KRS 164.720: Permit required to excavate.

(1) No person shall explore, excavate, appropriate or remove from land owned or

leased by the Commonwealth or any state agency or any political subdivision or

municipal corporation of the Commonwealth, any archaeological site or object of

antiquity without fir st obtaining a permit from the Department of Anthropology

upon the recommendation of the agency owning or having control of the land upon

which the same is situated.

(2) If exploration or excavation of archaeological sites and the finding and gathering of

objects of antiquity is undertaken for the benefit of reputable museums, universities,

colleges or other recognized scientific or educational institutions with a view to

promoting the knowledge of archaeology or anthropology, permits shall be regularly

granted.

(3) Each permit issued by the department under this section shall accurately describe

the location and sites of the ruins or deposits where the exploration or excavation is

to be conducted and shall authorize such actions only at such location. The p ermit

shall be upon such conditions as the department shall deem advisable for maximum

effective exploration with a minimum of injury to the surrounding terrain. Each

permit shall terminate upon the following thirty-first day of December, subject to an

annual renewal on or before the following January 15. However, any permit may be

revoked by the department at any time upon finding that explorations or excavations

authorized by the permit are not being conducted lawfully or properly in accordance

with its terms.