Bulletins and Brochures

[Photo] Cover of one of the National Register's Bulletins

Our Bulletin Series provides you with guidance to document, evaluate and nominate historically significant sites to the National Register. The series is divided into four sections: the Basics, Property Types, Technical Assistance, and General Guidance. We also have several brochures that provide information on the programs of the National Register.

Our Bulletins and Brochures are all available in electronic versions, accessible by clicking on a highlighted title below. [PRINTING TIP: Using the Internet Explorer browser, go to any Bulletin's Table of Contents/Home Page. Select File and then Print. When the Print window appears, go to the "Options" tab and check the small box at the bottom left of the window to "Print all linked documents" before clicking "OK."] Some publications are available ONLY in electronic versions through this website--these are indicated by an asterix (*). The parenthetical numbers are in reference to a former numbering system which is being phased out.

If you prefer a hard copy of those publications we have in print, please use our ORDER FORM.

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

Out of Print

The following National Register Bulletins are no longer available:

Contribution of Moved Buildings to Historic Districts
Tax Treatments for Moved Buildings
Use of Nomination Documentation in the Part I Certification Process
Certification of State and Local Statutes and Historic Districts
Guidelines for Counting Contributing and Noncontributing Resources for National Register Documentation (#14). The information contained in this former bulletin has been incorporated into How to Complete the National Register Registration Form (see The Basics above).

Please see 36 CFR 60, 36 CFR 67, and more recent National Register Bulletins for information formerly contained within these past bulletins.