Please note this page is currently under construction and will be updated regularly. Please contact hc_archpermit@state.co.us with any questions.

Under the Historical, Prehistorical, and Archaeological Resources Act of 1973 (CRS 24-80-401 to 410), a permit is required for any archaeological or paleontological survey or excavation on Colorado state land. Permits are issued through the Office of the State Archaeologist of Colorado (OSAC). 

The permit system may apply to lands belonging to political subdivisions of the state or to private landowners, at the request of the owner and the concurrent of the state archaeologist, except that the excavation of any unmarked human burial older than 100 years regardless of ethnic affiliation shall require a permit if such a burial is situated within any nonfederal land of Colorado.

Permittees must obtain separate permission to enter on state lands from the state agency which administers said land, including but not limited to the State Land Board and its current lessee(s) if any, the Division of Wildlife, and the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation.

We issue four classes of permits:

Survey only (archaeology or paleontology)

Survey only permits authorize the search for, inventorying of and documentation of archaeological or paleontological resources in the field by non-destructive means in accordance with established standards for the purpose of recording such remains on official Colorado inventory forms and of preparing reports that meet guidelines published by OSAC. No specimens are authorized to be collected, except artifacts exposed on the surface of the ground. Such permits may be statewide in scope. 

Non-collection survey only (archaeology or paleontology)

Non-collection survey permits authorize the search for, inventorying of and documentation of archaeological or paleontological resources in the field by non-destructive means in accordance with established standards for the purpose of recording such remains on official Colorado inventory forms and of preparing reports. Absolutely no specimens, artifacts, or fossils are authorized to be collected. Such permits may be statewide in scope. 

Survey and test excavation (archaeology or paleontology)

Survey and test excavation permits authorize limited excavation of noncontiguous units (totaling less than 10 square meters), gathering and removal of specimens, sufficient to evaluate the cultural significance of identified archaeological and paleontological properties. Such permits may be statewide in scope. 

Excavation (archaeology or paleontology)

Excavation permits authorize subsurface investigations of specified historical, archaeological or paleontological resource(s), or an unmarked burial, in accordance with a research design or statement of objectives that has been approved for the specific resources described in the application.

 For additional information requests related to state permits, please reach out to the Office of the State Archaeological permit program at hc_archpermit@state.co.us.

Application

Before submitting a permit application, please review the Rules and Procedures. This document contains detailed descriptions of the different permit types, minimum qualifications for individuals listed on the permit, reporting requirements, and other information.

Applicants are invoiced an administrative fee of $50 per permit application. Failure to pay may result in the revocation of a permit or delay in future processing. 

Application Instructions

The following is required at the time of application:

• A completed Archaeology and Paleontology Permit Application form submitted online. Note: Previous versions of the application will not be accepted.
• Current curriculum vitae (CV) for each individual listed on the permit application.
• Applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications for Principal Investigator or Project Archaeologist may apply for a waiver. Those materials must be submitted at the time of application. Please see FAQs below for required information for waivers of qualifications. 
• Current curation agreements with State Approved Museums or Repositories. "Statewide" applications should attempt to get at least two agreements when applying. Note: Curation agreements are required for all permits except Non-Collection Survey Only permits.
• Research design for proposed excavation. Note: This is only required for Excavation permits.

The Archaeology and Paleontology Permit Application form should be completed online. All additional application materials must be submitted at the time of application. Instructions for submission of additional materials can be found at the end of the only permit application form. 

Important Information

To amend a permit for the current year, send an inquiry to hc_archpermit@state.co.us. Please include your permit number with your request. There is no fee to amend a current permit. If you are requesting to add an individual to a current permit, include their CV and the requested role(s) (Principal Investigator and/or Project Archaeologist/Paleontologist) of the individual.

New permit applications must be submitted annually for multi-year projects. Any permit(s) granted to an individual in the past does not guarantee a permit will be granted to that individual in any subsequent permit applications. 

Any permit may be suspended at any time if there is evidence that the activity authorized by the permit is being unlawfully or improperly conducted, if any of the criteria for permit denial applies, or if the permit holder does not honor the conditions of the permit. For more information regarding permit denial, please see FAQs below.

Reporting Requirements

Permittees must submit reports on activities conducted under permit in a timely manner. No permittee who has failed to submit a report will receive a new archaeological or paleontological permit until conditions of the prior permit have been met. 

Permittees must additionally confirm that the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (OAHP) receives copies of project reports, site forms, GIS data, and other documentation generated under permit regardless of the purpose of the project or the status of a project with a client or public agency. 

End-of-Year and Preliminary Reports

End-of-Year (EoY)/Preliminary reports are due December 31 of the year in which investigations begin. These reports may be combined in one document and must include your current permit number and the following:

• A bibliography of reports and/or listing of all projects conducted under the state permit. Each bibliographic entry must state the county in which field work took place. 
• A listing of all sites and isolated finds recorded.
• A catalog of all materials collected on state lands and the name of the repository in which the materials are curated. 
• A brief summary of work in progress under the permit including details on the nature of the investigation, important findings, and expected timeline of completion of a final report. 

