State-recognized tribes in the United States


State-recognized tribes in the United States are Native American tribes or heritage groups that do not meet the criteria for federally recognized Indian tribes but have been recognized by state government through laws, governor's executive orders, or state commissions legally granted the power to recognize tribes for varying purposes. State recognition does not dictate whether or not they are recognized as Native American tribes by continually existing tribal nations.
Individual states confer state-recognition "for their various internal state government purposes." Members of a state-recognized tribe are still subject to state law and government, and the tribe does not have sovereign control over its affairs.
State recognition confers few benefits under federal law. It is not the same as federal recognition, which is the federal government's acknowledgment of a tribe as a dependent sovereign nation. Some states have provided laws related to state recognition that provide some protection of autonomy for tribes that are not recognized by the federal government. For example, in Connecticut, state law recognizing certain tribes also protects reservations and limited self-government rights for state-recognized tribes.
Non-recognized tribes is a term for "groups that have no federal designation and are not accepted as sovereign entities under U.S. law," which includes state-recognized tribes. "An additional sub-designation under this classification are 'Federally Non-Recognized' tribes, which includes groups that have previously held federal recognition, either under governments prior to the U.S. Federal Government or as Nations that are no longer in existence and/or no longer meet the criteria as a Nation to have sovereignty status."
Such state recognition has at times been opposed by federally recognized tribes. Journalists Adam Elmahrek and Paul Pringle wrote, "Many Native Americans have long opposed allowing states to recognize tribes, arguing that the federal government should make the decision because states often fail to properly screen groups." The Cherokee Nation opposes state-recognized tribes, as well as Cherokee heritage groups and others with no documented descent who claim Cherokee identity.
Other groups that identify as being Native American tribes but lack federal or state recognition are listed in the List of organizations that self-identify as Native American tribes.

Demographics and geography

Most state-recognized tribes are located in the Eastern United States, including the three largest state-recognized tribes in the US, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama, and the United Houma Nation of Louisiana, each of which has more than ten thousand members.
Sources disagree on how many states have state-recognized tribes. No government agency or nonprofit organization tracks the total of state-recognized tribes in the United States. In late 2007, about 16 states had recognized 62 tribes. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, only 13 states recognize tribes at the state level by 2022. Likewise in 2022, the Reference Encyclopedia of the American Indian reported that 13 states had 66 state-recognized tribes; however, 7 of those listed in Virginia and 1 of those listed in New York are also federally recognized.
The Native Nations Institute of the University of Arizona lists 15 states as having state-recognized tribes in 2024. In 2025, journalist Bill Donahue wrote in Boston's City Life that more than 100 organizations are state-recognized as tribes.

Federal law

The United States Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, gives ultimate authority with regard to matters affecting the American Indian tribes to the United States federal government. Under US federal law and regulations, an American Indian tribe is a group of Native Americans with self-government authority. This defines those tribes recognized by the federal government. By 2021, 574 tribes had been recognized by the federal government, often as a result of the process of treaties setting up reservations in the 19th century.
Four federal agencies have the authority to confer benefits to state-recognized tribes: the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, the Department of Education, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. State-recognized tribes also participate in the programs of the Small Business Administration, an independent agency of the US federal government, and there is a rebuttable presumption that members of state-recognized tribes are "socially disadvantaged" for the purposes of the SBA's 8 Business Development program.
Under the United States Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, members of certain state-recognized tribes may exhibit as identified "Native American" or "American Indian" artists. In addition to citizens of federally recognized tribes and tribally designated artisans, IACA says that members of "any Indian group that has been formally recognized as an Indian tribe by a State legislature or by a State commission or similar organization legislatively vested with State tribal recognition authority" can exhibit or sell art as a "Native American" or "American Indian" artist.
The Administration for Native Americans, a program office within the Department of Health and Human Services, may confer benefits to state-recognized tribes under the Native American Programs Act.
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act does not require the federal government or museums to consult with state-recognized tribes. State-recognized tribes may request the repatriation of cultural items or human remains only in cooperation with federally recognized tribes.
Other federal Indian legislation does not apply to state-recognized tribes. For example, Indian Preference in hiring and the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 do not apply to these organizations.

