BLM Manuals

The Bureau of Land Management manuals contain policy and procedures to manage programs. BLM manuals define the basic authority for performing tasks and identify who bears the ultimate responsibility for seeing that these tasks are accomplished. Each BLM handbook is controlled by a manual section.

You can read and download BLM manual sections organized by program categories through the links below.

General Management

General Management Manuals, 1000 Series

• MS-1105, Donations, Solicitation, and Fundraising
• MS-1111, Fire Business Management
• MS-1112, Safety
• MS-1113, Official Use of Horses
• MS-1114, Volunteers
• MS-1144, Reporting Non-security Irregularities and Employee Misconduct
• MS-1201, Organization Management
• MS-1202, Organization Control
• MS-1221, Directives
• MS-1222, Reports Management
• MS-1245, Audit Coordination, Response, and Follow-up
• MS-1265, Information Technology Investment Management (ITIM)
• MS-1266, Training
• MS-1270-2, Cost Recovery
• MS-1271, BLM Information Access Center
• MS-1274, Serialized Case File System
• MS-1275, Land Status Records
• MS-1278, External Access to BLM Information - The Freedom of Information Act
• MS-1283, Data Administration and Management
• MS-1293, Telephone Communications
• MS-1297, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
• MS-1301, Accounting Principles and Standards
• MS-1312, Appropriation and Allotment Accounting
• MS-1315, Working Capital Fund
• MS-1323, Cost Recovery for Reimbursable Projects/Activities
• MS-1333, Employee Overpayments
• MS-1371, Billings
• MS-1372, Collections
• MS-1373, Distribution of Receipts
• MS-1374, Refunds Transfers & Returns
• MS-1375, Delinquent Accounts
• MS-1379, Payment in Lieu of Taxes
• MS-1384, Accountable Officers & Agents
• MS-1386, Claims
• MS-1400-302, Temporary and Seasonal Employment
• MS-1400-335, Merit Promotion and Internal Placement Plan
• MS 1400-713, Equal Employment Opportunity
• MS-1400-990, Reasonable Accommodations Policy
• MS-1510, Acquisition
• MS-1511, Assistance Agreements
• MS-1512, Charge Cards and Convenience Checks For Travel, Purchase, Fleet, and Uniforms
• MS-1520, Property Management
• MS-1601, Land Use Planning
• MS-1613, Areas of Critical Environmental Concern
• MS-1626, Travel and Transportation Manual
• MS-1703, Hazardous Management and Resource Restoration
• MS-1730, Management of Domestic Sheep and Goats to Sustain Wild Sheep
• MS-1734, Rangeland Interagency Ecological Site Manual
• MS-1735, Inventory and Monitoring of Ecological Resources
• MS-1740, Renewable Resource Improvements and Treatments
• MS-1745, Introduction, Transplant, Augmentation, & Reestablishment of Fish, Wildlife, and Plants
• MS 1780, Tribal Relations
• MS-1786, Memorandums of Understanding
• MS 1794, Mitigation Manual

Land Resource Management

Land Resources Management Manuals, 2000 Series

• MS-2200, Land Exchanges
• MS-2800, Rights-of-Way Glossary
• MS-2801, Rights-of-Way General
• MS-2802, Lands Available for FLPMA Grants
• MS-2803, Qualifications for Holding FLPMA Grants
• MS-2804, Applying for FLPMA Grants
• MS-2805, Terms and Conditions for FLPMA Grants
• MS-2806, Rent
  • MS-2806, Rent Chapter 6
    • NASS 2017 non-irrigated land value dataset

    Minerals Management

    Minerals Management Manuals, 3000 Series

    • MS-3010, Underground Entry Policies for Solid Mineral
    • MS-3031, Energy and Mineral Resource Assessment
    • MS-3060, Mineral Reports -- Preparation and Review
    • MS-3073, Coal Evaluation
    • MS-3120, Competitive Leases
    • MS-3150, Onshore Oil and Gas Geophysical Exploration Surface Management Requirements
    • MS-3160, Drainage Protection Manual
    • MS-3160-9, Communitization
    • MS-3160-10, Suspension of Operations and/or Production
    • MS-3485. Reports, Royalties, and Records
    • MS-3486, Coal Inspection, Enforcement, and Production Verification
    • MS-3600, Mineral Materials Disposal
    • MS-3630, Mineral Material Fair Market Value (FMV) Evaluation
    • MS-3720, Abandoned Mine Land Program Policy
    • MS-3800, Mining Claims Under The General Mining Laws
    • MS-3809, Surface Management
    • MS-3830, Administration of Mining Claims, Mill Sites, and Tunnel Sites
    • MS-3833, Recordation of Mining Claims
    • MS-3860, Mineral Patent Applications
    • MS-3861, Surveys and Plats
    • MS-3862, Lode Mining Claim Patent Applications
    • MS-3863, Placer Mining Claim Patent Applications
    • MS-3864, Mill Site Claim Patent Applications
    • MS-3870, Adverse Claims, Protests, Contests, and Appeals
    • MS-3890, Mineral Investigations

