Bureau of Public Land Administration

The Bureau of Public Land Administration (BPLA) is the Board of Trustees’ real estate administration program within the Division of State Lands that generates revenue through a variety of instruments benefiting the Board of Trustees, other state agencies, for the management, administration, protection and conservation of state-owned lands. BPLA staff works on behalf of the Board of Trustees and works with state agencies, state universities, local governments and the general public to meet their real estate needs through the administration of state land inventories. 

The Division of State Lands, Bureau of Public Land Administration, manages the leases, subleases, easements, use agreements, deed restrictions, reverter revisions and other approvals for all activities on state-owned lands, title to which is or will be vested in the Board of Trustees (Governor and Cabinet) of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund. These activities on state-owned lands, including surplus land sales, are revenue generating and bring approximately $24 million annually into the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.

Land use or land management plans are required for all uplands under lease from the state of Florida. Land Use Plans are required for non-conservation lands, and Land Management Plans are required for conservation lands.

Both Florida Statutes (section 253.034(5), F.S.) and the lease from the state require that an initial Land Use or Land Management Plan be submitted to the division within one year from the date the land is first leased. The plan must be updated and submitted again at least every 10 years thereafter. The division has developed a form that includes all the statutory and rule requirements for submittal of a Land Use Plan.

Learn more about Land Stewardship with the Office of Environmental Services. 

BPLA is categorized by Uplands and Submerged Land management. Transactions are regulated by Rule 18, Florida Administrative Code, and Chapters 253, 258, 259, 270 and 895, Florida Statutes. Each may also involve legislative or federal related issues. See Statutes and Rules to learn more.

Uplands Management

For the Division of State Lands' purposes, uplands are defined as those lands above the mean high water line (or ordinary high water line), title to which is vested in the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund of the state of Florida. The Board of Trustees has ownership of over 3.3 million acres of upland property.

State-owned uplands are managed for a variety of uses including parks, forests, wildlife management areas, historic sites, educational facilities (including public universities) and correctional institutions.

Submerged Lands Management

The state of Florida acquired title to sovereignty submerged lands on March 3, 1845, by virtue of statehood. Sovereignty submerged lands include all submerged lands, title to which is held by the Board of Trustees (Governor and Cabinet) of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.

Sovereignty submerged lands include, but are not limited to, tidal lands, islands, sandbars, shallow banks and lands waterward of the ordinary or mean high water line, beneath navigable fresh water or beneath tidally influenced waters.

For information on the impact of a hurricane on lease fees Click Here