Metal Detecting in Minnesota

1. The rule, in full

Minnesota – Minn. R. 6100.0900, subp. 2(F)

Read from Minnesota Rules published by the Revisor of Statutes (revisor.mn.gov, "Official Publication of the State of Minnesota"), part 6100.0900, history 14 SR 2497; 24 SR 208. Checked 21 Sep 2026.

Operative text, 6100.0900, subp. 2(F):

"Except for scientific research conducted under special permit from the commissioner and with a field archaeology license issued by the state archaeologist, the use of metal detectors in state parks is permitted only for locating specifically identified items of lost personal property. Metal detectors may be used only with prior written permission from the park manager and under the supervision of the park manager."

Scope, 6100.0300:

"Unless stated otherwise, parts 6100.0100 to 6100.2400 apply to all state parks and forest lands under the control of or operated by the commissioner of natural resources."

Determination: DNR state parks only. Does NOT reach municipal parks. Subpart 2 is headed "State parks", and item F speaks only of state parks, so the rule does not extend to DNR forest lands either.

Recreational detecting has no route at all in a Minnesota state park. The only uses are research under permit plus a field archaeology licence, and a lost-property search with the manager's prior written permission and supervision.

The Minnesota result is not "state land only". The Field Archaeology Act reaches archaeological sites owned by a county, township or municipality. See the political-subdivision entry. The statute pass recorded Minnesota as state parks only; that was the park rule, and the Act was never read.

Sources: revisor.mn.gov rules 6100.0100, 6100.0200, 6100.0300, 6100.0900. Checked 21 Sep 2026.

2. Where it reaches city and county land

Minnesota – Minn. Stat. 138.31 to 138.42 (Field Archaeology Act)

Read from the 2025 Minnesota Statutes published by the Revisor of Statutes (revisor.mn.gov), sections 138.31, 138.32, 138.33, 138.35, 138.36, 138.40 and 138.41. Checked 21 Sep 2026.

Operative text, 138.33:

"No person, including state or other public employees other than the state archaeologist and individuals duly licensed by the director of the Minnesota Historical Society shall engage in any field archaeology on any state site."

Definition, 138.31 subd. 7:

"'Field archaeology' means the study of the traces of human culture at any land or water site by means of surveying, digging, sampling, excavating, or removing objects, or going on a site with that intent."

Scope: reaches municipal land, but only archaeological sites on it. 138.31 subd. 14:

"'State site' or 'state archaeological site' means a land or water area, owned or leased by or subject to the paramount right of the state, county, township, or municipality where there are objects or other evidence of archaeological interest. This term includes all aboriginal mounds and earthworks, ancient burial grounds, prehistoric ruins, historical remains, and other archaeological features on state land or on land subject to the paramount rights of the state. Historical remains do not include bottles or ceramics manufactured after 1875."

Despite its name, a "state site" includes an archaeological site owned by a county, township or city. An ordinary city park that holds no evidence of archaeological interest is not a site and is not reached.

Same instrument as Wisconsin, with the Massachusetts intent clause. Minnesota's definition of field archaeology is Wisconsin's 44.47(1)(d) with one clause added: "or going on a site with that intent". That clause is in the Massachusetts definition too (950 CMR 70.04, "or the entrance onto a site with that intent"). So Minnesota sits on the activity axis with Wisconsin and Massachusetts, reaches land like Wisconsin (archaeological sites only), and bites at the point of entry like Massachusetts.

The limiting clause speaks to state property, as in Wisconsin. 138.40 subd. 1:

"sections 138.31 to 138.42 are not meant to burden persons who wish to use state property for recreational and other lawful purposes or to unnecessarily restrict the use of state property."

It says "state property", twice. It must not be quoted as reassurance about a city park.

Licences, 138.36 subd. 2: the director of the Minnesota Historical Society "may issue a license to a qualified person approved by the state archaeologist to engage in field archaeology on a specified state site." Unlike Wisconsin's 44.47(4)(a), 138.36 requires the approval of another state agency whose jurisdiction covers the site, and says nothing of the owning city.

Penalty, 138.41 subd. 1:

"Whoever willfully violates section 138.33, or willfully defaces, injures, destroys, displaces, or removes any object or data belonging to the state, or willfully interferes with evidence or work on any state site or other site for which a license has been issued, or willfully violates any other provision of sections 138.31 to 138.42, or the rules adopted by the commissioner is guilty of a gross misdemeanor."

What it does NOT prohibit: recreational metal detecting as such, and anything on municipal land that is not an archaeological site.

Directory entry should read: in Minnesota, only the state archaeologist and licensed individuals may engage in field archaeology – which includes going onto a site intending to survey, dig or remove objects – on an archaeological site owned by the state or by a county, township or city. It should NOT read that metal detecting is prohibited in Minnesota city parks.

3. Cities in Minnesota that publish a rule

Awaiting review. None of the city or county rows publishes until its status is set and its quotation chosen by hand.

4. County rules

Awaiting review. None of the city or county rows publishes until its status is set and its quotation chosen by hand.

5. Cities checked — no published rule

Awaiting review. None of the city or county rows publishes until its status is set and its quotation chosen by hand.