• Crown lands are administered by the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture for the social and economic benefit of the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador.
• There is no complete list or mapping inventory available that identifies all of the Crown lands in the province.
• It is an applicant’s responsibility to complete the research to determine whether the land you want to apply for is available Crown lands and is not privately owned.
• There are several sources of information that can be used to assist in determining Crown lands availability:
  • Local Knowledge
    • Community residents may be aware of the history of land ownership
  • Physically walking over the land can provide clues (e.g. fences, building remains, gardens) as to whether the land was previously occupied
  • Municipalities
    • Municipal councils may have property taxation records identifying land ownership
  • Registry of Deeds
    • Should you be able to identify the individual(s) connected to or listed as adjacent to the land you are interested in, the Registry of Deeds may have records of registered land claims. This includes surveys and land descriptions identifying individual names associated with the land
  • Regional Crown Lands Offices
    • The Crown lands office in your region may be able to provide you with access to maps showing the most recent Crown lands issued titles and relevant surveys
  • Historical and recent aerial photography may also be available through the GIS and Mapping Division.
  • Provincial Archives
    • The Provincial Archives located at The Rooms in St. John’s holds records of Crown lands purchases from 1830 to 1930
  • Court Records
    • Court records may also serve as a supplementary source for land ownership identification
  • Provincial Land Use Atlas

• Refer to the Crown lands application process flow chart.
• Refer to Personal Use, Business or Organizational Use or Government Use for detailed information and requirements for your area of interest.
• When applying for a certain piece of land, visit the provincial Land Use Atlas to view information on a particular area’s land uses, or to determine whether any Crown titles have been issued for that particular piece of land.
• Please note that Crown lands applications are subject to a referral process. As part of that process, other Provincial Governments departments may request such things as:
  • Historical study
  • Water resources permit/study
  • Environmental Assessment registration
  • Botanical study
  • Highway access permit
  • Approved Septic design
• If you are applying to:
  • Amend an existing title that you already have (ie: change a use or increase the land area):
    • Certain sections of the application may not pertain to you therefore, when completing the page that asked “What is the intended use of the land?”, provide details of the amendment in the description xox.
    • Depending on the age of the survey for current leases, a new survey may be required before a grant can be issued.
  • Assign or transfer an existing title:
    • Go to Personal Use
    • Click I HAVE Crown lands
    • Click I want to sell or transfer (assign) my land
  • Renew an existing title:
    • Go to Personal Use
    • Click I HAVE Crown lands
    • Click How can I renew my crown title?      

• You will need:
  • A valid email address; or the email address of a designate who will act on your behalf.
  • A valid form of payment for the non-refundable $172.50 Crown lands application fee – Visa or MasterCard (debit or credit).
  • A digital map indicating the area being applied for, digital site plan for commercial/municipal applications and digital copies of any supporting documentation.
    • Create a clear and legible applicants map that shows the exact location of the land being applied for, GPS coordinates (if possible, and the dimensions of the land and any other descriptive characters such as proximity to landmarks including adjacent properties, and waterbodies).
    • Save your map, site plan (if required) and any other supporting documentation digitally in a location where you can retrieve it.
      • Acceptable file types are: csv, doc, docx, dxf, dwg, gif, img, jpg, jpeg, kms, kmz, pdf, png, tiff, xlsx, xls or msg (10 MB max per file).
  • A site plan is required if you wish to apply for Crown lands for commercial use.
  • Prior to submitting an application for Crown lands for agricultural use, you are required to consult with the Agriculture Development Officer (ADO) responsible for your region (ADO Contact Information).
    • Applications for agricultural use of Crown lands intended for personal, non-commercial purposes (i.e., agricultural products that are not for sale or profit) must include a 5-Year Farm Development Plan.
    • Applications for the agricultural use of Crown lands for commercial purposes (i.e., involving the sale of or profit from agricultural products) must include both the 5-Year Farm Development Plan and the  Commercial Farm Business Plan.
  • Additional documentation may be required and will be noted as you complete the application.
• By applying online, your application will be automatically submitted.  You will receive an instant notification that your application has been submitted and a copy of your application and receipt will be available by logging in online.
• Please note – applications submitted online can be started, saved and completed over time.

Crown Lands Online Application

Need help completing your application?

• The Crown lands online application allows you to assign a designate to your application. Not only will this designate be able to make the application on your behalf, they will also be the primary contact for any correspondence related to your application.
• Computers are available at Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries and library staff are available to assist patrons who would like to apply for Crown lands. Please contact your local public library for more information.
• Refer to the Guidelines for the Preparation of Applications for Crown Lands.
• Contact the Crown Lands Inquiries Line at 1-833-891-3249 or crownlandsinfo@gov.nl.ca if you have any questions or if you require alternative options to apply.

• Once your application has been submitted it will be reviewed to ensure completeness and acceptability.  You will be contacted if additional information is required.
• Once registered your application will be forwarded to other departments through a referral process for review and comment prior to a decision.  You will be provided with a listing of departments that will review your application.
• Please contact the Crown Lands Inquiries Line at 1-833-891-3249 or crownlandsinfo@gov.nl.ca if you have questions regarding your application.
• Access your account online at anytime.