Volusia County Annual Metal Detecting Permit
Volusia County Florida
Cost
Free — no fee
Processing Time
Same day by phone; walk-in at Beach Safety offices
Renewal
Annual — permit covers the calendar year; renew each January
Requirements
- Call Volusia County Beach Safety at (386) 239-6484 to register — no in-person visit required for the permit itself
- Permit covers all Volusia County-managed beaches including Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach (city and county sections north of the Canaveral National Seashore boundary)
- Detecting is permitted on the beach strand only — the permit does NOT authorise detecting in inland county parks, nature preserves, or any non-beach county property
- Canaveral National Seashore boundary at New Smyrna Beach: the permit is invalid south of 7611 S. Atlantic Ave (the Apollo Beach entrance station) — that section is NPS land where metal detecting is absolutely prohibited under 36 CFR 2.1(a)(7)
- All holes must be filled immediately after recovery — leaving open holes on a Volusia County beach is a violation of Ch. 20 Beach Code
- No digging in dune vegetation or the dune face — Fla. Stat. § 161.053 (Coastal Construction Control Line Act) prohibits disturbance of dunes year-round
- Sea turtle nesting season May 1 – October 31: stay away from flagged nests; avoid night digging in the lower berm in nesting season
- Florida Statutes Chapter 267 applies: items over 50 years old on public land are state property — report to the Florida Division of Historical Resources at (850) 245-6444 before removal
- Vehicle access on the hard-packed sand (vehicle beach sections in Daytona area): detecting is allowed in these zones but you must have both the Volusia County detecting permit and a valid vehicle beach access permit — the beach driving permit is separate and has its own fee
Disclaimer
Information is provided for general guidance only. Regulations change frequently. Always verify current rules with the official jurisdiction before relying on this information for legal decisions. Permitted Pursuits is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Report an error.