Excavation Permit

The license a heritage authority issues before any disturbance of a wreck or submerged site. In England, work on a wreck designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 needs a license from the relevant body (now administered through Historic England); the United States regulates abandoned wrecks in state waters under the Abandoned Shipwreck Act 1987. Permits set who may dig, the methods, recording standards, finds ownership, and conservation duties. Unpermitted excavation is a criminal offense in most jurisdictions and forfeits the archaeological value of the site.