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National Register Eligibility Guidelines

National Register Listing Process

National Register Nomination Packet

Why Hire Historic Preservation Professionals?

Consultant List

The National Register recognizes five basic types of historic properties:

1. Historic buildings such as plantation houses, courthouses or log cabins
2. Historic structures such as old bridges, lighthouses or forts
3. Historic districts such as old residential or commercial neighborhoods
4. Historic sites such as battlefields or Indian mounds
5. Historic objects such as old steamboats or fire engines

To qualify for the Register, a property must be:

1. At least 50 years of age and retain enough of its original architectural design and materials to properly reflect its reason for and period of significance.
2. A property must be significant for one or more of the following criteria/reasons
   1. Association with a significant event or pattern of events in local, state, or national history
   2. Association with the lives of persons significant in our past whose contributions strongly impacted local, state, or national history and can be identified and documented
   3. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction
   4. Archaeological potential to yield information important in prehistory or history.

Generally, properties are not placed on the Register if they are less than 50 years old; if the period of their historical significance is less than 50 years old; or if they have been significantly altered.

Please Note:
Listing in the National Register does not, in and of itself, constitute approval for other historic preservation programs administered by the Division of Historic Preservation. These programs include:

• Louisiana Main Street Program
• Certified Local Government Program
• Federal and State Tax Credit Incentive Program
• Tax Abatement Program
• Section 106 Environmental Review
• Survey and Planning Grants

Separate application and review processes are required for each. If you need assistance with these programs, please use the links above or contact the Division at the address and telephone number listed on this site.