In this guide
What a claim protects
A claim protects a marked area of the main survival overworld. It helps stop other players from breaking blocks, opening protected containers, or using things they have not been trusted with.
Claims are available in the main survival world. They are disabled in spawn, the resource world, the Nether, and the End. Save permanent builds and storage in the main world.
The rules protect your belongings even when a claim is missing. Claiming is still the best way to prevent problems. Do not leave a base unprotected just because griefing is against the rules.
Make your first claim
- Choose an area at least 200 blocks from another player’s claim boundary unless they have given permission. Check for unclaimed builds as well.
- Hold a golden shovel. You can get a replacement with
/kit claimshovel. - Right click a block at the first corner of the area.
- Right click the diagonally opposite corner. Your claim is the rectangle between those corners.
- Read the result in chat and inspect the marked border. Confirm that every part of the build you want protected is inside.
A new claim needs at least 100 square blocks and a width of at least 5 blocks. A 10 by 10 area is a simple starting size.
Check ownership and borders
Right click a block with a stick to inspect its claim. Do this around the edges of an area before you build or resize. The visual markers show the border, and chat identifies the claim information.
Your first chest may create a small automatic claim when the conditions allow it. Check the actual border instead of assuming that protection covers everything you build nearby.
Use /claimslist to review your claims, their locations, and your claim block balance. A saved home and a claim are separate things. You usually want both.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/claimslist | See your claims and claim block balance. |
/kit claimshovel | Get a replacement golden claim shovel. |
Resize without abandoning the claim
Hold your golden shovel and right click an existing claim corner. Then right click where you want that corner to move. Read the confirmation and check the new border.
You can also stand inside your claim, face the edge you want to extend, and use /expandclaim <amount>. For example, /expandclaim 10 moves that edge outward by 10 blocks. Check the new border afterward.
Expanding uses more claim blocks. Shrinking releases area from the claim. Check that storage rooms, farms, paths, and future building space remain inside the boundary you want.
Do not abandon a claim just to move one corner. Resizing keeps the claim and avoids leaving the whole area unprotected while you remake it.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/expandclaim <amount> | Expand the claim you are standing in toward the direction you are facing. |
How claim blocks work
Claim blocks measure protected land area. A 10 by 10 claim uses 100 blocks. A 20 by 20 claim uses 400. Increasing both sides of a claim can use much more area than it first appears.
You start with 100 claim blocks and earn 100 more per hour of active play. Idle time does not earn claim blocks. Rank rewards, claim block vouchers, and vote shop rewards can add bonus blocks.
Use /claimslist to see how many claim blocks you have left. A rank’s bonus claim blocks are added once when you buy that rank.
Claim blocks cannot be bought or sold directly for money.
Share carefully
Stand inside the claim you want to change before trusting someone. Give only the access they need. Container access and full building trust are different permissions.
The trust and claim flags guide explains each trust level, shared projects, subdivisions, and later claim controls. Claim trust is not permission to steal, change an agreement, or ignore the rules.
Remove a claim only when you mean to
/abandonclaim removes the claim you are standing in. The build stays, but its claim protection is gone. Check your location first and collect anything you intend to move.
Some unused claims can expire after inactivity. An expired or abandoned looking claim is still not permission to loot a build. Ask staff if ownership is unclear.
If claiming fails, read the exact error. Common causes are the wrong world, another claim in the way, an area below the minimum size, insufficient blocks, or a protected server region.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/abandonclaim | Remove the claim you are standing in. This removes protection. |