Explore metal detecting laws across the United States, including state park rules, public land regulations, BLM restrictions, and legal guidelines for hobbyists and treasure hunters. Find state-by-state rules and learn where metal detecting is allowed, restricted, or requires a permit.
Metal detecting laws in Maryland are defined by a clear Maryland Park Service policy that draws a specific line between beach detecting (allowed with permission) and inland detecting (requires archaeological…
Metal detecting laws in Maine require a written permit for detecting in state parks, obtained at the park office. Historic sites within the state park system are strictly off-limits regardless…
Metal detecting laws in Louisiana are among the most restrictive in the country. Metal detecting is not allowed in Louisiana state parks. Land-based detecting on public property is essentially prohibited…
Metal detecting laws in Kentucky are among the most restrictive in the country for public land. Kentucky Administrative Regulation 304 KAR 1:050 prohibits the use of metal detectors in all…
Metal detecting laws in Kansas are among the more relaxed in the Midwest. There is no statewide law prohibiting the use of metal detectors on public land. You can carry…
Metal detecting laws in Iowa are among the most specifically regulated in the country. Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 64 (571-64) governs metal detector use in state parks and recreation areas…
Metal detecting laws in Indiana are restrictive on state-managed land. Indiana Administrative Code 312 IAC 8-2-10 is direct: except as authorized by a license, a person must not use a…
Metal detecting laws in Illinois center on a state park permit system managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Not all state parks allow detecting. Those that do…
Metal detecting laws in Idaho require permits for most public land detecting, including state parks and many city parks. Idaho's administrative rules classify metal detecting as a non-traditional recreational activity…
Metal detecting laws in Hawaii limit the hobby almost entirely to sand beaches. The Hawaii Division of State Parks rule is straightforward: metal detecting devices are allowed on sand beaches…
