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The National Council for Metal Detecting is based in the United Kingdom and is a representative body of
elected volunteers formed in 1981 to provide a means whereby responsible metal detector users would have
a democratic forum to discuss problems affecting the hobby and to provide an authoritative voice to counter
ill -informed and frequently misleading criticism of the hobby. The NCMD has gained Government recognition
as an organization which represents metal detector users countrywide. It has played a major role in
representing the views of those metal detector users to Government Departments regarding legislation
affecting the hobby.
NCMD Code of Conduct
1. Do not trespass. Obtain permission before venturing on to any land.
2. Respect the Country Code, leave gates and property as you find them and do not damage crops,
frighten animals or disturb nesting birds.
3. Wherever the site, do not leave a mess or an unsafe surface for those who may follow. It is perfectly
simple to extract a coin or other small object buried a few inches below the ground without digging a
great hole. Use a suitable digging implement to cut a neat flap (do not remove the plug of earth entirely
from the ground), extract the object, reinstate the grass, sand or soil carefully, and even you will have
difficulty in locating the find spot again.
4. If you discover any live ammunition or any lethal object such as an unexploded bomb or mine, do not
disturb it. Mark the site carefully and report the find to the local police and landowner.
5. Help keep Britain tidy. Safely dispose of refuse you come across.
6. Report all unusual historical finds to the landowner, and acquaint yourself with current NCMD policy
relating to the Voluntary Reporting of Portable Antiquities in England and Wales and the mandatory
reporting requirements in Scotland.
7. Remember it is illegal for anyone to use a metal detector on a designated area (e.g. Scheduled
Monuments (SM), Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), or Ministry of Defense property) without
permission from the appropriate authority. It is also a condition of most agri-environment agreements
that metal detecting access is subject to certain rules and regulations including mandatory finds
reporting of all finds to the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
8. Acquaint yourself with the terms and definitions used in the following documents:
1. ‘Treasure’ contained in the Treasure Act 1996 and its associated Code of Practice, making
sure you understand your responsibilities.
2. Advice for Finders of Archaeological Objects including Treasure 2006.
3. The voluntary Code of Practice for Responsible Metal Detecting 2017 Revision. Note: the
NCMD is not an endorsee to this version of the Code. Details of why the NCMD did not
endorse the Code can be found in issue 25 of Digging Deep.
9. Remember that when you are out with your metal detector you are an ambassador for our hobby. Do
nothing that might give it a bad name.
10. Never miss an opportunity to explain your hobby to anyone who asks about it.
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