---
title: O.C.G.A. § 12-3-80. ‘‘Submerged cultural resources’’ defined; title and exclusive right to regulate investigation, survey, and recovery; exceptions.
collection: code
id: 12-3-80
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 12-3-80 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-3-80
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-3-80.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-3-80/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t12-(v10)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=67595359_0#page=115
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-3.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-3-77.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-3-81.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES / PARKS, HISTORIC AREAS, MEMORIALS, AND RECREATION / HISTORIC AREAS / SUBMERGED CULTURAL RESOURCES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 12-3-80. ‘‘Submerged cultural resources’’ defined; title and exclusive right to regulate investigation, survey, and recovery; exceptions.

As used in this part, the term ‘‘submerged cultural resources’’ means all prehistoric and historic sites, ruins, artifacts, treasure, treasure-trove, and shipwrecks or vessels and their cargo or tackle which have remained on the bottom for more than 50 years, and similar sites and objects found in the Atlantic Ocean within the three-mile territorial limit of the state or within its navigable waters. Title to, and the exclusive right to regulate the investigating, surveying, and recovery of, all such submerged cultural resources is declared to be in the State of Georgia; provided, however, that the Board of Natural Resources may determine and provide by rule that certain submerged cultural resources are of no cultural or economic value to the State of Georgia such that items or areas so designated are not subject to the provisions of this part, including any permit requirements of Code Section 12-3-82.

## History

Code 1981, § 12-3-80, enacted by Ga. L. 1985, p. 906, § 4; Ga. L. 1988, p. 945, § 1.