--- title: "Fossil Collecting Rules: UK and US Codes | Fossil Wharf" description: "Can you keep fossils you find? West Dorset and Scottish codes, US federal and Florida rules, when to report a find, and a tide and cliff safety checklist." url: https://fossilwharf.me/fossil-collecting-rules/ --- UK and US · checked 2 November 2026 # Fossil collecting rules Can you keep the fossils you find? On the West Dorset beaches, loose finds are yours to keep; on US Bureau of Land Management land you may keep common invertebrate and plant fossils; in US national parks you may keep nothing. Pick where you are hunting for the official rules, then run through the tide and cliff checklist. This is general information, not legal advice: check the local rules before you go. ### Jurassic Coast, West Dorset (Lyme Regis to Burton Bradstock) #### You may - Anything you find loose on the beach is yours to keep, says the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre. - Beginners should collect from the beaches only, says the West Dorset Fossil Collecting Code of Conduct. #### Do not - No digging into the cliffs (“in situ”) without permission: the Code says this may be regarded as stealing the fossils. - Do not hammer or dig into the cliff face, landslides or mudflows; use a hammer only on loose rocks, never on the cliffs or ledges, and wear goggles. - Fossils inside the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) may also need consent from Natural England. #### Report or record - Record any Category 1 (scientifically important) find at the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre; recorded specimens are handed back to you. - If you want to sell a Category 1 fossil, the Code asks you to offer it to UK registered museums for six months first. Sources: - [West Dorset Fossil Collecting Code of Conduct (amendments dated 2022/23)](https://charmouth.org/chcc/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/West-Dorset-Fossil-Collecting-Code-of-Conduct.pdf) (2022/23 version) - [Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, FAQ](https://charmouth.org/chcc/frequently-asked-questions/) (checked 2 November 2026) - [Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, Cliffs](https://charmouth.org/chcc/cliffs/) (checked 2 November 2026) ### Yorkshire coast (Whitby, Runswick Bay and nearby) #### You may - Loose fossils on the foreshore are the usual finds. We could not find an official Yorkshire fossil code to cite, so follow the landowner's rules and any signs on the beach. #### Do not - Never dig fossils directly out of cliffs: it makes them even more unstable (Natural History Museum). - Do not walk at the foot of cliffs, which are unstable, and beware of being trapped by incoming tides (North Yorkshire Council). #### Report or record - If you find something important, report it to a museum (Natural History Museum). Sources: - [Natural History Museum, How to find fossils on the beach](https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-find-fossils-on-the-beach.html) (checked 2 November 2026) - [North Yorkshire Council, Beach and cliff safety](https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/leisure-tourism-and-culture/beaches/beach-and-cliff-safety) (checked 2 November 2026) ### Scotland (Scottish Fossil Code) #### You may - Get the landowner's permission to extract, collect and keep fossils: the Code says removing fossils without permission is illegal, although the Code itself is not law. - Exercise restraint in how much you collect and the tools you use. #### Do not - Do not hammer exposed bedrock that is a protected geological feature in an SSSI without consent, which comes through the landowner; if in doubt, don't collect. - If you find an exceptional or unusual fossil, do not try to extract it. #### Report or record - Seek advice from an expert: your local or national museum, a university or the British Geological Survey. Sources: - [NatureScot, Scottish Fossil Code (August 2023)](https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/2023-08/Scottish%20Fossil%20Code%20%E2%80%93%20August%202023.pdf) (published August 2023) ### US public land: BLM, Forest Service and Bureau of Reclamation #### You may - Casual collecting is allowed: a reasonable amount of common invertebrate and plant fossils, for your own non-commercial use, with non-powered hand tools (Paleontological Resources Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 470aaa). - On BLM land, petrified wood is limited to 25 pounds plus one piece a day, and 250 pounds a year. #### Do not - Do not sell or barter casually collected fossils, or use power tools or heavy equipment. - Vertebrate fossils (bones, teeth) need a research permit; digging, collecting or casting them without one is illegal. - On Forest Service land, casual collecting is not allowed in National Monuments. #### Report or record - If you find a vertebrate fossil on BLM land, leave it in place, photograph it, record where it is and report it to the local BLM office. Sources: - [16 U.S.C. 470aaa (definitions) and 470aaa-3 (permits)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/16/470aaa-3) (checked 2 November 2026) - [Bureau of Land Management, Collecting fossils](https://www.blm.gov/programs/paleontology/collecting-fossils) (checked 2 November 2026) - [36 CFR 291.11 and 291.12 (Forest Service)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/36/291.11) (checked 2 November 2026) ### US national parks #### You may - Nothing: fossils stay where they are. #### Do not - Removing, digging or disturbing