1. (a) General.

   1. (1) Form of payment. Fees may be paid by cash, check, or other legal means acceptable to the General Land Office. Payment by means of electronic funds transfer may be required by Texas Government Code §404.095, §9.51 of this title (relating to Royalty and Reporting Obligations to the State), or by other chapters of this title.
   2. (2) Time for payment. Payment is generally required in advance of issuance of permits, leases and other documents and/or delivery of services and/or materials by the General Land Office.
   3. (3) Dishonor or nonpayment by other means. In the event a fee is not paid due to dishonor, nonpayment, or otherwise, the General Land Office shall have no further obligation to issue permits, leases and other documents and/or provide services and/or materials to the permittee, lessee, or applicant.

2. (b) General Land Office fees. The commissioner is authorized and required to collect the following fees where applicable.

   1. (1) Cost of land title documents.

      1. (A) Preparation of each patent or deed of acquittance: $50.
      2. (B) Filing fee, original field notes: $25.
      3. (C) Filing fee, corrected field notes: no charge.
      4. (D) Filing fee, other instruments required by law to be filed with the General Land Office or accepted for filing by the General Land Office: $25 per instrument.
      5. (E) recording fee per document, per county: the greater of $10 or the actual amount charged by the county clerk.

   2. (2) Certificates of facts:

      1. (A) Narrative certificates of fact consisting of all data from the inception of chain of title to the date of perfection of title and mineral history in paragraph form, short form certificate of fact (consisting of original award date, patent, deeds of acquittance, classification, current mineral history) and supplemental or limited certificates of fact (consisting of specific information or start date for history of a specific tract land):

         1. (i) mineral classified land:

            1. (I) first file: $100;
            2. (II) each additional file: $10;

         2. (ii) non-mineral classified land:

            1. (I) first file: $75;
            2. (II) each additional file: $10.
      2. (B) Spanish documents: $50 per document, in addition to fees due under §1.3(b)(2)(A)(i) and (ii).

   3. (3) Certified and non-certified classification letters:

      1. (A) Certified classification letter:

         1. (i) first file: $20;
         2. (ii) each additional file: $10;
      2. (B) Non-certified classification letter: no charge.

   4. (4) Maps and sketches:

      1. (A) Official maps: $15 per map.
      2. (B) Sketches (blueline and large format copies); per linear foot: $2.00.
      3. (C) Working sketch, per hour ($50 minimum): $20.
      4. (D) Digitizally reproduced archival map collection up to 36 inches (large format copies): $15 per map.

      5. (E) Digitizally reproduced archival map collection on special printer paper.

         1. (i) 48 inches or less: $20 per map plus $8.00 shipping and handling;
         2. (ii) greater than 48 inches: $40 per map plus $8.00 shipping and handling.

   5. (5) Digital mapping (GIS):

      1. (A) GIS maps printed on special printer paper:

         1. (i) 8.5 inch by 11 inch: $7.00;
         2. (ii) 30 inch by 36 inch: $19;
         3. (iii) 36 inch by 48 inch: $27.

      2. (B) Computer charges for GIS data placed on CD-ROM:

         1. (i) cost of disk: $11;
         2. (ii) programming personnel charge: $26 per hour;
         3. (iii) computer resource charge: $1.50 per minute.
      3. (C) Postage and handling: $15 per package.

   6. (6) Spanish translations:

      1. (A) Original translations: $.15 per word.
      2. (B) Copies of previously translated Spanish or Mexican titles: $2.00 per page.

   7. (7) Vacancies:

      1. (A) Application fee: $150.
      2. (B) Filing fee for original field notes: $25.
      3. (C) Affidavit filing fee: $25.
      4. (D) Each deed, title opinion, or other piece of evidence needed to satisfy the commissioner of claimant's status, other than those filed in a contested case administrative proceeding: $25.

   8. (8) Appraisal fees. Appraisal fees are charged for appraisals required by applications for deeds of acquittance and vacancies:

      1. (A) First tract: $500.
      2. (B) Each additional tract, same vicinity, same characteristics, and same owner: $50.
      3. (C) If not listed above, or if 10 or more tracts are to be appraised at the same time, the fee may be negotiated by the General Land Office.

   9. (9) Duplication fees--For purposes of this section the term Archival Records is defined as records maintained in the Archives and Records Division of the Texas General Land Office. The Archives and Records Division reserves the right to deny duplication of any document or map considered too fragile or brittle to safely copy. In addition, the Archives and Records Division reserves the right to specify with method(s) or reproduction may be used. Archival records for all original records affecting land titles, including original land grant files, Spanish Collection materials, school land and scrap files:

      1. (A) Black and white photocopies and microfilm copies, per page:

         1. (i) 8.5 inch by 11 inch: $1.00;
         2. (ii) 8.5 inch by 14 inch: $1.00;
         3. (iii) 11 inch by 17 inch: $2.00.

