Meteorite law in the United Kingdom
No law written for meteorites. The landowner is generally regarded as having the best claim; the Treasure Act does not apply to natural objects.
No specific law known
Who owns a find? No act of Parliament deals with meteorites, and the courts have not settled the question in England and Wales. Legal opinion is that the landowner usually has the strongest claim, and a finder who was trespassing has very little claim at all. The Treasure Act 1996, which covers old objects of gold and silver and hoards, does not apply to unworked natural objects such as meteorites.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own legal systems. In Scotland, ownerless objects pass to the Crown in principle, so a finder there is wise to seek advice before selling a find.
In practice the 2021 Winchcombe meteorite showed the usual British approach: searchers worked with landowners' permission, and finders and landowners chose to place the stones with the Natural History Museum in London for study.
Export: valuable objects of cultural or scientific interest can need an export licence, and anything leaving for a country with controls needs the paperwork that country asks for.
This is general information to help you ask the right questions, not legal advice. Laws change and their details matter, and this summary was last reviewed in 2026. Before you search, buy, sell or export a meteorite, check the current law with the authorities of the country concerned or a qualified lawyer. See meteorite law by country.
Related pages
Glossary: Meteorite ownership, Export rules, Landowner permission, Provenance