Metal detecting rules UK
Updated: October 2026
Metal detecting rules UK still start with permission, and a short probe does not make the hole a private matter. A pinpointer counts as a metal detector where the law talks about using one. If you are about to dig in England, Wales, Scotland, or on a beach, the tool changes nothing about who owns the land, what a scheduled monument is, or how fast possible treasure must be reported. This page names the statutes. It is not a ranking of wands. The [pinpointer comparison](/hub/measuring-equipment/pinpointer) is the product page. How you search a plug you are allowed to cut is on the [how to use a pinpointer](/hub/measuring-equipment/pinpointer/sub/pinpointer-how-to-use) page.
Metal detecting rules UK still start with permission, and a short probe does not make the hole a private matter. A pinpointer counts as a metal detector where the law talks about using one.
Metal detecting rules UK still start with permission, and a short probe does not make the hole a private matter. A pinpointer counts as a metal detector where the law talks about using one. If you are about to dig in England, Wales, Scotland, or on a beach, the tool changes nothing about who owns the land, what a scheduled monument is, or how fast possible treasure must be reported. This page names the statutes. It is not a ranking of wands. The pinpointer comparison is the product page. How you search a plug you are allowed to cut is on the how to use a pinpointer page.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Scheduled monument | Treasure, England | Scotland report | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  DR.ÖTEK DR.ÖTEK MT6 pinpointer | Written consent | 14 days | One month | 9.4 | about £42.59 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Minelab Minelab PRO-FIND 40 | Written consent | 14 days | One month | 6.5 | about £139 | View offer |
| Preis-Tipp |  SUNPOW SUNPOW OT-MD12 pinpointer | Written consent | 14 days | One month | 8.7 | about £22.77 | View offer |
On this page
Permission is not optional because the tool is small
In England and Wales the 2017 Code of Practice asks for permission from the landowner and the occupier, including parks and foreshore. A public field still has an owner. Finds normally belong to the landowner unless you have agreed something else. The code points you to a Finds Liaison Officer for archaeological finds, and to the police on 101 for human remains. Reporting finds that are not treasure is encouraged through the Portable Antiquities Scheme. That is not the treasure duty.
Fourteen days, and what treasure can mean
Section 8 of the Treasure Act 1996 says you must notify the coroner within 14 days of the day you have reason to believe an object is treasure. In England, GOV.UK routes that through a Finds Liaison Officer. In Wales it goes through the Treasure Registry. Do not wait until you have cleaned the object or priced it. The coroner decides what counts, not a forum and not this page. From 30 July 2023 a metal object at least 200 years old can be treasure under a significance test. The Portable Antiquities Scheme summary is the public list of classes. If you are unsure, report.
Scheduled monuments
Detecting on a scheduled monument without written consent is an offence, and a pinpointer is a metal detector for that purpose. In England, section 42 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 is the provision Historic England explains. Consent is exceptional, and it is not for rallies. In Wales the parallel consent is section 60 of the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023. Cadw states that metal detecting on a scheduled monument needs that consent. The section numbers differ. The plan is the same: no detecting, and no pinpointing, unless the written consent is already in your pocket.
Scotland, foreshore, and wreck
You report archaeological objects in Scotland to the Treasure Trove Unit within one month, not 14 days, and the duty is not limited to precious metal. Scheduled monuments there need Historic Environment Scotland. The Crown Estate allows detecting on its foreshore in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on its published terms. That is not the seabed, not every beach, and not the Thames, which needs a Port of London Authority permit. Crown Estate Scotland does not require a Crown foreshore permit. Wreck goes to the Receiver of Wreck within 28 days. Northern Ireland's treasure rules differ from England's. Suspected ordnance or human remains: stop and call 101. Peter F. set this out on 16 October 2026. It is not legal advice. A qualifying purchase on the comparison can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Common questions
Do I need permission on a public field or beach?
Yes, unless a specific body has already published permission that covers that ground, and you are inside its terms. In England and Wales the Code of Practice expects permission from the landowner and the occupier, including on parks and foreshore. Public describes access, not ownership. A council park, a farm track, and a beach can each have a different owner. Ask before you cut a plug.
Does a pinpointer count as a metal detector on a scheduled monument?
Yes. Section 42 in England and section 60 in Wales are about using a metal detector on a scheduled monument without written consent. A handheld probe is a metal detector for that purpose. The offence does not start only when the machine has a large coil. Consent, where it is granted at all, is written and arranged in advance. Historic England describes it as exceptional.
How many days do I have to report possible treasure in England?
Fourteen days from the day you have reason to believe the object is treasure, under section 8 of the Treasure Act 1996. GOV.UK tells you to report through the Finds Liaison Officer in England, and through the Treasure Registry in Wales. Do not clean the find while you decide whether it is good enough. If you are unsure, the safer reading of the duty is to notify.
What changed in 2023?
From 30 July 2023, a metal object at least 200 years old can be treasure if it meets a significance test. The coroner decides significance. The Portable Antiquities Scheme summary is the public explanation of the classes. This page does not restate every class, and it does not tell you that your object passes or fails. Other archaeological finds that are not treasure are still encouraged through the Scheme.
What do I do in Scotland, and is 14 days the right clock?
Use one month, and use the Treasure Trove Unit, not the English Finds Liaison Officer route. Report portable antiquities, including objects that are not precious metal. Do not clean them, and do not export them without Treasure Trove permission. Scheduled sites need Historic Environment Scotland's permission. The English 14-day sentence is the wrong clock.
Can I detect on Crown Estate foreshore without writing to them?
On the Crown Estate's own foreshore in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, their page allows detecting without a formal consent from them, subject to their conditions and to the Treasure Act. That is not the seabed, not the Thames, and not a permit for every beach in Britain. Crown Estate Scotland does not ask for a Crown foreshore permit. You still need any other permission the site requires, and you still report finds.
What if the object might be ordnance or a burial?
Stop. Call the police on 101. Do not dig further, do not put the object in your bag, and do not rinse it in the sea to see the marks. Human remains are also a police matter under the detecting code. A pinpointer does not help you identify a bomb, and it does not authorise you to finish the hole. Leave the location as you found it and wait for instructions.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources on treasure, scheduled monuments, the 2017 Code of Practice, Minelab's PRO-FIND 40 page and ingress protection, plus the amazon.co.uk listings for the eleven ASINs. Listings checked 16 October 2026. Prices move.
- Treasure Act 1996, section 8 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, Report treasure (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Portable Antiquities Scheme, treasure summary (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Code of Practice for Responsible Metal Detecting in England and Wales (2017) (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, section 42 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Historic England, section 42 consent (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Minelab UK, PRO-FIND 40 tech specs (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Nemko, ingress protection and IEC 60529 (retrieved 16 October 2026)