50 USC § 3998 - Land rights of servicemembers

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t50/s3998"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "50 USC § 3998 - Land rights of servicemembers"
title_number: 50
title_name: "WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE"
section_number: "3998"
section_name: "Land rights of servicemembers"
chapter_number: 50
chapter_name: "SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF"
subchapter_number: "V"
subchapter_name: "TAXES AND PUBLIC LANDS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, title V, § 508, as added Pub. L. 108–189, § 1, Dec. 19, 2003, 117 Stat. 2857; amended Pub. L. 111–97, § 4(a), Nov. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 3008.)"
---


# § 3998. Land rights of servicemembers

**(a)** **No age limitations** Any servicemember under the age of 21 in military service shall be entitled to the same rights under the laws relating to lands owned or controlled by the United States, including mining and mineral leasing laws, as those servicemembers who are 21 years of age.

**(b)** **Residency requirement** Any requirement related to the establishment of a residence within a limited time shall be suspended as to entry by a servicemember in military service or the spouse of such servicemember until 180 days after termination of or release from military service.

**(c)** **Entry applications** section 1044a of title 10

Applications for entry may be verified before a person authorized to administer oaths under  or under the laws of the State where the land is situated.

---

**Source Credit**: (Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, title V, § 508, as added Pub. L. 108–189, § 1, Dec. 19, 2003, 117 Stat. 2857; amended Pub. L. 111–97, § 4(a), Nov. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 3008.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 568 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 508 of , art. V, , related to irrigation rights and suspension of residence requirements, prior to the general amendment of this Act by .

### Amendments

2009—Subsec. (b).  inserted “or the spouse of such servicemember” after “a servicemember in military service”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2009 Amendment

> “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to servicemembers in military service (as defined in section 101 of such Act (50 U.S.C. App. 511) [now
> 
> ]) on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [
> 
> ].”

, , , provided that:

### Effective Date

Section applicable to any case not final before , see , set out as a note under .