Alachua County, FL Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- County-owned/controlled public lands only
- Covered resources
- Monuments, artifacts, burial and ceremonial sites
- Primary enforcer
- Alachua County Environmental Protection Dept.
- Penalty structure
- Class II / class IV civil violations, or state criminal charges
- Forfeiture
- Removed artifacts forfeited to the county
Summary
Alachua County's Local Public Lands Historic Preservation Ordinance bans vandalizing, excavating, removing or defacing any historic monument, artifact or archaeological resource on county-owned land without county authorization. Chapter 116 covers everything from Indian habitations and ceremonial sites to memorials and sunken watercraft, with violating artifacts subject to seizure.
Historic property or historic resource shall mean any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, object, or other real or personal property of historical, architectural or archaeological value. These properties or resources may include, but are not limited to: monuments, memorials, Indian habitations, ceremonial sites, abandoned settlements, sunken or abandoned watercraft, engineering works, treasure troves, artifacts, or other objects or features with intrinsic historical or archaeological value ... (a)Any person who by means other than excavation either conducts archaeological field investigations on, or removes or attempts to remove, or defaces, destroys, or otherwise alters any historic resource or property located on any public land, except in the course of activities authorized by the county, commits a violation of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).
Full Breakdown
03. 05(c) separately bans knowingly selling, exchanging, transporting or soliciting others to traffic in artifacts taken in violation of the chapter. 05(d) treats each individual artifact removed, defaced or destroyed as a potentially separate violation, and requires forfeiture to the county of the artifacts along with any photographs or records relating to them. 07, though any code enforcement officer or Florida law-enforcement officer may also enforce the chapter. 06.
Violations & Fines
Violations can be pursued criminally under state statutes referenced in Section 116.08, including Fla. Stat. ch. 267 (Historical Resources), ch. 806 (Arson and Criminal Mischief), ch. 810 (Burglary and Trespass) and ch. 872 (Offenses Concerning Dead Bodies and Graves), via a sworn complaint to the State Attorney's Office, or civilly under Fla. Stat. chs. 125 and 162 and Chapter 24 of the County Code. Subsection 116.05(a) violations are classified as class II violations and (b)-(c) as class IV violations under the county's civil citation schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I metal-detect or dig for artifacts on county park land in Alachua County?
What counts as a protected historic resource under this chapter?
What happens to items I remove from a protected site?
Who enforces the historic preservation ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alachua County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Alachua County to another location·View the Florida historic preservation overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.