Publications of the National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources.

National Register Info Sheets

Best Practices Review

The “Best Practices Review” compliments the guidance provided in National Register Bulletins by providing examples on specific topics. New Best Practices Reviews are typically issued quarterly. Your feedback as well as suggestions for future topics are welcome; please contact us.

National Register of Historic Places Bulletins

The National Register of Historic Places issued a series of bulletins to support the development and preparation of National Register nominations and other actions. The core guidance documents are How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation (NRB 15) and How to Complete the National Register Registration Form (NRB 16A).

"NRB" refers to a numbering system that is no longer in use.

Consolidated and Updated Photograph Policy 2024 :This 2024 guidance replaces the 2013 Guidance on How to Submit a Nomination, the 2013 Photo Policy Factsheet, and the 2020 Electronic-Only Submission Instructions; and reiterates the information issued in 2022 for nominating authorities submitting photographs through the Cultural Resources Submission Portal (CRSP). This guidance does not introduce any new requirements.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation (NRB 15)
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form (NRB 16A) -- also see addendum below
How to Complete the National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form (NRB 16B)
How to Prepare National Historic Landmark Nominations
Researching a Historic Property (NRB 39)
Historic Residential Suburbs: Guidelines for Evaluation and Documentation for the National Register of Historic Places
- Suburbs bulletin Part 1 (pages 1-72)
- Suburbs bulletin Part 2 (pages 73-138)
Guidelines for Evaluating and Registering Archeological Properties (NRB 36)
Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Historic Aviation Properties (NRB 43)
Guidelines for Evaluating and Nominating Aids to Navigation (NRB 34)
Guidelines for Identifying, Evaluating, and Registering America's Historic Battlefields (NRB 40)
Guidelines for Evaluating and Registering Cemeteries and Burial Places (NRB 41) -- also see clarification of policy below
How to Evaluate and Nominate Designed Historic Landscapes (NRB 18)
Guidelines for Identifying, Evaluating and Registering Historic Mining Properties (NRB 42)
Guidelines for Evaluating and Nominating Properties That Have Achieved Significance Within the Past Fifty Years (NRB 22)
How to Apply National Register Criteria to Post Offices (NRB 13)
Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Rural Historic Landscapes (NRB 30)
Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Properties Associated with Significant Persons (NRB 32)
Identifying, Evaluating, and Documenting Traditional Cultural Places National Register Bulletin (f. NRB 38, updated 2024)
Nominating Historic Vessels and Shipwrecks to the National Register of Historic Places (NRB 20)
Defining Boundaries for National Register Properties (with Appendix, Definition of National Register Boundaries for Archeological Properties (NRB 21 & 12)
How to Improve the Quality of Photographs for National Register Nominations (NRB 23)
Telling the Stories: Planning Effective Interpretive Programs for Places Listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Please e-mail us for a copy.
Using the UTM Grid System to Record Historic Sites (NRB 28) - Please e-mail us for a copy.
GIS Map Guidance
Guidelines for Local Surveys: A Basis for Preservation Planning Part 1 (NRB 24)
Guidelines for Local Surveys: A Basis for Preservation Planning Part 2 (NRB 24)

Updated Traditional Cultural Places (TCP) Bulletin

The Traditional Cultural Places (TCP) Bulletin provides guidance for preparing a nomination of a traditional cultural place for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Through feedback from key stakeholders, including Tribes, government agencies, preservation organizations, and the public, the TCP Bulletin has been revised with additional guidance that builds upon and supercedes the 1998 edition by using plain language and incorporating extensive examples.

A hard copy may be obtained by submitting a request via email.

National Register Policy Clarifications

From time to time, the Keeper of the National Register issues a response to a policy question that has been raised about application of the criteria and other program requirements. When the Keeper issues such clarifications, they constitute an adjustment to or affirmation of that policy. The Keeper's policy clarifications will be posted on the web site and may be incorporated into future publications.

Alternative to having owner objections to listing notarized: This Letter from the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places (November 12, 2021) explains an acceptable alternative to the traditional means for registering owner objection to listing one’s property in the National Register of Historic Places or its designation as a Historic Landmark.
In response to questions received from our preservation partners, the National Park Service has developed a fact sheet and sample language document to supplement the letter from the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places distributed in November 2021. That letter identified an acceptable alternative to the traditional means for registering owner objection to listing one’s property in the National Register of Historic Places or its designation as a Historic Landmark.
Area of Significance categories and subcategories have grown since Bulletin 16a “How to Complete the National Register Form” was last issued in 1997. As part of the National Park Service’s ongoing efforts to ensure all places of significance in American history are accurately identified in nominations, and to better support research on these places, areas of significance for Ethnic Heritage and Social History have been expanded. This list suggests options for proponents and state, Tribal, and Federal nominating authorities to apply at their discretion in preparing nominations or updating documentation.
Counting contributing resources: This Additional Guidance Addendum to the National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register Registration Form (February 1, 2018) addresses counting contributing resources outside the period of significance for new National Register submissions or for additional documentation of previously listed properties.
GIS Map Guidance (pdf)
Webinar on GIS Map guidance
Integrity Requirements for Settings and Locations of Locomotives and Other Rolling Stock
National Register Eligibility of National Cemeteries – A Clarification of Policy

Checklists

Items the National Register of Historic Places looks for when reviewing nominations

• Technical Review Checklist
• Substantive Checklist

Cultural Resources Submission Portal - CRSP

The Cultural Resources Submission Portal (CRSP or “crisp”) replaces the initial electronic submissions system with an enhanced system. CRSP is only for nominating authorities: State Historic Preservation Offices, Tribal Preservation Offices, and Federal Preservation Offices. Instructions and URL

National Register Brochures

National Register of Historic Places Brochure Poster
(Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos) National Register of Historic Places Brochure Poster in Spanish - Please e-mail us for a copy.

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