--- title: "Poland to Replace Artifact Hunting Permits with Mobile Registration from 2027" description: "Starting January 1, 2027, Poland will replace the permit system for artifact hunting with mobile app registration. The law introduces prohibited zones, reporting duties, and rewards of up to 25 average salaries." date: 2026-10-16T21:59:50.908Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/poland-new-artifact-hunting-rules-2027 tags: [poland, metal-detecting, cultural-heritage, law, artifacts] author: "Inna Kinsheva, Marina Slivenko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Poland to Replace Artifact Hunting Permits with Mobile Registration from 2027 ![Man in a hat with a metal detector searching for artifacts in a field at sunset](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/16/polsha-novye-pravila-poiska-artefaktov-2027/polsha-novye-pravila-poiska-artefaktov-2027-1.webp) ## Key Points - Starting January 1, 2027, artifact hunting with metal detectors in Poland will be processed via mobile app registration instead of a regional office permit. - Searching is allowed for persons 18 and older with owner consent; prohibited in monuments, within 10 meters of them, in cemeteries, world heritage sites, and buffer zones. - If three or more relics are found in an area up to 100 m², the seeker must suspend work; the authority inspects the site within 6 days and issues a decision within 30 days. - Artifacts of exceptional value qualify for a monetary reward of up to 25 times the average monthly earnings, while violations carry penalties. Starting January 1, 2027, new rules for searching for buried and abandoned movable artifacts using electronic or technical equipment, including metal detectors, will come into force in Poland. The amended Act on the Protection of Monuments and Cultural Heritage abolishes the previous procedure for qualified seekers to obtain a permit from the regional office for the protection of cultural heritage and replaces it with registration of activities via a mobile application provided by the Minister of Culture and Heritage Protection. It is important to emphasize that this is a change in administrative procedure, rather than unlimited and free-of-charge artifact hunting — the law retains strict territorial restrictions and reporting obligations. ### From Permit to Registration According to the amendments, the right to search using technical equipment is granted to persons aged 18 and older, provided they comply with the conditions established by law. Before starting the search, the seeker must obtain the consent of the property owner and the current owner of the object, and then submit a registration notification via the mobile application. The notification must indicate the applicant's identity, the time and geographical scope of the search, as well as commitments regarding the owner's consent, the applicant's age, and the obligation to disclose information about discovered artifacts. Registration is considered valid only after confirmation, and persons who intentionally provide false information are subject to criminal liability. ### Chronology: How the Entry into Force Date Was Postponed The legislative path of the document was non-linear. The Polish Sejm passed the law on July 13, 2023, with an initial entry into force date of May 1, 2024. The deadline was later adjusted to May 1, 2025. On March 25, 2025, the Council of Ministers approved a draft further postponing the entry into force to allow time to prepare the system and resources. The final amended law dated April 4, 2025, was published on April 24, 2025, setting the final date as January 1, 2027. Thus, by the time it enters into force, agencies and users will have almost two years to adapt. ### Who Can Search and Where The law clearly defines zones where searching under the simplified registration mechanism is prohibited. Restricted areas include registered or listed monuments, areas within 10 meters of recognized monuments, monuments recognized as historical symbols, cultural parks, world heritage sites and their buffer zones, cemeteries, and a number of other objects. Searching in Polish waters continues to be regulated by a separate permitting mechanism. Consequently, registration via the application does not abolish location restrictions and does not affect land use rights. ### Obligations After a Find A person who discovers items presumed to be archaeological relics is obliged to ensure their preservation, mark the discovery site, and immediately notify the competent provincial-level relic protection authority. If at least three suspected relics are found in an area of no more than 100 square meters, the seeker must immediately report this and temporarily suspend activities so that authorities can conduct an inspection. The authority is required to inspect the artifacts and the excavation site within six days of receiving the notification, and then within 30 days evaluate whether the items are relics and announce the results and further actions. ### Rewards and Liability The law provides that persons who discover archaeological relics during searches, accidental finds, or construction and excavation works may receive a monetary reward or certificate upon fulfilling reporting obligations. A monetary reward is awarded if the artifact has exceptional historical, artistic, or scientific value; the maximum payment amount is set at 25 times the average monthly earnings. At the same law, it introduces punishments for unregistered search activities, searching in prohibited zones, and failure to fulfill reporting obligations, making the new system not a liberalization, but a streamlining of artifact hunting practices. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Польша готовится ввести в действие новые законы, касающиеся поиска древностей.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/ba-lan-chuan-bi-ap-dung-luat-moi-ve-tim-kiem-co-vat) - The source contains the full chronology of the law's adoption (13.07.2023, postponements until 01.01.2027), application registration conditions, prohibited zones, inspection deadlines (6 and 30 days), and reward amounts up to 25 average salaries. All facts in the article are taken from this text. ## FAQ ### Do I now need a permit from the regional office to search with a metal detector? No. From January 1, 2027, a qualified seeker registers their activity through the mobile application of the Minister of Culture and Heritage Protection, having obtained the consent of the property owner and current owner. ### Where is searching prohibited? In registered monuments, within 10 meters of them, in historical symbol areas, cultural parks, world heritage sites and buffer zones, cemeteries, and other restricted zones. A separate permitting mechanism applies in Polish waters. ### What reward is provided for a find? Upon fulfilling reporting obligations for an artifact of exceptional historical, artistic, or scientific value, a monetary reward is provided, the maximum amount of which is 25 times the average monthly earnings.