Sweden doesn’t do half measures. Under the Kulturmiljölagen (cultural environment act) you may not use a metal detector anywhere without a permit from the county administrative board (länsstyrelsen), not even in your own garden, and permits are never given for hunting antiquities. There is one door left open, and it has sand in it: several counties license hobby detecting on designated beaches and bathing places, for lost rings and anything younger than 1850.
Can I detect in Sweden?
The short answer for each kind of land. Tap a card for the detail and the rule’s own words.
- Anywhere: national heritage lawPermit requiredthe landowner must consent if you will digChecked against the source Oct 7, 2026
- Beaches & foreshorePermit requiredÖstergötland: hobby detecting mainly on 15 selected beach areasChecked against the source Oct 7, 2026
- Protected monumentsResearch permits onlypermits are possible only for public scientific researchChecked against the source Oct 7, 2026
- National parks & nature reservesPermit requiredChecked against the source Oct 7, 2026
- State forestsPermit requiredno forest-owner policy (for example Sveaskog's) was readChecked against the source Oct 7, 2026
- Private landPermit requiredno landowner consent is needed for a surface search for a lost itemChecked against the source Oct 7, 2026
Open in many areas without a permitPermit, registration, or designated beaches onlyProhibited or effectively closed
The rules, land by land
Anywhere: national heritage law
Permit requiredIn Sweden you may not use a metal detector anywhere without a permit from the county administrative board (länsstyrelsen), and permits are given only for searching for something other than ancient finds, such as a lost ring, or for public research.
- the ban covers any device that can electronically trace metal objects below the ground surface, on any land, your own included
- you can never get a permit to search for ancient remains or ancient finds (fornfynd: ownerless objects from before 1850, or found at an ancient remain)
- county boards grant permits restrictively, for a limited, mapped area, and never near known ancient remains
- examples counties give: looking for a lost item such as a wedding ring, locating metal boundary markers, and in several counties hobby searching on designated beaches or bathing places
- the landowner must consent if you will dig
- breaking the permit rule can bring fines or up to six months in prison
What the rule says
“(metallsökare) får inte användas utan tillstånd. ... Tillstånd att använda och medföra metallsökare får lämnas endast för verksamhet som 1. avser sökning efter annat än fornfynd, eller 2. ingår i vetenskaplig forskning hos det allmänna.”
Keeping finds
Permit requiredAncient finds made at an ancient remain belong to the State; other finds from before 1850 belong to the finder, but anything containing gold, silver, copper or bronze, or found together with other objects, must first be offered to the State, which may buy it.
- fornfynd (ancient finds) are ownerless objects found in or by an ancient remain and connected with it, or found elsewhere and probably from before 1850
- the offer to the State is called hembud; the Swedish National Heritage Board (Riksantikvarieämbetet) decides redemption and finder's rewards
- redemption pays a reasonable sum, and for precious metal at least the metal value by weight plus one-eighth
- modern lost property falls under the Lost Property Act (1938:121), which county boards remind permit holders of
- keeping, hiding, damaging or selling a find that belongs or must be offered to the State is a heritage crime
What the rule says
“Fornfynd som avses i 3 § 1 tillfaller staten. Fornfynd som avses i 3 § 2 tillfaller upphittaren. Han eller hon är dock skyldig att erbjuda staten att få lösa in det mot betalning (hembud) om 1. fornfyndet innehåller föremål som helt eller delvis består av guld, silver, koppar, brons eller annan legering med koppar”
Reporting finds
Must be reportedAnyone who finds an ancient find that belongs to or must be offered to the State must report it as soon as possible to the county administrative board or the police, and hand it over on request.
- finds from ship remains can also be reported to the Coast Guard (Kustbevakningen)
- tell the authorities where, when and how it was found
- in Västra Götaland and Norrbotten (and possibly other counties, as a permit condition), permit holders must also send the county board an account of what they found and where
- failing to report is punishable by fines or up to six months in prison
What the rule says
“Den som påträffar ett fornfynd, som ska tillfalla eller hembjudas staten, ska snarast anmäla fornfyndet till länsstyrelsen eller Polismyndigheten.”
