Where can you legally metal detect?
Verified rules, permits, and call-ahead numbers — location by location. 4 states, 238 spots so far.
Shopping for gear? Metal detectors & accessories by budget →
Florida metal detecting laws →
Browse Florida by region
- Panhandle & Emerald Coast 14 spots · 4 allowed
- First Coast (Jacksonville to St. Augustine) 13 spots · 3 allowed
- Daytona & the Space Coast 8 spots · 6 allowed
- Treasure Coast (1715 Fleet beaches) 7 spots · 3 allowed
- South Florida & the Keys 17 spots · 3 allowed
- Gulf Coast (Naples to Crystal River) 21 spots · 5 allowed
- Central Florida (inland parks) 2 spots · 0 allowed
Every Florida location
Panhandle & Emerald Coast
- 🟠 Panama City Beach Limited
- 🟠 Destin & South Walton Limited
- ✅ Emerald Coast (Fort Walton area) Allowed
- ✅ Pensacola Beach Allowed
- 🔴 Gulf Islands National Seashore Prohibited
- 🟠 Perdido Key (Escambia County beaches) Limited
- ✅ Navarre Beach Allowed
- 🟠 Henderson Beach State Park Limited
- 🟠 Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Limited
- 🟠 Grayton Beach State Park Limited
- 🟠 St. Andrews State Park Limited
- ✅ Mexico Beach Allowed
- 🟠 St. Joseph Peninsula State Park (Cape San Blas) Limited
- 🟠 St. George Island State Park & Franklin County beaches Limited
First Coast (Jacksonville to St. Augustine)
- ✅ Amelia Island Allowed
- ✅ Jacksonville Beach & Atlantic Beach Allowed
- ✅ St. Augustine & Ponte Vedra Beaches Allowed
- 🟠 Anastasia State Park Limited
- 🔴 Fort Matanzas National Monument Prohibited
- 🟠 Flagler County Beaches Limited
- 🟠 Fort Clinch State Park Limited
- 🟠 Little Talbot Island State Park Limited
- 🟠 Huguenot Memorial Park Limited
- 🟠 Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park Limited
- 🔴 GTM Research Reserve (Guana beaches) Prohibited
- 🟠 City of Jacksonville (Duval) inland city parks Limited
- 🟠 Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area (Flagler Beach) Limited
Daytona & the Space Coast
- ✅ Daytona Beach Allowed
- ✅ New Smyrna Beach Allowed
- 🔴 Canaveral National Seashore Prohibited
- ✅ Cocoa Beach Allowed
- ✅ Melbourne Beach Allowed
- ✅ Ormond Beach Allowed
- 🔴 Volusia County parks (county park system) Prohibited
- ✅ Satellite Beach & Indialantic (Brevard County beaches) Allowed
Treasure Coast (1715 Fleet beaches)
- 🟠 Sebastian Inlet State Park Limited
- 🟠 Wabasso Beach Limited
- ✅ Vero Beach Allowed
- ✅ Fort Pierce Beaches Allowed
- ✅ Stuart & Martin County Beaches Allowed
- 🟠 Fort Pierce Inlet State Park Limited
- 🟠 Hutchinson Island — St. Lucie County beach parks (Walton Rocks, Frederick Douglass, Waveland, Pepper Park) Limited
South Florida & the Keys
- ✅ Palm Beach County Beaches Allowed
- 🟠 Fort Lauderdale / Broward County Parks Limited
- 🟠 Miami Beach / Greater Miami Limited
- 🔴 Everglades National Park Prohibited
- 🟠 Florida Keys Limited
- 🟠 Jupiter Beach, Juno Beach & Carlin Park (Palm Beach County parks) Limited
- 🟠 John D. MacArthur Beach State Park Limited
- 🟠 Hugh Taylor Birch State Park Limited
- 🟠 Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Limited
- 🟠 Boca Raton city beaches (Spanish River, Red Reef, South Beach Park) Limited
- ✅ Delray Beach Municipal Beach Allowed
- ✅ Hollywood Beach Allowed
- 🟡 Haulover Park Permit required
- 🟠 Bahia Honda State Park Limited
- 🟠 Key West city beaches (Smathers Beach) Limited
- 🔴 Dry Tortugas National Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Biscayne National Park Prohibited
Gulf Coast (Naples to Crystal River)
- ✅ Naples & Marco Island Allowed
- 🟠 Fort Myers / Lee County Beaches Limited
- ✅ Englewood Beach Allowed
- 🟠 Sarasota County Beaches Limited
- 🟠 Anna Maria Island / Bradenton Limited
- ✅ Clearwater Beach Allowed
- ✅ St. Petersburg Beaches Allowed
- ✅ Crystal River Allowed
- 🟠 Fort De Soto Park Limited
- 🔴 Pinellas County parks (inland parks & preserves) Prohibited
- 🟠 Honeymoon Island State Park Limited
- 🟠 Caladesi Island State Park Limited
- 🟠 Hillsborough County parks (county system) Limited
- 🔴 City of Tampa parks & Ben T. Davis Beach Prohibited
- 🟠 Lovers Key State Park Limited
- 🟠 Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park Limited
- 🟠 Cayo Costa State Park Limited
- 🟠 Gasparilla Island State Park (Boca Grande) Limited
- 🟠 Venice Beach & Caspersen Beach Limited
- 🟠 Sanibel Island city beaches Limited
- 🟠 Cedar Key Limited
