🇸🇮 Slovenia — Know the Law

Cultural Heritage Protection Act · Zakon o varstvu kulturne dediščine (ZVKD-1)

Facts verified 2026-07-02

This guide is informational, not legal advice. Laws change and individual cases differ — when in doubt, contact ZVKDS or read the official law text.

What the law says

§An "archaeological find" is any movable object that has been under the ground or under water for at least 100 years — and weapons, ammunition, military equipment, vehicles or vessels (or their parts) after only 50 years (Art. 3).
§Archaeological finds discovered on Slovenian territory are property of the state if determined to be heritage — you do not become the owner by digging them up (Art. 6). Finds from war graves with established ownership are the exception.
§Trading or otherwise disposing of illegally excavated finds is prohibited, and any such legal transaction is void (Art. 6).
§Deliberate excavation or removal of archaeological remains is allowed only with a cultural-protection consent, under ZVKDS supervision, by qualified professionals (Art. 31). Digging up a suspected archaeological object yourself can constitute unauthorized research.
§If the assessment concludes your find is NOT heritage, seized items must be returned to you — and under property law a non-heritage find is shared equally between finder and landowner.

Found something old? Five steps

1Stop digging. Leave the find undamaged, in the exact place and position you discovered it (Art. 26).
2Record the context without moving anything — in DetectMap: GPS pin, photos in situ, depth, notes.
3Notify ZVKDS no later than the NEXT WORKING DAY (Art. 26). Regional ZVKDS offices are listed at zvkds.si.
4For 7 days after your report, only an authorized ZVKDS person may intervene at the find spot — do not return to dig (Art. 26).
5ZVKDS assesses whether the find is heritage; they may take the object for examination. If it is not heritage, it is returned to you.

Do

✓ Always get landowner permission before detecting — track it in DetectMap Properties.
✓ Report suspected archaeological finds by the next working day — reporting protects you legally.
✓ Log GPS, depth and photos for every find; context is what makes a find scientifically valuable.
✓ Detect on cultivated topsoil of ordinary farmland, beaches and modern sites rather than anywhere with known historic remains.

Don't

✗ Never detect on registered archaeological sites or cultural monuments — searching there without consent is unauthorized research.
✗ Never keep quiet about a find that is likely 100+ years old (50+ for military material).
✗ Never sell or trade suspected archaeological finds — such deals are void and illegal.
✗ Never "rescue" a deeper archaeological object yourself; that destroys the context and crosses into illegal excavation.

Honesty pays — literally

An accidental finder who reports correctly under Art. 26 may claim a reward from the ministry of up to the value of the find (Art. 26.a) — honesty literally pays.

Official sources

Zakon o varstvu kulturne dediščine (ZVKD-1) — full text (PISRS)Zavod za varstvo kulturne dediščine Slovenije (ZVKDS) — regional offices & contacts

More countries are on the way — the guide you see follows where you detect.