Beaches & foreshore
Permit requiredBeaches are Sweden's one real door for hobby detecting: several county boards issue permits for designated beaches and bathing places, for lost items and objects younger than 1850. You still need the permit first.
- Västra Götaland: 46 designated beach areas and bathing places with faster handling; fee 990 kronor
- Halland: simplified handling for designated beach areas, 990 kronor per area, permits up to two years
- Östergötland: hobby detecting mainly on 15 selected beach areas
- Jönköping: hobby detecting now only on bathing beaches
- Norrbotten lists hobby searching at bathing places as a possible reason for a permit
- other counties' beach practice was not checked; ask your county board
- anything older than 1850 is probably an ancient find: Östergötland requires a report to the county board for any metal object probably older than 1850; Jönköping tells permit holders to stop searching and contact the county board, even if the find need not be offered to the State; the law requires a report for any find that goes to or must be offered to the State
What the rule says
“Länsstyrelsen tillåter sökning med metalldetektor på utvalda strandområden när ändamålet med sökandet är i hobbysyfte för att leta efter borttappade föremål eller föremål yngre än från år 1850.”
Protected monuments
Research permits onlyAncient remains (fornlämningar) are off-limits: you may not even carry a metal detector onto one without a permit, except along a public road, and county boards never grant permits near ancient remains, leaving only public research.
- ancient remains include graves, standing and inscribed stones, settlements, ruins, old roads and shipwrecks, generally from before 1850
- known remains are mapped in the National Heritage Board's Fornsök service
- moving, digging out or damaging an ancient remain without permission is a separate offense
- permits are possible only for public scientific research
What the rule says
“En metallsökare får inte heller medföras utan tillstånd på fornlämningar annat än vid färd på sådan väg som är upplåten för allmänheten.”
National parks & nature reserves
Permit requiredIn national parks and nature reserves the national rule applies: no metal detector without a county board permit, and none for hunting ancient finds. Expect the parks' own rules to make it harder, not easier.
- the Halland, Östergötland and Jönköping county boards warn that special regulations apply in nature reserves and other protected areas: digging there is generally forbidden, and a dispensation under the Environmental Code (miljöbalken) may be needed
- the regulations of individual national parks and nature reserves were not read
What the rule says
“En apparat som kan användas för att på elektronisk väg spåra metallföremål under markytan (metallsökare) får inte användas utan tillstånd.”
State forests
Permit requiredSweden's national detector rule applies in state and other forests too: no metal detector without a county board permit, and permits are never given for hunting ancient finds.
- no forest-owner policy (for example Sveaskog's) was read
- digging needs the landowner's consent; the right of public access (allemansrätten) does not cover digging
- permits are not granted near ancient remains, wherever they are
What the rule says
“En apparat som kan användas för att på elektronisk väg spåra metallföremål under markytan (metallsökare) får inte användas utan tillstånd.”
Private land
Permit requiredOn private land you need both a county board permit, even on your own property, and the landowner's consent if you will dig.
- the county board will not process an application without the landowner's consent for ground intervention
- no landowner consent is needed for a surface search for a lost item
- permits are never given for searching for ancient finds
What the rule says
“Alla som vill använda metallsökare måste ha tillstånd, även om du endast planerar att gå på din egen tomt/fastighet.”
Even where detecting is allowed, archaeological and historic sites are protected, and you must fill every hole and follow posted rules. Always confirm the current rule with the land manager.
Detecting beyond Sweden? We cover 14 more countries rule by rule too. See the world map →
Open data: every rule in our Sweden guide, with its quote, source and check date, free to reuse (CC BY 4.0). Download the data →
One permit rule for the whole country
Chapter 2 of the Kulturmiljölagen says a metal detector may not be used without a permit, and a permit may be given only for searching for something other than fornfynd (ancient finds), or for public scientific research. Ancient finds are ownerless objects from before 1850, or anything connected with an ancient remain. Breaking the rule can mean a fine or up to six months in prison.
