What does Florida law say about shipwrecks and treasure, and where can I see historic wrecks?

Section 267.061 of the Florida Statutes says treasure trove, artifacts and objects of historical or archaeological value abandoned on state-owned lands or sovereignty submerged lands belong to the state, with title held by the Division of Historical Resources of the Florida Department of State. State waters include the bottoms of navigable rivers, lakes and bays and reach 3 miles out in the Atlantic and 9 miles out in the Gulf. The federal Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1988 gave the states title to certain abandoned shipwrecks in state waters.

The Department of State says digging for artifacts on state lands, or excavating an underwater site, without written permission is a third-degree felony. Under the Division's exploration and recovery permits, a portion of the finds may go to the permit holder, and the state keeps the rest for research and public display.

The 1715 Fleet was a Spanish fleet carrying cargo from Spain's American colonies to Europe. A hurricane in 1715 sank 11 of its ships along what is now the coast of Indian River and St. Lucie counties. In March 2026, a nonprofit gave the state 51 silver objects from one of those wrecks, the Anchor Wreck.

Florida's Underwater Archaeological Preserves, underwater parks begun in 1987, are open all year and free. The Department of State counts 12. They include the Spanish galleon Urca de Lima off Fort Pierce, the USS Massachusetts off Pensacola, the City of Hawkinsville in the Suwannee River near Old Town, and the Civil War tugboat USS Narcissus off Egmont Key.

For questions about a find, call the state's Bureau of Archaeological Research, which manages its artifact collections, at 850-245-6444.

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