National Register of Historic Places Publications -- Part of the National Park Service

National Register Publications

Our National Register Bulletin series provides guidance on evaluating, documenting, and listing different types of historic places.

Bulletins and Brochures	NR Forms
Other Publications/Guidance	Books and Videos

To obtain any of these publications or videos in hard copy either e-mail us (please include your mailing address), or print out an ORDER FORM, and mail in your request. There is no charge.

National Register Brochures

Brochure Title	Number*	HTML	PDF
National Register of Historic Places (in English)	--	html	13 MB
National Register of Historic Places (en Español)	--	html	13 MB
My Property is Important to America's Heritage, What Does that Mean: Answers to Questions for Owners of Historic Properties	--	html	5 MB
25 Simple Things you can do to Promote the Public Benefits of Archaeology	--	html	465 kb

National Register Bulletins

The Basics

Bulletin Title	Number*	HTML	PDF
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation	15	html	13MB
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form	16A	html	22 MB
How to Complete the National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form	16B	html	7 MB
A video on the multiple property approach is also available
How to Prepare National Historic Landmark Nominations	--	html	80 MB
Researching a Historic Property	39	html	5MB

Property Types

Bulletin Title	Number*	HTML	PDF
Historic Residential Suburbs: Guidelines for Evaluation and Documentation for the National Register of Historic Places	--	html	147 MB
Guidelines for Evaluating and Registering Archeological Properties	36	html	51 MB
Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Historic Aviation Properties	--	html	18 MB
Guidelines for Evaluating and Nominating Aids to Navigation	34	html	17 MB
Guidelines for Identifying, Evaluating, and Registering America's Historic Battlefields	40	html	18 MB
Guidelines for Evaluating and Registering Cemeteries and Burial Places	41	html	31 MB
How to Evaluate and Nominate Designed Historic Landscapes	18	html	13 MB
Guidelines for Identifying, Evaluating and Registering Historic Mining Properties	42	html	33 MB
Guidelines for Evaluating and Nominating Properties That Have Achieved Significance Within the Past Fifty Years	22	html	20 MB
How to Apply National Register Criteria to Post Offices	13	html	14 MB
Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Rural Historic Landscapes	30	html	41 MB
Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Properties Associated with Significant Persons	32	html	17 MB
Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Traditional Cultural Properties	38	html	27 MB
A dvd on evaluating traditional cultural properties is also available
Nominating Historic Vessels and Shipwrecks to the National Register of Historic Places	20	html	14 MB

Technical Assistance for Preparing Nominations

Bulletin Title	Number*	HTML	PDF
Defining Boundaries for National Register Properties (with Appendix, Definition of National Register Boundaries for Archeological Properties	21 & 12	html	45 MB
How to Improve the Quality of Photographs for National Register Nominations	23	html	39 MB
Photograph Policy Expansion 2005
Photograph Policy Update 2008
Telling the Stories: Planning Effective Interpretive Programs for Places Listed in the National Register of Historic Places	--	html	28 MB
Using the UTM Grid System to Record Historic Sites	28	html	2 MB
Reviewing National Register Nominations	19	html	1 MB

General Guidance

Bulletin Title	Number*	HTML	PDF
Guidelines for Local Surveys: A Basis for Preservation Planning	24	html	28MB
Code of Federal Regulations: 36 CFR Part 60 National Register of Historic Places
Examples of Documentation: National Register Casebook	35	html	8MB

Other Publications/ Guidance

National Register Review Checklists: items we look for when we review each nomination.
NCSHPO 2001 Annual Meeting National Register Workshop (only available online)
Manual for State Historic Preservation Review Boards (only available online)
CRM Articles (only available online)
36 CFR 60 (NR), 36 CFR 67 (NHL), Code of Federal Regulations for the National Register of Historic Places and the National Historic Landmark Program

* the bulletin number refers to a previous system for publishing our bulletins. We no longer use the numbers.

To obtain any of these publications or videos in hard copy either e-mail us (please include your mailing address), or print out an ORDER FORM, and mail in your request. There is no charge.