Central Florida (inland parks)
- 🟡 Ocala / Marion County Permit required
- 🟡 Orange County (Orlando area) Permit required
Georgia metal detecting laws →
Browse Georgia by region
- Atlantic Coast & Golden Isles 20 spots · 1 allowed
- Metro Atlanta 21 spots · 0 allowed
- North Georgia Mountains (Gold Country) 20 spots · 0 allowed
- Middle & South Georgia 16 spots · 0 allowed
Every Georgia location
Atlantic Coast & Golden Isles
- ✅ Tybee Island Allowed
- 🔴 Jekyll Island Prohibited
- 🟠 St. Simons Island — East Beach & Coast Guard Beach Limited
- 🔴 Sea Island Prohibited
- 🔴 Cumberland Island National Seashore Prohibited
- 🔴 Fort Pulaski National Monument Prohibited
- 🔴 Fort Frederica National Monument Prohibited
- 🔴 Sapelo Island Prohibited
- 🔴 Skidaway Island State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Little Tybee Island Prohibited
- 🔴 Fort McAllister State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Crooked River State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation State Historic Site Prohibited
- 🔴 Fort King George State Historic Site Prohibited
- 🔴 Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge Prohibited
- 🔴 Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge Prohibited
- 🔴 Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge Prohibited
- 🔴 Savannah National Wildlife Refuge Prohibited
- 🔴 Ossabaw Island Heritage Preserve Prohibited
- 🟠 City of Savannah — public parks (Forsyth Park, River Street, squares) Limited
Metro Atlanta
- 🔴 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Prohibited
- 🔴 Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park Prohibited
- 🟠 Lake Sidney Lanier (USACE) Limited
- 🟠 Lake Allatoona (USACE) Limited
- 🔴 Sweetwater Creek State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Red Top Mountain State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Stone Mountain Park Prohibited
- 🟠 Fulton County parks Limited
- 🟠 Cobb County parks Limited
- 🟠 Gwinnett County parks Limited
- 🔴 Panola Mountain State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Chattahoochee Bend State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Fort Yargo State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Hard Labor Creek State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 DeKalb County parks Prohibited
- 🟠 City of Atlanta parks Limited
- 🟠 Clayton County parks Limited
- 🟡 Cherokee County parks Permit required
- 🔴 Forsyth County parks Prohibited
- 🔴 Henry County parks Prohibited
- 🟠 Douglas County parks Limited
North Georgia Mountains (Gold Country)
- 🟠 Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Limited
- 🟠 Dahlonega Gold Mines (Consolidated & Crisson) Limited
- 🔴 Vogel State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Unicoi State Park & Lodge Prohibited
- 🔴 Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge Prohibited
- 🔴 Tallulah Gorge State Park Prohibited
- 🟠 Lake Hartwell (USACE) Limited
- 🔴 Georgia Wildlife Management Areas (DNR) Prohibited
- 🔴 Black Rock Mountain State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Moccasin Creek State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Fort Mountain State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Cloudland Canyon State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Smithgall Woods State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Tugaloo State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Victoria Bryant State Park Prohibited
- 🟠 Carters Lake (USACE) Limited
- 🔴 Lake Blue Ridge (TVA) Prohibited
- 🔴 Lake Chatuge (TVA) Prohibited
- 🔴 Lake Nottely (TVA) Prohibited
- 🔴 Chattooga Wild & Scenic River Corridor (USFS) Prohibited
Middle & South Georgia
- 🟠 West Point Lake (USACE) Limited
- 🟠 Walter F. George Lake / Lake Eufaula (USACE) Limited
- 🔴 Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Andersonville National Historic Site Prohibited
- 🔴 Providence Canyon State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Georgia Veterans State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 High Falls State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Stephen C. Foster State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Laura S. Walker State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Reed Bingham State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Jarrell Plantation State Historic Site Prohibited
