 Biennial Report
For the Department's historical reports please visit https://www.land.nd.gov/resources/biennial-reports.