County boards grant permits for a named person, a mapped area and a set period, and they grant them restrictively. Typical reasons are a lost wedding ring, finding metal boundary markers or clearing scrap from a pasture. Every county page we read says the same thing: no permit near ancient remains, and none to go looking for them.
Beaches: the hobby door
Several counties have made beaches the place for hobby detecting. Västra Götaland lists 46 designated beach areas and bathing places with faster handling, Halland charges 990 kronor per designated beach area for a permit of up to two years, Östergötland has 15 selected beach areas, and Jönköping now allows hobby detecting only on bathing beaches. The point is lost items and modern finds. Anything older than 1850 is probably an ancient find: tell the county board. Östergötland requires a report for any metal object probably older than 1850, Jönköping says to stop searching and contact it even if the find need not be offered to the State, and the law requires a report for any find that goes to or must be offered to the State.
We haven’t checked all 21 counties, so ask yours before you pay: in Jönköping, for one, the fee is charged whether or not you get the permit.
Ancient remains: keep your distance
You may not even carry a detector onto an ancient remain (fornlämning) without a permit, unless you’re just passing along a public road. Ancient remains come in many forms, from graves and inscribed stones to old settlements, roads and shipwrecks, and known ones are mapped in the National Heritage Board’s Fornsök service. Forests, parks and private land follow the same national rule, and digging needs the landowner’s consent on top of your permit. Nature reserves are stricter: digging there is generally banned and may need a dispensation under the Environmental Code (miljöbalken).
Finds: fornfynd and the offer to the State
Finds made at an ancient remain belong to the State. Other finds from before 1850 belong to the finder, but if they contain gold, silver, copper or bronze, or were found together with other objects, you must first offer them to the State (hembud), which may buy them for a reasonable price, never less than the metal value plus one-eighth for precious metal. Report such finds as soon as possible to the county board or the police. Modern lost property goes under the Lost Property Act.
Sources
Official and statutory sources this page is based on (source check: October 7, 2026):
- Kulturmiljölag (1988:950) (Cultural Environment Act), ch. 2 Fornminnen
- Metallsökare (metal detectors), Länsstyrelsen Uppsala
- Metallsökare (metal detectors), Länsstyrelsen Västra Götaland
- Metallsökare (metal detectors), Länsstyrelsen Halland
- Metallsökare (metal detectors), Länsstyrelsen Östergötland
- Metallsökare (metal detectors), Länsstyrelsen Jönköping
- Metallsökare (metal detectors), Länsstyrelsen Norrbotten
Once you’ve confirmed where you’re allowed to hunt, LuckyFind helps you make the most of it — track your route on the map, log each find with its location, and revisit your saved hunt records. LuckyFind does not verify land access or grant detecting permission. Free for iPhone and Android.
New to LuckyFind? Follow the first-hunt checklist, then learn how to record a hunt and add finds.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is metal detecting legal in Sweden?
- Only with a permit from the county administrative board, and the permit rule applies everywhere, including your own property. Permits are given only for searching for something other than ancient finds, such as a lost ring, or for public research. Searching for antiquities is never allowed.
- Can I metal detect on Swedish beaches?
- With a permit, often yes. Several county boards, including Västra Götaland, Halland, Östergötland and Jönköping, issue hobby permits for designated beaches or bathing places, for lost items and objects younger than 1850. Västra Götaland and Halland charge 990 kronor.
- What happens if I find something old in Sweden?
- Objects from before 1850, or found at an ancient remain, are ancient finds. Finds at an ancient remain belong to the State. Others belong to the finder, but anything with gold, silver, copper or bronze, or found with other objects, must be offered to the State, which may buy it. Report such finds to the county board or the police as soon as possible.
- What is the penalty for detecting without a permit in Sweden?
- Using a metal detector without a permit can be punished by fines or up to six months in prison under the Kulturmiljölagen.
Find more, remember where
Download LuckyFind — free for iPhone and Android — to track your routes, log your finds, and keep your permitted spots organized.
