These additional documents include guidance directives from the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs; guidelines for formal technical assistance meetings; and documents related to the acknowledgment regulations as revised in 1978, 1994, and 2015.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT REGULATIONS AS REVISED 2015:
- The 25 CFR Part 83 acknowledgment regulations (the "current regulations"). Use this version when applying for Federal acknowledgment.
- 2015 Final Rule announcing the revisions to the 25 CFR Part 83 acknowledgment regulations. This notice in the Federal Register includes a preamble that summarizes the public comment on the proposed regulations and the Department's response. It also includes the text of the revised acknowledgment regulation.
- FR 80-37538, Policy Guidance from the Assistant Secretary, "Requests for Administrative Acknowledgment of Federal Indian Tribes."
- Abbreviated form of 25 CFR Part 83 acknowledgment regulations.
- Background Documents:
- Proposed Rule published May 29, 2014.
- Discussion Draft released June 21, 2013, showing DRAFT changes to 25 CFR Part 83. The Discussion Draft was a preliminary precursor to the rulemaking process and was intended to provide tribes and the public an early opportunity to provide input on potential improvements to the acknowledgment process.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT REGULATIONS AS REVISED 1994:
- Final Rule for the 1994 revision to the 25 CFR Part 83 Regulations, including public comment on the regulations and the Department's response.
- FR 65-7052, February 11, 2000, Guidance Directive from the Assistant Secretary.
- FR 70-16513, March 31, 2005, Guidance Directive from the Assistant Secretary.
- FR 73-30146, May 23, 2008, Guidance Directive from the Assistant Secretary.
- General timelines for the acknowledgment process as revised in 1994.
- Guidelines for Formal Technical Assistance Meetings.
- Abbreviated Form of Acknowledgment Criteria
- 25 CFR Part 83 Process Chart for the acknowledgment regulations as revised in 1994.
OVERVIEW DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT REGULATIONS AS REVISED IN 1994:
Note: These documents are no longer updated.
- Brief Overview of OFA (as of November 12, 2013)
- Number of Petitioners by State (as of November 12, 2013)
- Number of Letters of Intent Received (as of November 12, 2013)
- List of Petitioners by State (as of November 12, 2013)
- Status Summary of Acknowledgment Cases (as of November 12, 2013)
ACKNOWLEDGMENT REGULATIONS AS REVISED 1978:
- 25 CFR Part 54 Procedures for Establishing that an American Indian Group Exists as an Indian Tribe (The Department implemented these regulations in 1978, renumbered them to 25 CFR Part 83, and later revised them in 1994). See also the initial 1978 guidelines.
- View the 1977 comments (.pdf 16MB) and the 1978 comments (.pdf 8MB) on the acknowledgment regulations (25 CFR Part 54) that the Department implemented in 1978. Proposed regulations were published on June 16, 1977. Revised proposed regulations were published on June 1, 1978 (43 FR 23743). The period for public comment closed on July 3, 1977. Throughout this period, from June 16, 1977, the amount of consultation and discussion with tribes and other groups on Federal acknowledgment had been unprecedented. [Between] June 16, 1977, [and August 24,1978,] our records show a total of 400 meetings, discussions, and conversations about Federal acknowledgment with other Federal agencies, State government officials, tribal representatives, petitioners, congressional staff members, and legal representatives of petitioning groups; 60 written comments on the initial proposed regulations of June 16, 1977; a national conference on Federal acknowledgment attended by approximately 350 representatives of Indian tribes and organizations; and 34 comments on the revised proposed regulations, published on June 1, 1978.
OTHER DOCUMENTS:
- Indian Entities Recognized and Eligible to Receive Services from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs (List of Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, 89 FR 99899) as published on December 11, 2024.
- Change of Address - Office of Federal Acknowledgment on July 18, 2018 (83 FR 33925)
- Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report from November 2, 2001, on the Federal Acknowledgment process.
- Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report from February 10, 2005, on the Federal Acknowledgment process.
- Documents Regarding and from the Interior Board of Indian Appeals (IBIA)....
- Sample Formats for Petitioner Submissions....
