Metal Detecting at Folly Beach
Charleston County · Lowcountry · City/County beach
Last verified:
The rules
No City of Folly Beach ordinance bans beach metal detecting, and detecting is done along the public strand. The City's beach rules require you to fill any holes before leaving and prohibit digging deeper than one foot (metal shovels are not allowed); stay off the protected dunes and sea oats under SC's Beachfront Management Act. The one off-limits spot is the CCPRC-managed Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve at the NE tip, where detectors are banned.
Permit: Not required
📞 Call ahead: 843-588-2447 (confirm the current rule before you go)
Why detect here
Wide Atlantic tourist beach near Charleston with heavy summer crowds - coins and jewelry in the wet and dry sand
Beach detecting here? You want a saltwater-capable machine and a long-handled sand scoop. The Nokta Legend 2 is the best value that handles wet salt sand. See the Nokta Legend 2 →
More spots nearby: Lowcountry & Charleston Coast · See the full South Carolina metal detecting laws · federal rules · which detector to buy
Source: City of Folly Beach - Beach Rules. Verify against the managing authority before detecting.