Terms of Service

Effective September 22, 2026

The short version. Mudlark Map is a research and information tool. It is not permission to dig anywhere, and it does not sit above the law. You are responsible for what you do with it. Do your own research, confirm access and ownership, obey every local, state, national and international law that applies, and never dig where it is not allowed. If you are not sure, do not dig.

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of Mudlark Map, including the website at mudlarkmap.com and the interactive atlas application (together, the "Service"). By using the Service, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

1. What Mudlark Map is, and is not

Mudlark Map is an atlas of historical research leads for hobbies such as bottle digging, mudlarking, relic hunting, and rockhounding. It compiles historical maps, documented accounts, and other public information to suggest places that may be of interest.

The Service is informational only. It is not a survey, not a legal record, and not professional advice of any kind. A listing, pin, zone, access label, or evidence tier is a research suggestion, not a statement of fact and not a guarantee. Listings may be inaccurate, incomplete, out of date, or wrong. Coordinates are often approximate and drawn from historical sources.

A listing on Mudlark Map is never permission. It does not grant you any right to enter, dig, collect, or remove anything from any location. It does not override, replace, or lower any law, rule, permit requirement, or property right.

2. Your responsibilities

You are solely responsible for your own conduct and for the consequences of it. Before you visit or dig any location, you must:

Confirm who owns or controls the land, and obtain the landowner's or authority's permission before entering or digging.
Research and follow every applicable law and rule, including trespass, property, heritage, antiquities, archaeological, environmental, park, waterway, mudlarking, and metal-detecting laws and permit requirements, wherever you are.
Respect all "restricted" and "prohibited" designations, protected and archaeological sites, and any site where digging or collecting is not clearly allowed.
Assess and accept the physical risks yourself, including tides, water, unstable ground, contamination, and hazards.

Access labels shown in the Service (such as "public", "permission", "restricted", or "prohibited") are our best-effort research summaries and may be wrong. They are a starting point for your own diligence, not a substitute for it.

3. Assumption of risk

You use the Service and act on it entirely at your own risk. Digging, mudlarking, rockhounding, and related activities can be dangerous and can carry legal consequences. You assume all risks of injury, loss, damage, liability, fines, and prosecution arising from your use of the Service or your activities in the field.

4. Prohibited uses

You agree not to use the Service to trespass, to dig or collect where it is not permitted, to disturb protected or archaeological sites, to remove or export material unlawfully, or to break any law. You agree not to misuse, scrape, resell, or redistribute the Service or its data without our written permission.

5. Accounts and subscriptions

Some features require an account and a paid subscription ("Pro"). You are responsible for your account and for keeping your login secure. Payments are processed by our payment provider (Stripe). Subscriptions renew until cancelled, and you can cancel at any time; access continues to the end of the paid period. Prices and features may change on a going-forward basis. Discount and promotion codes have no cash value and may be limited or withdrawn.

6. Intellectual property

The Service, its design, and its compiled data are owned by Mudlark Map and protected by law. We grant you a limited, personal, non-transferable licence to use the Service for your own lawful, non-commercial hobby use. All other rights are reserved.

7. Disclaimer of warranties

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including any warranty of accuracy, completeness, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that any listing is accurate, that any location is safe, lawful, or accessible, or that the Service will be uninterrupted or error-free.

8. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Mudlark Map and its owners, operators, and contributors will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss, injury, fine, penalty, prosecution, property damage, or liability of any kind arising out of or related to your use of the Service or your activities in the field, whether based on warranty, contract, tort, or any other legal theory, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Where liability cannot be excluded, our total liability to you is limited to the amount you paid us for the Service in the twelve months before the claim.

9. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Mudlark Map and its owners, operators, and contributors from any claim, demand, loss, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of your use of the Service, your conduct in the field, or your breach of these Terms or of any law.

10. Changes

We may update these Terms from time to time. Changes take effect when posted here, and your continued use of the Service means you accept them.

11. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, USA, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules. You agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in California for any dispute that is not otherwise resolved.

12. Contact

Questions about these Terms can be sent to support@mudlarkmap.com.

Mudlark Map is a research tool for a hobby. It is not legal advice, and using it does not create any professional relationship. Laws differ by place and change over time. When in doubt, ask the landowner, check the local rules, and do not dig.