      2. (B) Color photocopies, per page:

         1. (i) 8.5 inch by 11 inch: $2.00;
         2. (ii) 8.5 inch by 14 inch: $2.00;
         3. (iii) 11 inch by 17 inch: $3.00.
      3. (C) Blueline and large format copies: $15.

      4. (D) Recorded media:

         1. (i) VCR tapes, each: $15;
         2. (ii) Audio cassettes, each: $7.50;

         3. (iii) Raw field videos (VCR tape provided by requesting party, minimum one minute):

            1. (I) First minute: $25;
            2. (II) Each additional minute: $15.

      5. (E) Photo processing (black and white only):

         1. (i) 10 inch by 10 inch internegative: $6.00;
         2. (ii) 10 inch by 10 inch contact print: $5.00;
         3. (iii) 11 inch by 14 inch enlargement: $8.00;
         4. (iv) 16 inch by 20 inch enlargement: $12.

   10. (10) Genealogy search:

       1. (A) Per name: $5.00.
       2. (B) Field notes research, per quarter hour (minimum $10): $10.
       3. (C) Other research of the official records of the General Land Office, per hour (minimum 1/2 hour): $25.

   11. (11) Mailing fees:

       1. (A) Mailing tubes, each: $1.75.
       2. (B) Registered mail, each item: $5.50.
       3. (C) Handling and preparation for mailing, each item: $1.00.

   12. (12) Certification:

       1. (A) Individual instruments or maps: $2.00.
       2. (B) Contents of complete files, each file: $25.
       3. (C) Copy of official Spanish translations, each: $25.

   13. (13) Publications:

       1. (A) Abstract volume (on microfiche): $12.50.
       2. (B) Abstract volume supplement (hard copy and on microfiche): $10.

   14. (14) Submerged lease data:

       1. (A) Annual subscription rate: $300.
       2. (B) Monthly rate: $25.
       3. (C) Single copy, subscriber: $37.50.
       4. (D) Single copy, non-subscriber: $75.
       5. (E) Energy information service, per year: $180.
       6. (F) Magnetic tape, per tape: $165.

   15. (15) Geophysical and geochemical exploration:

       1. (A) Non-Relinquishment Act lands:

          1. (i) permit application filing fee: $100.

          2. (ii) exploration and surface/bottom damage fees for unleased tracts in bays, other tideland areas, and the Gulf of Mexico.

             1. (I) high velocity energy sources:

                (-a-) $5.00 per acre in bays and other tideland areas;

                (-b-) $2.00 per acre in the Gulf of Mexico;

             2. (II) low velocity energy sources:

                (-a-) $2.50 per acre in bays and other tideland areas;

                (-b-) $1.00 per acre in the Gulf of Mexico;

             3. (III) other exploration techniques: negotiable;

          3. (iii) surface damage fees for unleased uplands:

             1. (I) vibroseis: $2.50 per acre;
             2. (II) high velocity energy sources: $5.00 per acre;
             3. (III) gravity meter and/or magnetometer: fair market value, but not less than $2.50 per acre;
             4. (IV) other exploration techniques: negotiable.

       2. (B) Relinquishment Act lands:

          1. (i) permit application filing fee: $100;
          2. (ii) all fees for actual surface damages to personal property, improvements, livestock, and crops on unleased Relinquishment Act lands, if any, are to be negotiated with the surface owner. Any fees in excess of those attributable to the types of surface damages listed in this paragraph must be shared equally with the state.

   16. (16) Miscellaneous services and fees:

       1. (A) In-kind contract maintenance fee. Processing and accounting for in-kind oil, gas, and other related product contracts, from purchaser of state-owned products unless deemed unnecessary by the Commissioner: per barrel delivered: $.05; per MMBTU delivered: $.03.
       2. (B) Relinquishment Act lease processing fee: $100.
       3. (C) highway right-of-way lease processing fee, including preparation of lease: $100.
       4. (D) pooling application processing fee, including preparation and filing of pooling agreements: $100.
       5. (E) oil, gas, and mineral lease application and filing fee, including processing, lease preparation, and filing of any oil, gas, or mineral lease not subject to other processing or nomination fees: $100.
       6. (F) tract nomination fee, oil, gas, or mineral sealed bid lease sale fee: $100.
       7. (G) prospect permit filing fee: $50.
       8. (H) insufficient check fee (for each check returned): $25.

Source Note:The provisions of this §3.31 adopted to be effective January 24, 2002, 27 TexReg 479; amended to be effective September 10, 2002, 27 TexReg 8596; amended to be effective December 14, 2003, 28 TexReg 10947.