State-recognition processes

Typically, the state legislature or state agencies involved in cultural or Native American affairs make the formal recognition by criteria they establish, often with Native American representatives, and sometimes based on federal criteria. Statutes that clearly identify criteria for recognition or that explicitly recognize certain tribes remove ambiguity from their status.
Many organizations try to assert that various congratulatory resolutions constitute recognition as a Native American tribe by a state; however, "Resolutions are statements of opinions and, unlike bills, do not have the force of law."

List of state-recognized tribes

The following is a list of tribes recognized by various states but not by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. Tribes originally recognized by states that have since gained federal recognition have been deleted from the list below. The list does include state-recognized tribes that have petitioned for federal recognition.

Alabama

By the Davis-Strong Act of 1984, the state established the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission to acknowledge and represent Native American citizens in the state. At that time, it recognized seven tribes that did not have federal recognition. The commission members, representatives of the tribes, have created rules for tribal recognition, which were last updated in 2003, under which three more tribes have been recognized.
  • Cher-O-Creek Intra Tribal Indians.
  • Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama. Letter of Intent to Petition 09/23/1981; certified letter returned "not known" 11/19/1997.
  • Cherokees of Southeast Alabama. Letter of Intent to Petition 05/27/1988; certified letter returned marked "deceased" 11/5/1997.
  • Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama.
  • Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe of Alabama. Letter of Intent to Petition 06/27/1983. Declined to Acknowledge 08/18/1988 52 FR 34319, Denied federal recognition.
  • MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians. Letter of Intent to Petition 05/27/1983. Final Determination to Decline to Acknowledge published 12/24/1997 62FR247:67398-67400; petitioner requested reconsideration from BIA 3/23/1998, denied federal recognition; decision effective 11/26/1999.
  • Piqua Shawnee Tribe.
  • Star Clan of Muscogee Creeks.
  • United Cherokee Ani-Yun-Wiya Nation. Letter of Intent to Petition 11/08/2001.

    Connecticut

  • Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation.
  • * Eastern Pequot Indians of Connecticut. Letter of Intent to Petition 06/28/1978; Reconsidered final determination not to acknowledge became final and effective 10/14/2005 70 FR 60099.
  • * Paucatuck Eastern Pequot Indians of Connecticut. Letter of Intent to Petition 06/20/1989. Reconsidered final determination not to acknowledge became final and effective 10/14/2005 70 FR 60099.
  • Golden Hill Paugussett. Final Determination Against Federal Acknowledgement of the Golden Hill Paugussett Tribe
  • Schaghticoke Tribal Nation. Letter of Intent to Petition 9/27/2001. Letter of Intent to Petition 12/14/1981; Declined to acknowledge in 2002; Reconsidered final determination not to acknowledge became final and effective 10/14/2005 70 FR 60101. Also known as the Schaghticoke Indian Tribe.

    Delaware

  • Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware.
  • Nanticoke Indian Association, Inc. Letter of Intent to Petition 08/08/1978; requested petition be placed on hold 3/25/1989 of limited applicability.

    Georgia

Georgia established a liaison, the Georgia Council on American Indian Concerns, in 2001, under the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites Division. In 2007, the state legislature formally recognized the following as American Indian tribes of Georgia:
  • Cherokee of Georgia Tribal Council.
  • Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokees.. Letter of Intent to Petition 01/09/1979; last submission February 2002; ready for Acknowledge review. Unrecognized organizations with the same name as Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokees, Inc. and exist.
  • Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe. Letter of Intent to Petition 02/02/1972; Declined to Acknowledge 12/21/1981. Denied federal recognition. Also known as '''Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe East of the Mississippi, Inc.'''