Land rules
Metal detecting in Washington
Washington's rule, WAC 352-32-235, allows detecting only in posted areas of approved state parks and in approved campsites, in posted daylight hours. It also requires registration with park staff at the park.
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What the texts say
One line per rule: the land it covers, what it says, and the text it comes from, with the date we read it.
| Land | Rule | Text |
|---|---|---|
| Washington state parks Allowed with limits | The rule permits metal detecting and the removal of small contemporary materials in state parks the director or a designee selects. | WAC 352-32-235, opening paragraph (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on app.leg.wa.gov |
| Washington state parks Allowed with limits | Metal detecting is allowed only in posted areas of approved state parks and in approved campsites, during posted open daylight hours. Approved campsites are the user's own or unoccupied ones. | WAC 352-32-235(1)-(2) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 17, 2026 on app.leg.wa.gov |
| Washington state parks Registration required | You must register with park staff at the park before detecting. | WAC 352-32-235(3) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on app.leg.wa.gov |
| Washington state parks Local rules | Detecting is not allowed during seasonal or emergency park closures, except where posted. Exceptional uses may be approved through a special recreation event application. | WAC 352-32-235(2) and (4) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on app.leg.wa.gov |
| Washington state parks Allowed with limits | In the posted detecting areas, digging tools are limited to ice picks, screwdrivers and probes no wider than 2 in. Sand scoops may be no larger than 6 in wide by 8 in long, with perforations at least 1/2 in wide, and only on sand. Holes may be no deeper than 6 in and are refilled at once, with the surface restored. | WAC 352-32-235(6)(c) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on app.leg.wa.gov |
| Washington state parks Removing historic finds prohibited | Anything that is or appears to be of historical or archaeological significance stays where it was found. It must be reported to park staff at once, and the area of the find is then closed. | WAC 352-32-235(6)(b) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on app.leg.wa.gov |
| Washington state parks Status of the text | A violation of the metal detector rule is an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW. | WAC 352-32-235(7) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on app.leg.wa.gov |
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Where and when the rule allows it
The rule opens with its scope. It permits metal detecting and the removal of small contemporary materials in state parks the director or a designee selects. Inside those parks, the posted areas are open, and so are approved campsites, the user's own or unoccupied ones, in daylight hours posted as open.
Closures stop detecting too. It is not allowed during seasonal or emergency park closures, except where posted. Exceptional uses may be approved through a special recreation event application.
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Tools, holes and registration
The tool list is precise. The rule limits digging tools to ice picks, screwdrivers and probes no wider than 2 in. Sand scoops can be no larger than 6 in wide by 8 in long, with perforations at least 1/2 in wide, and only on sand. A hand trowel or a shovel is not on that list, and our guide to diggers, scoops and pouches notes which picks exceed it.
Holes stay shallow. No hole may go deeper than 6 in, and each is refilled at once with the surface restored. Registration happens at the park itself. The rule asks detectorists to register with park staff before detecting.
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Historic finds and infractions
Anything that is or appears to be of historical or archaeological significance stays where it was found. It must be reported to park staff at once, and the area of the find is then closed.
The rule also classes violations. A violation of the metal detector rule is an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW.
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Federal land in the state
National parks and national forests follow federal rules. In National Park Service areas, possessing or using a metal detector is prohibited, with a few exceptions. On National Forest System lands, digging in, disturbing or removing any prehistoric, historic or archaeological resource is prohibited.
At Corps of Engineers projects, detectors are permitted on designated beaches or other previously disturbed areas, unless the District Commander prohibits them. Under ARPA, an item counts as an archaeological resource only if it is at least 100 years old. On federal public lands and Indian lands, excavating or removing one needs a permit or a listed exemption.
| Land | Rule | Text |
|---|---|---|
| National Park Service areas (national parks, seashores, and monuments the NPS manages) Prohibited | Except as the chapter provides otherwise, possessing or using a metal detector is prohibited. Exceptions include a device broken down and stored or packed to prevent its use, and one used for authorized scientific, mining or administrative work. | 36 CFR 2.1(a)(7) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on ecfr.gov |
| National Forest System lands Digging or removal prohibited | Digging in, disturbing or removing any prehistoric, historic or archaeological resource is prohibited. | 36 CFR 261.9(g) and (h) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on ecfr.gov |
| U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes and projects Allowed with limits | Metal detectors are permitted on designated beaches or other previously disturbed areas unless the District Commander prohibits them to protect archaeological, historical or paleontological resources. The Manager's Office has the metal detector policy and designated use areas. | 36 CFR 327.14(d) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on ecfr.gov |
| Federal public lands and Indian lands Digging or removal prohibited | Excavating, removing, damaging or defacing an archaeological resource, or trying to, is prohibited without a permit or a listed exemption. A knowing violation is a federal crime. | 16 U.S.C. 470ee(a) and (d) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on law.cornell.edu |
| Federal public lands and Indian lands Definition | An item is an archaeological resource under ARPA only if it is at least 100 years old. | 16 U.S.C. 470bb(1); 43 CFR 7.3(a) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on law.cornell.edu |
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What stays with the land manager
WAC 352-32-235 covers state parks only. Other land in the state, such as city and county parks or private land, follows other rules. Ask the manager or the owner before you search.
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Questions
Answered from the texts on this page, read Oct. 16, 2026 to Oct. 17, 2026.
WAC 352-32-235 says only in posted areas of approved state parks and in approved campsites, during posted open daylight hours. Ask park staff about the posted areas when you register.
In the posted areas, it limits tools to ice picks, screwdrivers and probes up to 2 in wide. Sand scoops may be up to 6 by 8 in, with 1/2-in perforations, only on sand.
The rule says anything that is or appears to be of historical or archaeological significance stays where it was found. It is reported to park staff at once, and the area is closed.
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