10 Tips to

BUILD YOUR NATIONAL REGISTER KNOWLEDGE

1. How old is it?The National Register is 50 years old. It was authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act in 1966, and is administered by the National Park Service.

2. How many places are listed?Currently, there are more than 90,000 places listed in the National Register. They represent up to 1.8 million individual resources. And more are added every day.

3. What are the benefits?In addition to the honor associated with having your property listed in the National Register, this recognition is generally the first step towards receiving preservation funding from state and local governments. It can help towards eligibility for tax credit programs.

4. Are there any restrictions for property owners?No. It’s a general misconception that if a property is listed in the National Register it is in some way permanently protected, but that is not necessarily the case.

5. How long will a property be listed?A property will remain on the National Register until it has been altered in such a way that the original, qualifying features have been lost. For instance, if fires or storms have destroyed the property, or the structure has been moved.

6. How old does a place need to be?A property must be at least 50 years old to qualify for National Register listing. (There are special guidelines for nominating places that are younger.)

7. What types of places can be nominated?Nearly any type of place you can think of can be nominated for the National Register; districts, sites, buildings, structures, objects and any other places that are significant to the community, state, or nation.

8. Who can nominate?Any individual can nominate a place to the National Register, but it is recommended that you contact your State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) first, before submitting the appropriate forms.

9. How does the nomination process work?Once forms are submitted and all related parties are notified, the SHPO reviews the nomination with the National Register Review Board. If it is recommended by both parties, the National Park Service performs a final review before it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

10. Can the database be accessed?Yes, you can access the National Register of Historic Places database online at www.nps.org/gov/nr/research.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation works to save America’s historic places. Preservation Tips & Tools helps others do the same in their own communities.

For more information, visit SavingPlaces.org.

Photos courtesy: J. Stephen Conn/Flickr//CC BY NC 2.0; Ann Merrill/Flickr/CC BY NC ND 2.0; Gianina Lindsey/Flickr/CC BY 2.0; Graeme Maclean/Flickr/CC BY 2.0; Michael Seljos/Flickr/CC BY NC ND 2.0; shell game/Flickr/CC BY NC ND 2.0; cmh2315fl/Flickr/CC BY NC 2.0; Jimmy Emerson/Flickr/CC BY NC ND 2.0; Jimmy Emerson/Flickr/CC BY NC ND 2.0