    Range Management

    Range Management Manuals, 4000 Series

    • MS-4100, Grazing Administration - Exclusive of Alaska
    • MS-4180, Land Health
    • MS-4700, Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Management
    • MS-4710, Management Considerations Relating to Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros
    • MS-4720, Removal of Excess Wild Horses and Burros
    • MS-4730, Destruction of Wild Horses and Burros and Disposal of Remains
    • MS-4740, Motor Vehicles and Aircraft in the Management of Wild Horses and Burros

    Forest Management

    Forest Management Manuals, 5000 Series

    • MS-5000, Forest Management
    • MS-5251, Timber Production Capability Classification
    • MS-5300, Timber Measurement
    • MS-5310, Timber Cruising
    • MS-5400, Sales of Forest Products
    • MS-5420, Preparation for Sale
    • MS-5500, Non-Sale Disposals
    • MS-5710, Reforestation
    • MS-5711, Site Preparation
    • MS-5712, Tree Seed
    • MS-5713, Tree Seedling
    • MS-5714, Seeding
    • MS-5716, Protective Measures
    • MS-5920, Stewardship End Result Contracting Projects

    Specially Designated Conservation Areas and Wildlife

    Specially Designated Conservation Area and Wildlife Manuals, 6000 Series

    • MS-6100, National Landscape Conservation System Management
    • MS-6120, Congressionally Required Maps and Legal Boundary NLCS Designations
    • MS-6220, National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, and Similar Designations
    • MS-6250, National Scenic and Historic Trail Administration
    • MS-6280, Management of National Scenic and Historic Trails and Trails Under Study or Recommended as Suitable for Congressional Designation
    • MS-6310, Conducting Wilderness Characteristics Inventory of BLM Lands
    • MS-6320, Considering Lands with Wilderness Characteristics in the BLM Land Use Planning Process
    • MS-6330, Management of BLM Wilderness Study Areas
    • MS-6340, Management of Designated Wilderness Areas (Public)
    • MS-6400, Wild and Scenic Rivers - Policy and Program Direction for Identification, Evaluation, Planning, and Management
    • MS-6500, Wildlife and Fisheries Management
    • MS-6520, Cooperative Relations
    • MS-6521, State Agencies
    • MS-6522, Federal Agencies
    • MS-6523, Non-Governmental Organizations
    • MS-6525, Sikes Act Wildlife Program
    • MS-6600, Fish, Wildlife & Special Status Plant Resources Inventory & Monitoring
    • MS-6674, Water Analysis for Fisheries
    • MS-6720, Aquatic Resource Management
    • MS-6780, Habitat Management Plans
    • MS-6830, Animal Damage Control
    • MS-6840, Special Status Species Management

    Soil, Water, and Air Management

    Soil, Water, and Air Management Manuals, 7000 Series

    • MS-7240, Water Quality Manual
    • MS-7250, Water Rights Manual
    • MS-7300, Air Resource Management

    Cultural Programs

    Recreation & Cultural Programs Manuals, 8000 Series

    • MS-8100, The Foundation For Managing Cultural Resources
    • MS-8110, Identifying and Evaluating Cultural Resources
    • MS-8120, Tribal Consultation Under Cultural Resources (Replaced by MS -1780)
    • MS-8130, Planning For Uses Of Cultural Resources
    • MS-8140, Protecting Cultural Resources
    • MS-8150, Permitting Uses Of Cultural Resources
    • MS-8170, Interpreting Cultural Resources For The Public
    • MS-8320, Planning for Recreation and Visitor Services
    • MS-8330, Policy On Reasonable Accommodations For Persons With Disabilities
    • MS-8380, Cave and Karst Resources Management
    • MS-8353, Trail Management Areas- Secretarially Designated National Recreation, Water, and Connecting and Side Trails
    • MS-8400, Visual Resource Management

    Technical Services

    Technical Services Manuals, 9000 Series

    • MS-9100, Engineering
    • MS-9102, Facility Design
    • MS-9103, Facility Construction
    • MS-9104, Facility Maintenance
    • MS-9107, Facility Asset Management System
    • MS-9113, Roads
    • MS-9115, Primitive Roads
    • MS-9130, Sign Manual
    • MS-9160, Mapping Sciences
    • MS-9200, Fire Program Management
    • MS-9211, Fire Planning
    • MS-9231, Forest Product Trespass
    • MS-9310, Appraisal of Real Property
    • MS-9238, Fire Trespass
    • MS-9350, Forest Product Appraisal
    • MS-9400, Aviation Management
    • MS-9600, Cadastral Survey Program Manual
    • MS-9687, Certified Federal Surveyor (CFedS) Program Manual