Guide
Is Metal Detecting Legal? A Country and State Guide
Whether you can swing a detector depends entirely on where you stand. Here is the short version, with the full rules a click away.
Metal detecting sits on a spectrum. A few places are genuinely friendly, most are a mix of permits and park-by-park rules, and some ban it outright. The single rule that never changes: get permission for the ground you are on, and never touch protected or archaeological sites.
We keep the plain-language rules for every US state and 55 countries, each on its own page.
This is a plain-language starting point, not legal advice. The rules change and vary by county, city, park, and parcel, and federal land carries its own restrictions. Always confirm with the specific land manager or agency before you search, and record and report finds where the law requires it.
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