An EoY/Preliminary Report may be submitted in any format you prefer as long as it includes all the above required information. Note: EoY/Preliminary Reports may be submitted using the available EoY-Preliminary Report Template and EoY-Preliminary Report Continuation Pages. 

Progress Reports

Progress reports are due December 31 annually for multi-year projects. These reports should provide details on the nature of the investigation, important findings, and expected timeline of completion of a final report, and other pertinent information. Note: Progress reports may be submitted using the available EoY-Progress Report Template and EoY-Progress Report Continuation Pages.

Final Report

A final report must be submitted within three years after the conclusion of field work. Final reports should meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation reporting. You may also find the Colorado Cultural Resource Survey Manual useful as a report guide. 

Curation Agreements

Please review the following regarding the curation of collections made from permitted archaeological or paleontological projects.

1. In choosing a museum, permittees should attempt to keep the collection in its area of origin and to keep materials from the same site and the same project together. Permittees should confer with the staff of the selected museum and have a written agreement prior to collecting materials in the field.
2. Permittees should follow the guidance of the museum staff in regard to collecting procedures. The permittee should adhere to any specific methods of labeling, packaging, and shipment required by the museum and the state archaeologist's current Submission Guidelines for State-Owned Archaeological Collections. All collections must be placed and delivered within inert and acid-free packaging. 
3. The permittee is responsible for returning to OSAC a fully signed official state deposit receipt form by the approved museum, curatorial repository, on-site agency, or institution and OSAC. The form must be accompanied by a simple inventory list of items accepted by the approved facility for permanent curation. 

For more information regarding curation, please visit State-Approved Museums and Curatorial Repositories or contact hc_statecuration@state.co.us with any questions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the official Colorado inventory forms?

Cultural resources forms are available and may be downloaded online. Please review the Cultural Resource Survey Forms Usage Table to determine the proper forms to submit. Prehistoric archaeological sites should be recorded using a Management Data Form and Prehistoric Archaeological Component Form. Paleontological sites should be recorded using a Management Data Form and Paleontological Component Form. Isolated finds should be recorded using an Isolated Find Record. 

What are the minimum qualification for different permittee roles?

For archaeological permits:

1. Principal investigator:
   • Graduate degree in anthropology or archaeology or history with demonstrated experience in Colorado prehistoric or historic archaeology, or in a related topical, geographic or cultural areas; and
   • At least one year of full-time professional experience or equivalent specialized training in archaeological research, administration or management; and
   • At least four months of supervised field and analytic experience in general North American archaeology; and
   • Demonstrated ability to carry research to completion.
2. Project archaeologist:
   • Bachelor's degree in anthropology or archaeology; and
   • At least six months of full-time professional experience or equivalent specialized training in archaeological research, administration or management; and
   • At least four months of supervised field and analytic experience in general North American archaeology; and
   • Demonstrated experience in Colorado prehistoric or historic archaeology, or in related topical, geographic or cultural areas.

For paleontological permits:

1. Principal investigator:
   • Graduate degree in geology, zoology, paleobotany, botany, or related fields, with demonstrated experience in the vertebrate or invertebrate paleontology of Colorado or related topical or geographical areas; or
   • At least one year of full-time professional experience or equivalent specialized training in paleontological research, administration, or management; and
   • At least four months of supervised field and analytic experience in general North American paleontology; and
   • Demonstrated ability to carry research to completion.
2. Project paleontologist:
   • Bachelor's degree in geology, zoology, paleobotany, botany, or related fields; and
   • At least six months of full-time professional experience or equivalent specialized training in paleontological research, administration, or management; and
   • At least four months of supervised paleontological field experience in North America; and
   • Demonstrated experience in Colorado paleontology or related areas.

What are the waiver requirements if an applicant doesn't meet the minimum required qualifications?

Applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications may apply for a waiver. Written applications for waiver must include the following:

1. Current (less than three years old) curriculum vitae of individual applying for waiver;
2. A statement of the reasons why the applicant believes he/she is qualified to undertake the proposed work;
3. Written examples of similar or related work.

Please include all waiver materials among the permit application materials submitted at time of application.

What are the criteria for permit denial?

OSAC may deny a permit to an applicant:

• If he/she does not meet the minimum required qualifications;
• If he/she gives false information on the application;
• If he/she fails to adhere to any of the terms and conditions or prior permits;
• If he/she has previously been denied a federal permit for work on the same project;
• If he/she has been convicted of a violation of the Historical, Prehistoric, and Archaeological Resources Act of 1973;
• If he/she has a record of violating any law applicable to archaeological or paleontological resources protection. Violation of said law shall include civil sanctions as well as criminal conviction (which shall include a plea of nolo contendere or acceptance of a deferred sentence);
• If he/she has a record of unacceptable reports;
• If he/she submits a research design or documentation plan that does not meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archaeological and Historic Preservation; 
• If he/she has not arranged for funding sufficient to complete the proposed work;
• If the landowner or land manager objects; or
• For other just cause. 

Important Resources

Contact 

State Permit Program | Office of the State Archaeologist 
hc_archpermit@state.co.us

Sarah A. Allaun
Assistant State Archaeologist | Office of the State Archaeologist 
303-866-5746 | sarah.allaun@state.co.us