FACT SHEET 5

August 1998

WHAT FORMS ARE 

REQUIRED FOR 

QUALIFIED RECIPIENTS?

Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA) 

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The RRA and the Acreage Limitation Rules and Regulations (43 CFR part 426) require landholders

(direct or indirect landowners or lessees) to complete Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) forms 

for each water year the landholder receives irrigation water from a Reclamation project. Such forms

must be filed with the district before deliveries commence in any given year.

 There are two RRA forms submittal thresholds for qualified recipients; specifically, 80 acres 

and 240 acres held westwide. The threshold that applies to you or your entity as a qualified

recipient depends on the RRA forms submittal category of each district in which you or your

entity holds land. Please contact each district where you or your entity holds land to determine

the applicable RRA forms submittal threshold for you or your entity in that district. For more

information on RRA forms submittal thresholds for qualified recipients and the RRA forms

submittal threshold for limited and prior law recipients, see Fact Sheet 1. 

If you represent a religious or charitable organization, trust, estate, or public entity, special RRA forms

are required to be submitted. You should contact your district or local Reclamation office to obtain the

proper RRA forms.

WHAT RRA FORMS ARE REQUIRED ANNUALLY FOR QUALIFIED RECIPIENTS?

1. For individuals, Form 7-2180EZ, "EZ Certification of Individualís Landholdings," may be 

used if you meet all of the following criteria: (a) all of your landholdings subject to the acreage

limitation provisions are located in only one district; (b) your landholdings subject to the acreage

limitation provisions total less than 960 acres; (c) all of your landholdings are held directly (that is, 

the land is not owned or leased through any type of legal entity, such as a corporation, partnership,

etc.; through a trust or estate; or in the names of your children or other dependents); (d) you are not

claimed as a dependent within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code; AND (e) you are subject 

to the discretionary provisions of the RRA.

2. If you are an individual and you do not meet any one of the criteria (a) through (c) listed 

in number 1, you must initially submit a Form 7-2180, ìCertification of Individualís Landholdings.î 

If you do not meet criterion (d), your landholdings must be included on the RRA form submitted by 

your parent(s) or legal guardian. If you do not meet criterion (e), you are not a qualified recipient 

and should contact your district for the proper RRA form(s) to complete.

3. If you filed the proper RRA forms in a previous year and have had no changes to your

landholding since that time, you only need to complete a Form 7-21VERIFY, "Verification of

Landholdings," as your annual submittal. Please note that if you need to submit a new Form 7-21XS,

ìDesignation of Excess Land,î you may not use a Form 7-21VERIFY to verify any RRA forms.
FACT SHEET 5

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4. Landholders that hold land ONLY INDIRECTLY through legal entities must complete 

an initial standard RRA form as determined in the following flowcharts. After this initial submittal, 

such indirect landholders are not required to file any RRA form for those years that the entities 

have no change to their landholdings and all the information included on the standard RRA form

remains correct. 

5. If you or your entity is not eligible to complete a Form 7-21VERIFY, the two flowcharts 

found later in this Fact Sheet will help you determine whether Form 7-2180 or Form 7-2181,

ìCertification of Entityís Landholdings,î should be completed and if other RRA forms are required.

LANDHOLDING CHANGES

If you have filed the proper RRA forms and your landholding then changes during the current

irrigation season, you will need to notify all districts in which you hold land within 30 calendar days

and complete a new standard RRA form within 60 calendar days of the change. For example, if 

RRA Form 7-2181 was previously submitted for your entity and there are any changes, whether in

acreage owned or leased, in attribution to part owners, etc., a new Form 7-2181 must be submitted 

for your entity. All part owners identified on the previously submitted Form 7-2181 who, as a result,

have a change to the information provided previously on their standard RRA forms must also submit

new standard RRA forms within 60 calendar days of the change(s). 

 These 30-calendar-day and 60-calendar-day grace periods do not apply to a new

landholder. A new landholder must submit appropriate RRA forms prior to receiving

Reclamation irrigation water.

If you have filed the proper RRA forms and your landholding then changes outside the irrigation

season, you and any applicable part owners will each need to complete a new standard RRA form

prior to receiving any Reclamation irrigation water deliveries following such changes.

FLOWCHARTS

Refer to Flowchart A if you are certifying as an individual or single family (husband, wife, and

dependents) and Flowchart B if you are certifying as an entity owned by more than one individual 

or family. Legal entities wholly owned by one individual or one single family are certified as part 

of the RRA forms completed under Flowchart A. 

The titles for the RRA forms shown in the flowcharts follow. To obtain copies of any of the RRA forms

listed on this Fact Sheet, contact your district.

Form 7-2180 -- CERTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL'S LANDHOLDINGS

Form 7-2181 -- CERTIFICATION OF ENTITYíS LANDHOLDINGS

Form 7-21XS -- DESIGNATION OF EXCESS LAND

Form 7-21FC -- SELECTION OF FULL-COST LAND

 In working with the following flowcharts, please remember that ALL land leased from public

entities is treated as land owned by the landholder.
FACT SHEET 5

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FLOWCHART A

INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING SINGLE FAMILIES (husband, wife, and dependents)

 Do you lease any Do you own more than Complete 

 land either directly 960 acres? Include land Form 7-2180. or through entities? held through entities.

 Complete forms 7-2180

 and 7-21XS.

 Do you own more Does your owned and

 than 960 acres? leased acreage exceed Complete

 Include land held 960 acres? Include land Form 7-2180.

 through entities. held through entities.

 Complete forms Complete forms 7-2180 7-2180, 7-21XS, and 7-21FC. and 7-21FC.
FACT SHEET 5

Mission of the Bureau of Reclamation: To manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically

sound manner in the interest of the American public.

The Department of the Interior has established a 24-hour toll-free telephone number (1-800-424-5081) for anyone wishing to report suspected

violations of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA). Anyone reporting suspected violations will be protected under Federal privacy laws.

Distributed by the Bureau of Reclamation, United States Department of the Interior.

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FLOWCHART B

FOR ENTITIES OWNED BY MORE THAN ONE INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY

 Does the entity lease Does the entity own more

 any land either directly than 960 acres? Include Complete

 or through other entities land held through other Form 7-2181.

 or subsidiaries? entities or subsidiaries.

 Complete forms 

 7-2181 and 7-21XS.

 Does the entity own more Does the entity's owned

 than 960 acres? Include and leased acreage exceed Complete

 land held through other 960 acres? Include land Form 7-2181.

 entities or subsidiaries. held through other entities

 or subsidiaries.

 Complete forms 7-2181, Complete forms

 7-21XS, and 7-21FC. 7-2181 and 7-21FC. 

 

NEED MORE INFORMATION?

For questions about: See Fact Sheet:

Entitlements for qualified recipients 4

When and where RRA forms must be filed 1

A complete list of RRA forms 1

Signature requirements for RRA forms 10

Landholding changes 11

Trusts and estates 12

If you have any other questions, contact your district or local Reclamation office.