---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 521f"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "521f"
heading: "Costs of conveyance and value of improvements"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/521f"
units:
  - "Chapter 2 — National Forests"
  - "Subchapter I — Establishment and Administration"
---

# §521f. Costs of conveyance and value of improvements


Any [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) to whom lands are conveyed under sections [521c](/usc/16/521c.md) to [521i](/usc/16/521i.md) of this title shall bear all reasonable costs of administration, survey, and appraisal incidental to such conveyance, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1). In determining the value of any lands or interest in lands to be conveyed under sections [521c](/usc/16/521c.md) to [521i](/usc/16/521i.md) of this title, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) may, in those cases in which the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) determines it would be in the public interest, exclude from such determination the value of any improvements to the lands made by any [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) other than the Government. In the case of road rights-of-way conveyed under sections [521c](/usc/16/521c.md) to [521i](/usc/16/521i.md) of this title, the [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) to whom the right-of-way is conveyed shall reimburse the United States for the value of any improvements to such right-of-way which may have been made by the United States. The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) may, in those cases in which the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) determines that it would be in the public interest, waive payment by any [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) of costs incidental to any conveyance authorized by sections [521c](/usc/16/521c.md) to [521i](/usc/16/521i.md) of this title or reimbursement by any [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) for the value of improvements to rights-of-way otherwise required by this section.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–465, § 4, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2536.)