Dartmoor Commons Act 1985

The Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 is an act of Parliament of the United Kingdom that legislates for access to land within Dartmoor, an upland area in southern Devon, South West England.
The act established the Dartmoor Commoners' Council, a statutory body responsible for regulation of livestock husbandry on and public access to the commons, and delimits its regulatory and enforcement powers.
The act was granted royal assent on 30 October 1985.

Public access

Section 10 of the act grants the general public "a right of access to the commons on foot and on horseback for the purpose of open-air recreation". The exact nature of the meaning of "open-air recreation" has been disputed, specifically in regard to wild camping, with a High Court ruling in January 2023 prohibiting the practice.
Following a Court of Appeal judgment in July 2023, it was established that camping was an activity covered by the act, permitting legal wild camping on Dartmoor.
The ruling, permitting camping, was upheld by the Supreme Court in May 2025.