Metal Detecting in New Jersey

2 verified locations for metal detecting in New Jersey. Each page includes exact permit requirements, restrictions, and what to know before you go.

2 Allowed

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Allowed

Asbury Park Beach

New Jersey, Monmouth·Metal detecting

Metal detecting is allowed on Asbury Park's beach — no city ordinance was found prohibiting it. A seasonal beach badge is required Memorial Day through Labor Day, the exact stretch that covers peak July crowds.

No City of Asbury Park ordinance was found prohibiting recreational metal detecting on the public beach; the city's beach and boardwalk regulations (Chapter 5) govern conduct, equipment, and hours but do not address detecting specifically
A seasonal beach badge is required for anyone using the beach from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend — exactly the stretch that includes peak July tourist season — priced from $7/weekday to $70 for an adult season badge

Allowed

Cape May Beaches

New Jersey, Cape May·Metal detecting

The City of Cape May's own beaches have no ordinance against metal detecting beyond the standard seasonal beach badge. Two miles away, Cape May Point State Park requires a permit that's unlikely to be granted — one town, two very different answers.

No City of Cape May ordinance prohibiting recreational metal detecting on the city's own ocean beaches was found; a seasonal beach badge is required for anyone 12 and older, Memorial Day through Labor Day, under City Code Ch. 158 — the same badge every other beachgoer needs, not a detecting-specific permit
Cape May Point State Park, a separate NJDEP unit about two miles from the city's beaches, requires a Special Use Permit from the Park Superintendent for metal detecting under N.J.A.C. 7:2-2.16 — since most of the park is designated the Cape May Point Natural Area, a permit here is genuinely unlikely to be issued