Metal Detecting In Arizona?
You Should Know The Law

Be aware when metal detecting in Arizona, or treasure hunting, you need to understand the laws that govern the hobby.

You can learn how to prepare yourself by paying attention to this page. I have a lot of information pertaining to the laws.

Where most people get into to trouble is when they venture onto state or federal lands to metal detect.

In the past a few individuals have knowingly gone onto State lands to dig, and were caught. What happens is that a few individuals put a black eye on the hobby for the rest of us.

On this page are stories of what has happened to others who do not follow the law.

The Arizona laws follow the laws of ARPA.

ARPA (Archaeological Resources Preservation Act.

Metal Detecting in Arizona
What Not to Dig

B. RULES IMPLEMENTING A.R.S. ' 15-1631 AND 41-841, ET SEQ.

THE ARIZONA ANTIQUITIES ACT
8-201 General
A. Definitions
The following definitions shall apply in this Chapter unless the context
requires otherwise:
1. "Affinity" means the condition of relationship established through
membership in a common cultural group.
2. "Applicant" means an institution, organization or corporation
organized for scientific, research, or land-use planning purposes
that seeks to obtain a permit.
3. "Archaeological site" means any area with material remains of past
Indian or non-Indian life or activities that are of archaeological
interest, including without limitation, historic or prehistoric ruins,
burial grounds, and inscriptions made by human agency.
4. "Archaeological specimen" is defined in A.R.S. '41-841.
5. "Collect" means to remove an object from its location without
disturbing the ground at or around that location.
6. "Collection survey" means a survey that may, but need not, involve
the actual collection of archaeological or paleontological
specimens.
7. "Director" means the Director of the Arizona State Museum or an
official designee of the Director.
8. "Excavate" means to effect any disturbance of the ground, including
movement of earn or stone.

Policy Number: 8-201
y Name: Rules Implementing A.R.S. '15-1631 and '41-
841, et seq., The Arizona Antiquities Act -

Metal Detecting In Arizona? The Laws Apply To You As Well

General
Policy Revision Dates: 6/91
Page 2
Rev. 5/00
9. "Excavation" means a field activity involving ground disturbance for
the purpose of intensive examination of subsurface remains,
including testing for the purpose of site evaluation.
10. "Explore" means to pursue any activity with the purpose of locating,
recording, or investigating any archaeological or paleontological
site.
11. "Kinship" means the condition of relationship by traceable descent
from a common ancestor.
12. "Lands owned or controlled by the State" means lands owned or
controlled by the State of Arizona or by any agency, instrumentality,
or political subdivision of the State of Arizona, including any county
or municipal corporation.
13. "Non-collection survey" means a survey that does not include the
collection of archaeological or paleontological specimens.
14. "Paleontological site" means any area in which paleontological
specimens are found.
15. "Paleontological specimen" means a fossilized plant or animal or
fossilized evidence of a plant or animal, such as a footprint.
16. "Permit" means an Arizona Antiquities Act Permit for Archaeological
or Paleontological Investigations on Lands Owned or Controlled by
the State as required by A.R.S. '41-841.
17. "Permittee" means an institution, organization, or corporation to
which a permit is issued.
18. "Preservation" means permanent protection from disturbance of an
archaeological or paleontological site in situ, of scientific data
recovery to preserve the information and specimens contained in
the site.

Metal Detecting In Arizona Is Permitted In Certain Areas

Policy Number: 8-201
y Name: Rules Implementing A.R.S. '15-1631 and '41-
841, et seq., The Arizona Antiquities Act -
General
Policy Revision Dates: 6/91
Page 3
Rev. 5/00
19. "Principal investigator" means the person with overall administrative
responsibility for a project.
20. "Project director" means the person immediately in charge of
directing all phases of a project.
21. "Public repository" or "repository" means an institution that
permanently houses an provides curatorial services for scientific or
historical collections and records for the benefit of the public.
22. "Survey" means an activity with the purpose of locating, identifying,
and evaluating archaeological or paleontological sites without
causing any disturbance of the ground.

B. General Coverage
1. The Rules and Regulations set forth in this Section shall be
applicable to all persons, institutions, organizations, or corporations
who seek to undertake those activities set forth in A.R.S. '41-841.
2. No person, institution, organization, or corporation shall undertake
any activity proscribed in A.R.S. '41-841 until a permit is first
secured from the Director of the Arizona State Museum.

I cannot be responsible for any outdated laws from the time of this posting. Metal detecting in Arizona can be a lot of fun. However, you need to be careful, and understand the laws.

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Are You Looking For A Metal Detector Or Accessories?

Did you know there are ghost towns in the East?

Metal detecting in Arizona ghost towns is different than searching in the old eastern towns.

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