Frequently Asked Question

Generally, you first pick-up an application and fill it out. Then you contact your Grazing/Land Board Official who will assist you with technical advice. You submit the application, with the required documents; fees, environmental review approvals (Biological and Cultural), with a survey plat. A complete HSL packet will be submitted by your local land office staff for the Environmental Reviewer, and finally to the department manager for review and approval.

About nine (9) months to twenty-four (24) months. Highly dependent on how soon applicant is able to contract an archaeologist and land surveyor and turn in all proper documentation. Factors that increase the length of time include: additional environmental reviews to evaluate Fish and Wildlife concerns; assessment of uranium impact or other human health and safety concerns; consent disputes; other. . .

Your vested interest may vary from $110 - $2,500.00. There is a $30 application fee. A $20 fee for a Biological review with the Fish & Wildlife during the application process. Once the lease is approved, there is a yearly $1 or $12 rental fee, depending on the type of lease agreement you have. Fees are subject to change. Other costs incur when hiring a private surveyor [$ 500- $1,500] and archaeologist [$ 350 - $ 700], but NLD cannot confirm a set price as these are third-party contractors whose agreement of services are between you and them. Costs also vary because some may not be applying for a new homesite, some may be transferring an Approved Homesite Lease, in which case the rental fee must be paid in full, and a $45 processing fee, along with any incurring costs brought on due to the lack of environmental compliance approvals.

Tribal programs are tasked with certain reviewing authority - multiple programs/Departments that must investigate and issue approvals for development. These programs/departments work in conjunction with NLD-Homesite Section and have other responsibilities to the Navajo Nation; NLD does not have oversight over them and how fast they conduct their reviews. NLD-Homesite Section is Third-party in this entire process, You the client, are responsible in hiring for services: other variables also include how long it takes for the client to hire and pay for services from an archaeologist and land surveyor; whether or not the prospective homesite location needs to be cleaned up, whether or not the homesite needs to go through judicial arbitration, or if the selected location needs to be changed completely.

These reviews are required based on federal, state, & tribal regulations applied through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). They are put in place to ensure compliance with laws that protect wildlife, their habitat, land use and historical sites.

A Biological Compliance is issued by the Navajo Nation Department of Fish & Wildlife´s Natural Heritage Program who conduct the Endangered Species Act review for impact imposed by the Proposed Homesite. The Compliance Review will state if you will or not disturb any threatened or endangered animals or plants on the proposed area.
Cultural Resource Compliance is issued by the Navajo Nation Heritage and Historic Preservation Department (HPD). The compliance will state conditions where there are archaeological concerns, such as disruption to historical sites, burial sites, cultural or traditionally significant sites.

If the lessee(s) are deceased you may require court action to transfer the lease; however, it depends on the Homesite Lease Tenure;

If a Lessee(s) is deceased with a Joint Tenancy with Right of Survivorship tenure in effect, all rights of the land and leasehold interests shall go directly to the Surviving Tenant, if he or she is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation without the need of assignment of the deceased co-tenant´s interest in the homesite lease. The co-tenant´s death certificate is required.
If a Lessee(s) is deceased, a single leaseholder or a lease issued as Tenancy in Common, or Community Property, lease is acquired through probate. In a probate proceeding, the Navajo Nation Courts may distribute the leasehold interest including attached improvements of an established homesite lease to beneficiaries under a will or to the heirs at law according to Navajo law.

Applicant must be an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation; however, a Non-Member of the Navajo Nation who is legally married to an enrolled member of the Navajo nation may be eligible through joint husband-wife application with proof of legal marriage, by issuance of a valid marriage license under the laws or jurisdiction of the Navajo Nation or any State.

Residential Leases are comprised on Individual Indian Allotment Land: Legal title in the U.S. held in trust for an individual. Created in an effort to destroy tribal trust land to eventually make an Indian land owner a taxpaying state citizen. BIA has pervasive power over this kind of land; tribe has no consent privilege. An individual can lease to non-Native or sell to a Tribe with the consent for the individual Indian. You must contact the BIA for anything concerning Residential Leases.
Homesite Leases are comprised on Tribal Trust Land: Legal title in U.S. held in trust for Tribe. This land generally includes treaty land, lands added and made a part of existing Indian Reservation. As power to grant any interest in land, except to sell it, with the consent of the Tribe. Navajo Land Department deals exclusively with Homesite Leases.

Yes, you have to pay taxes on Fee Land. The amount is determined by the County Assessor. On your approved lease it states that you understand and agree that you are responsible for paying any and all property taxes, assessments, fees or liens directly to the local County Tax Assessor´s Office.

We no longer do surveys because we don´t have a register survey on staff.

The Homesite Lease fees increased because on October 4, 2016 we had our regulations amended. We increased the lease term to 75 years instead of 65 years, casing the fees to increase.

The complaint must be submitted in writing to the Land Department or the Grazing Management Program upon review within 30 day of receipt determine if an investigation is warranted

Navajo Land Department does not process, manage, or enforce policies regarding Grazing Permits, we work in cooperation with Navajo Grazing Regulations. You must contact the Grazing/Land Board Official and/or the BIA.

There is no minimum number of signatures. You need consent from anyone holding a valid grazing permit whose range unit (grazing area) is within a ½ mile of your proposed homesite.

Applications become void after 2 years of inactivity.

No. Each Navajo tribal member can only have one homesite lease regardless of agency.

Yes, where space permits, a person can apply for up to one additional acre. The addition is subject to the same application process and environmental reviews. The additional acreage is subject to one-time fees ($1000 for ½ acre; $2000 for 1 acre) and an increased rate in annual rent.

No, you must develop your 1-acre

You must acquire a HSL that states you are an authorized occupant of the Navajo Nation.
You must have all the environmental compliance documents