- 🔴 Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Prohibited
- 🟠 Lake Seminole (USACE) Limited
- 🟠 Lake Blackshear (Crisp County Power Commission) Limited
- 🟠 Lake Sinclair (Georgia Power) Limited
- 🟠 Lake Oconee (Georgia Power) Limited
South Carolina metal detecting laws →
Browse South Carolina by region
- Grand Strand (Myrtle Beach) 9 spots · 7 allowed
- Lowcountry & Charleston Coast 14 spots · 6 allowed
- Midlands, Lakes & Rivers 12 spots · 0 allowed
- Upstate & the Mountain Lakes 15 spots · 0 allowed
Every South Carolina location
Grand Strand (Myrtle Beach)
- ✅ Myrtle Beach (City Beach) Allowed
- ✅ North Myrtle Beach (City Beach) Allowed
- ✅ Surfside Beach Allowed
- ✅ Garden City Beach Allowed
- ✅ Horry County Unincorporated Beaches (Arcadian Shores / south of Springmaid) Allowed
- 🟡 Myrtle Beach State Park Permit required
- 🟡 Huntington Beach State Park Permit required
- ✅ Pawleys Island Allowed
- ✅ Litchfield Beach Allowed
Lowcountry & Charleston Coast
- ✅ Folly Beach Allowed
- ✅ Isle of Palms Allowed
- ✅ Sullivan's Island Allowed
- ✅ Kiawah Island - Beachwalker County Park Allowed
- 🔴 Seabrook Island Prohibited
- ✅ Edisto Beach (Town) Allowed
- 🟡 Edisto Beach State Park Permit required
- 🟡 Hunting Island State Park Permit required
- ✅ Hilton Head Island Allowed
- 🔴 Fort Sumter & Fort Moultrie National Historical Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Charles Pinckney National Historic Site Prohibited
- 🔴 Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve / WMA Prohibited
- 🔴 Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve (Folly Island NE end) Prohibited
- 🔴 Fripp Island Prohibited
Midlands, Lakes & Rivers
- 🟡 Cooper River (SCIAA Hobby Diver License) Permit required
- 🟡 Lake Marion (Santee Cooper) Permit required
- 🟡 Lake Moultrie (Santee Cooper) Permit required
- 🟡 Santee State Park Permit required
- 🟠 J. Strom Thurmond Lake (Clarks Hill) Limited
- 🟠 Lake Murray (Dominion Energy) Limited
- 🟡 Dreher Island State Park Permit required
- 🔴 Congaree National Park Prohibited
- 🟡 Sesquicentennial State Park Permit required
- 🟡 Poinsett State Park Permit required
- 🟡 Lake Wateree State Park Permit required
- 🟠 Columbia City Parks (incl. Riverfront/Canal Park) Limited
Upstate & the Mountain Lakes
- 🔴 Kings Mountain National Military Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Cowpens National Battlefield Prohibited
- 🔴 Ninety Six National Historic Site Prohibited
- 🟠 Lake Hartwell (USACE) Limited
- 🟠 Lake Russell (Richard B. Russell) Limited
- 🟠 Lake Keowee Limited
- 🟡 Lake Hartwell State Park Permit required
- 🟡 Sadlers Creek State Park Permit required
- 🟡 Devils Fork State Park (Lake Jocassee) Permit required
- 🟡 Table Rock State Park Permit required
- 🟡 Paris Mountain State Park Permit required
- 🟡 Kings Mountain State Park Permit required
- 🟡 Caesars Head & Jones Gap State Parks (Mountain Bridge Wilderness) Permit required
- 🟠 Greenville County Parks Limited
- 🟠 Spartanburg County Parks Limited
North Carolina metal detecting laws →
Browse North Carolina by region
- Outer Banks (Corolla to Ocracoke) 9 spots · 5 allowed
- Crystal Coast (Bogue Banks) 6 spots · 4 allowed
- Cape Fear & Topsail Island 8 spots · 6 allowed
- Brunswick Islands 6 spots · 6 allowed
Every North Carolina location
Outer Banks (Corolla to Ocracoke)
- 🔴 Cape Hatteras National Seashore Prohibited
- 🔴 Ocracoke (Cape Hatteras National Seashore) Prohibited
- ✅ Nags Head Allowed
- 🔴 Jockey's Ridge State Park Prohibited
- ✅ Corolla Allowed
- ✅ Kill Devil Hills Allowed
- ✅ Duck Allowed
- 🟠 Kitty Hawk Limited
- ✅ Southern Shores Allowed
Crystal Coast (Bogue Banks)
- 🔴 Fort Macon State Park Prohibited
- 🔴 Cape Lookout National Seashore Prohibited
- ✅ Emerald Isle Allowed
- ✅ Atlantic Beach Allowed
- ✅ Pine Knoll Shores Allowed
- ✅ Indian Beach Allowed
Cape Fear & Topsail Island
- 🔴 Fort Fisher State Recreation Area Prohibited
- 🔴 Fort Fisher State Historic Site Prohibited
- ✅ Wrightsville Beach Allowed
- ✅ Carolina Beach Allowed
- ✅ Kure Beach Allowed
- ✅ Topsail Beach Allowed
- ✅ Surf City Allowed
- ✅ North Topsail Beach Allowed
Brunswick Islands
- ✅ Oak Island Allowed
- ✅ Holden Beach Allowed
- ✅ Ocean Isle Beach Allowed
- ✅ Sunset Beach Allowed
- ✅ Bald Head Island Allowed
- ✅ Caswell Beach Allowed