fossilised or non-fossilised paleontological specimens is prohibited in National Park Service areas (36 CFR 2.1). #### Report or record - Tell a ranger about anything unusual you see, and leave it in place. Sources: - [36 CFR 2.1, Preservation of natural, cultural and archeological resources](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/36/2.1) (checked 2 November 2026) - [National Park Service, Fossil protection (updated 11 October 2024)](https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/fossil-protection.htm) (updated 11 October 2024) ### Florida: state lands, rivers and beaches #### You may - Shark and ray teeth, invertebrate fossils and plant fossils may be collected and kept by anyone, with or without a permit. - On private land no permit is needed, but you need the landowner's permission. #### Do not - Collecting vertebrate fossils (other than shark and ray teeth) on state lands, including river beds, needs a Florida Fossil Permit: $5 a year, valid for one year, from the Florida Museum (as of 2 November 2026; the museum's page is dated 10 February 2026). - No collecting of any type is allowed inside state parks. #### Report or record - Each permit holder must report all the fossils they found when the permit expires. Sources: - [Florida Museum, Florida Fossil Permit](https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/florida-fossil-permit/) (page dated 10 February 2026) - [Florida Museum, Report your findings](https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/florida-fossil-permit/report-your-findings/) (page dated 3 March 2026) - [Florida Geological Survey, Florida fossil collecting](https://floridadep.gov/fgs/geologic-topics/content/florida-fossil-collecting) (modified 27 March 2026) ### Calvert Cliffs State Park, Maryland #### You may - Fossil hunting is done at the open beach area at the end of the Red Trail, a 1.8-mile walk. #### Do not - It is illegal to collect fossils beneath the cliffs, and climbing on or walking beneath the cliffs is prohibited. #### Report or record - Ask the park office about anything unusual you find. Sources: - [Maryland DNR, Calvert Cliffs State Park](https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/southern/calvertcliffs.aspx) (checked 2 November 2026) - [Maryland Geological Survey, Fossil collecting in Maryland](https://www.mgs.md.gov/geology/fossils/fossil_collecting.html) (checked 2 November 2026) ## Why winter is fossil season on the Jurassic Coast The West Dorset Fossil Collecting Code says high erosion rates, particularly in winter, keep a plentiful supply of fossils coming onto the beaches, and that storms and landslides are what uncover them. The same storms make the cliffs most dangerous. Go on a falling tide, stay off mudflows and keep away from the base of the cliffs, where falls happen suddenly and without warning. ## When to report a find In West Dorset, record any scientifically important (Category 1) fossil at the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre. In Scotland, leave exceptional fossils in place and ask a museum, a university or the British Geological Survey. On US BLM land, leave a vertebrate fossil where it is, photograph it, note the spot and tell the local BLM office. ## Buying fossils safely The Scottish Fossil Code warns that faking is common in the fossil trade and that fossils are often restored or made up from incomplete specimens, and recommends a reputable dealer. The Florida Museum warns that buying vertebrate fossils collected without a valid permit is the same as knowingly buying stolen property. Megalodon teeth, trilobites and ammonites are widely sold online, and some are restored or replicas. Before buying from an unfamiliar shop advertised on social media at a surprising price, you can check how old its domain is with WebTraceCheck's [DNS and domain lookup](https://webtracecheck.com/dns-lookup), and open the shop's link in WebTraceCheck's [disposable cloud browser](https://webtracecheck.com/) rather than your own. ## Sources Each place above lists its own sources and dates. Safety advice: the West Dorset Fossil Collecting Code of Conduct; [HM Coastguard, Coast safety](https://hmcoastguard.uk/coast); the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre; the [Natural History Museum](https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-find-fossils-on-the-beach.html). Buying: [Scottish Fossil Code (August 2023), section 2.6](https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/2023-08/Scottish%20Fossil%20Code%20%E2%80%93%20August%202023.pdf); [Florida Museum, Florida Fossil Permit](https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/florida-fossil-permit/). All checked on 2 November 2026; rules can change. ## Questions **Do I need a permit to collect shark teeth in Florida?** No. The Florida Museum says shark and ray teeth, invertebrate and plant fossils may be collected and kept by anyone. Other vertebrate fossils on state lands need the $5 Florida Fossil Permit (as of 2 November 2026). **Can I collect fossils in a US national park?** No. Federal rules for National Park Service areas (36 CFR 2.1) prohibit removing, digging or disturbing fossils. **Can I hammer the cliffs at Charmouth or Lyme Regis?** No. The Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre says never hammer or dig into the cliffs, landslides or mudflows; use a hammer only on loose rocks on the beach. **What number do I call in a coastal emergency?** In the UK, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. In the US, call 911.