What is the National Register?
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of our country’s significant historic properties. Buildings can be listed on their own, called an individual listing, or as part of a group of buildings in the same geographic area, called a historic district.
Listing a building to the National Register involves detailed research into the building’s history to demonstrate that it played a significant role in local, state or national history. Buildings are listed under board topics, called Criteria. The building must be significant in one of these four ways –
Criterion A, related to a historic event or board pattern of history
Criterion B, related to a significant historic person
Criterion C, exhibiting historic design or construction techniques
Criterion D, Information Potential, essentially, archeological significance.
In addition to recognition, properties listed on the National Register can be eligible for a variety of programs, including state and federal grants, protective easements, building code variances and federal historic tax credits. Book a consultant to learn more about funding opportunities.
The National Park Service is responsible for maintaining the National Register and approving properties to be listed. According to NPS, there are over 96,000 buildings and districts on the National Register and almost every county in the United States as at least one significant building listed.
A common misconception is that a building listed on the National Register cannot be torn down, or that the owner is limited in how they can alter the building. This is not true! Listing on the National Register is a symbolic designation only. It does not limit a property owner’s right to use, alter or demolish the property. There are no design reviews or regulations for National Register properties, and a property cannot be listed to the National Register without the owner’s consent. Sometimes, a local government will create an ordinance tied to National Register status, which creates additional constrains on the property. This is most common in urban areas where historic design review boards exist. The large majority of National Register Properties are unprotected and can be altered or demolished. It is up to building owners and communities to ensure that National Register buildings are well maintained and protected for years to come.
