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