---
kind: "section"
citation: "40 U.S.C. § 523"
title: "40"
title_heading: "Public Buildings, Property, and Works"
number: "523"
heading: "Excess real property located on Indian reservations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/40/523"
units:
  - "Subtitle I — Federal Property and Administrative Services"
  - "Chapter 5 — Property Management"
  - "Subchapter II — Use of Property"
---

# §523. Excess real property located on Indian reservations

- (a) **Procedures for Transfer.—** The Administrator of General Services shall prescribe procedures necessary to transfer to the Secretary of the Interior, without compensation, excess real [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) located within the reservation of any group, band, or tribe of Indians that is recognized as eligible for services by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
- (b) **Property Held in Trust.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#b-2), the Secretary shall hold excess real [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) transferred under this section in trust for the benefit and use of the group, band, or tribe of Indians, within whose reservation the excess real [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) is located.
  - (2) **Special requirement for oklahoma.—** The Secretary shall hold excess real [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) that is located in Oklahoma and transferred under this section in trust for Oklahoma [Indian tribes](/usc/40/15101.md?p=4) recognized by the Secretary if the real [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9)—
    - (A) is located within boundaries of former reservations in Oklahoma, as defined by the Secretary, and was held in trust by the Federal Government for an [Indian tribe](/usc/40/15101.md?p=4) when the Government acquired it; or
    - (B) is contiguous to real [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) presently held in trust by the Government for an Oklahoma [Indian tribe](/usc/40/15101.md?p=4) and was held in trust by the Government for an [Indian tribe](/usc/40/15101.md?p=4) at any time.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1083.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 523 | 40:483(a)(2). | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title II, § 202(a)(2), as added Pub. L. 93–599, (2), Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1954. |