Metal Detecting on Florida's Gulf Coast (Naples to Crystal River)

21 locations · 6 allowed · 13 limited · 2 prohibited

Rules last verified: 2026-08-13 · Florida statewide rules

Naples, Fort Myers, Englewood, Sarasota, Siesta Key, Anna Maria, Clearwater, St. Petersburg and up to Crystal River: calm Gulf water, shelling beaches, and mostly allowed public sand — with real local exceptions. City of Tampa bans detectors on all its park land (including Ben T. Davis Beach), Pinellas County bans them in county parks except on the beach (so Fort De Soto's sand is fine, the rest isn't), Venice/Sarasota and Anna Maria Island have no-digging ordinances, and the coastal state parks (Honeymoon Island, Caladesi, Lovers Key, Delnor-Wiggins, Cayo Costa, Gasparilla) are designated-zone-only. Shallow, gentle surf makes wading-depth detecting popular here — remember that disturbing the bottom below the mean high-water line is illegal in Florida.

Beaches and parks on the Gulf Coast

✅ Naples & Marco Island Allowed · Collier County
Beach parks only — NOT inland parks; follow good etiquette
✅ Fort Myers / Lee County Beaches Allowed · Lee County
Public beaches; fill holes
✅ Englewood Beach Allowed · Charlotte County
Public beach; standard etiquette
🟠 Sarasota County Beaches Limited · Sarasota County
No metal-detector ban, but Sarasota County Code Sec. 90-33(16) prohibits digging in or removing sand, soil, fossils or artifacts on county b…
🟠 Anna Maria Island / Bradenton Limited · Manatee County
County ordinances prohibit digging/removal; generally tolerated with good etiquette — verify
✅ Clearwater Beach Allowed · Pinellas County
Public beaches; Pinellas County bans detecting in county parks EXCEPT the beach
✅ St. Petersburg Beaches Allowed · Pinellas County
Beach only — no detecting off the beach
✅ Crystal River Allowed · Citrus County
No permit; don't leave holes
🟠 Fort De Soto Park Limited · Pinellas County
Pinellas County Code Sec. 90-7(p): metal detectors are prohibited in county parks EXCEPT on beaches in parks — so Fort De Soto's North and E…
🔴 Pinellas County parks (inland parks & preserves) Prohibited · Pinellas County
Pinellas County Code Sec. 90-7(p): use of metal detectors is prohibited on county-owned or managed land except on beaches in parks. Sec. 90-…
🟠 Honeymoon Island State Park Limited · Pinellas County
State-park rule: detecting only in park-manager-designated beach zones between toe of dune and high-water line, never submerged; anything 50…
🟠 Caladesi Island State Park Limited · Pinellas County
State-park rule: detecting only in park-manager-designated beach zones between toe of dune and high-water line, never submerged; 50+ year-ol…
🟠 Hillsborough County parks (county system) Limited · Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County Code Ch. 38 has no metal-detector rule, but Sec. 38-23(3) bans digging in or disturbing grass areas and protects plants …
🔴 City of Tampa parks & Ben T. Davis Beach Prohibited · Hillsborough County
Tampa City Code Sec. 16-43(i): no person shall engage or possess a metal detector upon any department-managed land. Ben T. Davis, Picnic Isl…
🟠 Lovers Key State Park Limited · Lee County
State-park rule: detecting only in park-manager-designated beach zones between toe of dune and high-water line, never submerged; 50+ year-ol…
🟠 Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park Limited · Collier County
State-park rule: detecting only in park-manager-designated beach zones between toe of dune and high-water line, never submerged; 50+ year-ol…
🟠 Cayo Costa State Park Limited · Lee County
State-park rule: detecting only in park-manager-designated beach zones between toe of dune and high-water line, never submerged; 50+ year-ol…
🟠 Gasparilla Island State Park (Boca Grande) Limited · Lee County
State-park rule: detecting only in park-manager-designated beach zones between toe of dune and high-water line, never submerged; 50+ year-ol…
🟠 Venice Beach & Caspersen Beach Limited · Sarasota County
Neither Venice nor Sarasota County code mentions metal detectors, but both ban digging or removing sand, soil, fossils or artifacts (Venice …
🟠 Sanibel Island city beaches Limited · Lee County
No metal-detecting rule in the Sanibel Code or on the city's beach-rules pages; actual rules are posted on 'Cooperation Station' signboards …
🟠 Cedar Key Limited · Levy County
No metal-detecting or digging rule appears in the Laws of Cedar Key or Levy County Code Ch. 62 (county park rules are set by resolution and …

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