Here is a collection of State Regulations that we have put together for ease of reference and use. FMDAC will strive to keep it current. However, FMDAC asks for and needs your help in this endeavor. The information was compiled from state regulations and state park department contacts. If the regulations in your state changes and you do not see the change here, please contact Mark Schuessler, FMDAC Alliance Liaison. *(E-mail)
FMDAC recommends that you check with the specific park service you are going to visit in order to be certain of their park regulations. Every state has limitations within parks and some state parks are off limits. Some of the information encountered and the replies from various states were a bit vague and open to interpretation so to be safe check with a state park representative before your visit.
If it is a historical park in any sense of the word then consider it off limits.
Most states may require a permit. Check with the state parks department or the park where you intend to visit prior to your planned hunt. Some permits may be available at the park office while others may have to be issued by a regional or state office. A few states charge a fee for the permits.
The information below gives a basic outline. Click on the state name and you will get whatever additional information is available. It may be the actual regulations or the reply received from the State Parks office.
If you find in actual practice or from your own experience that the information here is not correct please let us know. In many cases the regulations indicate that it is up to the park manager. If none of the park managers in a specific state or area will allow metal detecting then FMDAC would like to know.
DISCLAIMER: FMDAC assumes no responsibility for any person who knowingly or accidentally violates any state park regulation. Although FMDAC will try to keep this information current we cannot anticipate how each regulation will be interpreted by a specific park department, park employee or other government employee. It is the sole responsibility of each individual to know and obey the regulations of the park or area they are visiting and or metal detecting.
Please pick a State from the list to the right to view if metal detecting is allowed: (see disclaimer above).
They were last verified in Oct 2021