Land rules
Metal detecting on the beach
It depends on who runs the beach. On land the National Park Service manages, national seashores included, possessing or using a metal detector is prohibited, with a few exceptions. On Corps of Engineers lakes, detectors are permitted on designated beaches unless the District Commander prohibits them.
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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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes and projects Finds turned in | Found items must be handled under 36 CFR 327.15 and 327.16, except non-identifiable items such as coins worth less than $25. | 36 CFR 327.14(d) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on ecfr.gov |
| 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 |
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Federal beaches and lakeshores
Two federal agencies have detector rules that reach beaches and shores. The National Park Service rule, 36 CFR 2.1(a)(7), bars detectors on the land it manages. Its exceptions are narrow. They include a device packed so it can't be used, and one used for authorized scientific, mining or administrative work.
The Corps of Engineers rule, 36 CFR 327.14(d), points the other way. It permits detectors on designated beaches or other previously disturbed areas, unless the District Commander prohibits them to protect archaeological, historical or paleontological resources. The project's Manager's Office holds the policy and the list of places.
The same rule covers what you find. Found items fall under 36 CFR 327.15 and 327.16, except coins worth less than $25 and other non-identifiable items.
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State beaches we read
This page covers 6 states whose texts name beaches or shores; park rules away from the shore are on our state park page. The Oregon and Ohio texts name the places where detecting is allowed. In Oregon, no written permit is needed in the areas on the "Detecting Allowed" list of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). In Ohio state parks, detecting is allowed on sand beaches and mowed areas, with listed exceptions.
Others add a step before you search. In Washington state parks, detecting is allowed only in posted areas of approved parks and in approved campsites, during posted open daylight hours. You register with park staff first, and the rule caps tool sizes. On Long Island, detecting needs a permit and stays in designated areas of listed parks, and beach dune areas are off limits.
In Virginia state parks, detectors may be used only on designated manmade beaches, with a special use permit. North Carolina is stricter. In its state parks, detectors are allowed only to find lost personal property, with a Special Use Permit. On its other beaches, local ordinances may govern metal detecting.
| Land | Rule | Text |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon ocean shore state recreation area Allowed with limits | Metal detecting needs no written permit in the areas on OPRD’s "Detecting Allowed" list. | OAR 736-021-0090(11) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on law.cornell.edu |
| Oregon ocean shore properties Permission required | Anywhere not on the "Detecting Allowed" list, a special use permit or the park manager’s written permission is required. | OAR 736-021-0100(4)(c) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on law.cornell.edu |
| Ohio state parks (Division of Parks and Watercraft) Allowed with limits | Metal detecting is allowed on sand beaches and mowed areas, except mowed areas of golf courses, rental facilities and campgrounds. | OAC 1501:46-7-08 (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on law.cornell.edu |
| 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 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 |
| New York, Long Island state parks Permit required | Metal detecting is allowed by permit only, in designated areas of listed parks. Jones Beach, Sunken Meadow, Hither Hills, Montauk Point, Napeague, Orient Beach, Valley Stream and Wildwood are among them. | NYS Parks, Long Island Region Metal Detecting Permit Guide (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on parks.ny.gov |
| New York, Long Island state parks Prohibited | Beach dune areas, golf courses, driving ranges, residences and landscaped areas are off limits. Detecting must not interfere with wildlife and piping plover nesting areas. | NYS Parks, Long Island Region Metal Detecting Permit Guide (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on parks.ny.gov |
| Virginia state parks Permit required | Metal detectors may be used only on designated manmade beaches, and only with a DCR special use permit obtained from the park's manager. | Virginia State Parks rule, quoted by DHR (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 17, 2026 on dhr.virginia.gov |
| North Carolina state parks Prohibited | Metal detectors are not allowed in any state park area. The one exception is finding lost personal property, with a Special Use Permit from the park superintendent or a designee. | NC DEQ, Metal Detectors page (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on deq.nc.gov |
| North Carolina beaches outside state parks Local rules | Local ordinances may govern metal detecting on beaches that are not state parks; NC DEQ says to contact the beach town. | NC DEQ, Metal Detectors page (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on deq.nc.gov |
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Shipwrecks and old finds
Shipwrecks are a separate matter. Under the Abandoned Shipwreck Act, the United States asserts title to certain abandoned shipwrecks and transfers it to the state whose submerged lands hold them.
State rules we read also protect the past. On the Oregon shore, digging up or removing sand, soil, rock, historical or fossil materials needs the department's written permission. Narrow tribal and personal-use exceptions apply. Our rules overview covers other kinds of land.
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Questions
Answered from the texts on this page, read Oct. 16, 2026.
National seashores are National Park Service areas, where 36 CFR 2.1(a)(7) prohibits possessing or using a metal detector, with narrow exceptions. Ask the park before you bring one.
The texts differ. Long Island state parks require a $40 yearly permit; Oregon's parks department lists areas where no written permit is needed. Ask the park that runs the beach.
The texts we cite set limits on what you take home. On Corps of Engineers lakes, found items fall under 36 CFR 327.15 and 327.16, except coins worth less than $25 and other non-identifiable items. On Long Island, items worth more than $20 and any archaeological artifact go to Park Police.
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