News

The Department of Trust Lands on behalf of the Board of University & School Lands has concluded the fall auction season.

2024 Auction Results by County

2024 Unleased Tracts Memo

North Dakota, 25 other states settle unclaimed property dispute over checks issued by MoneyGram 

States will take possession of more than $190M in unclaimed property, including $2.2M to North Dakota; citizens urged to visit website to check if any of the money is theirs

BISMARCK, N.D. (Oct 1, 2024) – Officials from the state of Delaware and a bipartisan coalition of 30 states, including North Dakota, announced they have agreed to a settlement of an unclaimed property dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2023, a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court sided with Arkansas, and its coalition partners, that unclaimed official checks issued by MoneyGram Payment Systems Inc. are governed by the Federal Disposition Act.

Under the terms of the settlement, Delaware will transfer to the coalition states more than $102 million of the property that MoneyGram reported to Delaware from 2011 to 2017. Delaware’s transfer represents roughly half of the report years disputed in the litigation.

In addition, approximately $89 million had been deposited by MoneyGram in a litigation escrow account from 2018 to 2022. These funds, plus interest earned, will be distributed among all 50 states based on each instrument’s place of purchase. North Dakota will receive $1,268,765 from the escrow account, along with $925,678 from the state of Delaware, for a total of approximately $2.2 million. 

The North Dakota Unclaimed Property Division will assume custody of those funds and return them to rightful owners as claims are received. Until these funds are claimed by their rightful owners, the money will be held in the state’s Common Schools Trust Fund to help fund North Dakota K-12 public education.

“North Dakota is pleased to bring this matter to a close with the signing of this historic interstate settlement agreement,” said Joseph Heringer, North Dakota Trust Lands Commissioner and Unclaimed Property Administrator. “Please take a few minutes to visit our website at www.unclaimedproperty.nd.gov to see if any of this $2.2 million belongs to you.”

Contact:

Susan Sommerfeld, Director Unclaimed Property Division

smsommerfeld@nd.gov

701-328-1944

Full Press Release

The following Minerals Management Division fees have been changed or eliminated as follows:

Minerals Management Division Fee                                Amount/Per
Oil & Gas Lease Nomination Fee                                         $0.00    
Oil & Gas Lease Application Fee (upon winning lease)       $50.00/tract
Oil & Gas Lease Assignment Fee                                         $0.00    
Oil & Gas Lease Extension/Amendment Application Fee    $1,000.00/lease
Oil & Gas Lease Shut-in Application Fee                             $100.00/lease
Coal Lease Assignment Fee                                                 $0.00    
Coal Lease Amendment, Renewal Request Fee                   $0.00    

Spring 2024 Surface Lease Auction Restults 

Spring 2024 Surface Lease Auctions Unleased Tracts Available for Lease

Thank you for your continued support of funding K-12 education in North Dakota.

The Most Recent Survey - 2024 County Rents and Prices Survey

Last Year's Survey - 2023 County Rents and Prices Survey

Past Surveys can be found under the Resources tab.

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.

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.

Help reduce State red tape and submit your suggestions here - Red Tape Reduction Working Group | North Dakota Office of the Governor (nd.gov)

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...

View Full Press Release

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.

DTL 2023-2025 Trusts and Funds Summary

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.