Metal Detecting on Georgia's Atlantic Coast & Golden Isles
20 locations · 1 allowed · 17 prohibited · 2 limited
Rules last verified: · Georgia statewide rules
Georgia has only about 100 miles of coast, and most of it is off-limits. Tybee Island, the public beach near Savannah, is the one clearly open spot — no ordinance bans detecting on the sand — and Savannah's newer city parks are fair game too, though the historic squares and Colonial Park Cemetery are not. Almost everything else is closed: Jekyll Island bans detectors islandwide, St. Simons (Glynn County) needs a dig permit, a chain of national wildlife refuges (Wassaw, Blackbeard, Harris Neck, Savannah) and the wild state islands (Cumberland, Sapelo, Ossabaw, Little Tybee) are off-limits, and the coast's forts and plantations — Fort Pulaski, Fort Frederica, Fort McAllister, Fort King George and Hofwyl-Broadfield — are protected historic ground. Stay off the dunes everywhere; Georgia's Shore Protection Act protects them. This is saltwater, so bring a multi-frequency machine.
Beaches and parks on the Atlantic Coast
- ✅ Tybee Island Allowed · Chatham County
No Tybee ordinance bans beach metal detecting; the beach chapter covers only swimming, litter, smoking and watercraft. Fill your holes and s… - 🔴 Jekyll Island Prohibited · Glynn County
The Jekyll Island Authority prohibits metal or mineral detectors islandwide, including every beach — its rules ban electronic devices used t… - 🟠 St. Simons Island — East Beach & Coast Guard Beach Limited · Glynn County
Glynn County's beach code doesn't ban detecting, but Sec. 2-11-3 makes it unlawful to dig, excavate or remove anything in a county park, his… - 🔴 Sea Island Prohibited · Glynn County
A private, gated resort island (Sea Island Company) with no public land access — detecting the dry beach needs company permission. Georgia's… - 🔴 Cumberland Island National Seashore Prohibited · Camden County
Federal NPS land — possessing or using a metal detector is prohibited (36 CFR 2.1(a)(7)). A national seashore with protected historic and ar… - 🔴 Fort Pulaski National Monument Prohibited · Chatham County
Federal NPS land — possessing or using a metal detector is prohibited (36 CFR 2.1(a)(7)); the Civil War fort and Cockspur Island grounds are… - 🔴 Fort Frederica National Monument Prohibited · Glynn County
Federal NPS land — possessing or using a metal detector is prohibited (36 CFR 2.1(a)(7)); the 1730s colonial fort and townsite on St. Simons… - 🔴 Sapelo Island Prohibited · McIntosh County
A DNR-managed barrier island and estuarine research reserve with protected archaeological and cultural sites; access is by reserved ferry on… - 🔴 Skidaway Island State Park Prohibited · Chatham County
Georgia State Parks rules (GAC 391-5-1-.04) prohibit possessing or using a metal detector in any state park. Skidaway is marsh and maritime … - 🔴 Little Tybee Island Prohibited · Chatham County
A State Heritage Preserve (Georgia's highest land protection) managed by DNR to protect natural and cultural resources; metal detecting is n… - 🔴 Fort McAllister State Park Prohibited · Bryan County
Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites rules prohibit metal detecting and even possessing a detector anywhere in the park; all natural and… - 🔴 Crooked River State Park Prohibited · Camden County
Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites rules prohibit metal detecting and even possessing a detector in any state park (OCGA 12-3-10(n), 1… - 🔴 Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation State Historic Site Prohibited · Glynn County
Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites rules prohibit metal detecting and possessing a detector on any state historic site (OCGA 12-3-10(n… - 🔴 Fort King George State Historic Site Prohibited · McIntosh County
Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites rules prohibit metal detecting and possessing a detector on any state historic site (OCGA 12-3-10(n… - 🔴 Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge Prohibited · Chatham County
On national wildlife refuge land, searching for buried treasure, coins or other valued objects is prohibited without a federal permit (50 CF… - 🔴 Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge Prohibited · McIntosh County
On this refuge, searching for buried treasure or objects is prohibited without a federal permit (50 CFR 27.63) and ground disturbance is bar… - 🔴 Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge Prohibited · McIntosh County
On national wildlife refuge land, searching for buried objects or treasure is prohibited without a federal permit (50 CFR 27.63) and digging… - 🔴 Savannah National Wildlife Refuge Prohibited · Chatham/Effingham (GA); Jasper (SC) County
On national wildlife refuge land, searching for buried treasure or objects is prohibited without a federal permit (50 CFR 27.63) and ground … - 🔴 Ossabaw Island Heritage Preserve Prohibited · Chatham County
Ossabaw is state-owned land designated a Georgia Heritage Preserve (the state's first, 1978, and its highest land protection), co-managed by… - 🟠 City of Savannah — public parks (Forsyth Park, River Street, squares) Limited · Chatham County
The City of Savannah Code has no metal-detecting ban, and its Parks and Playgrounds chapter (Sec. 4-4001 to 4-4004) covers only traffic, hou…
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Local metal detecting clubs · Atlantic Coast
- Coastal Empire History Hunters Association (CEHHA) Pooler / Savannah Civil War relic hunters covering coastal Georgia and the SC Lowcountry Facebook
Other Georgia regions
Metro Atlanta · North Georgia · South Georgia
See also: Georgia metal detecting laws · federal rules