National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

National Register of Historic Places Program: Publications

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.

 

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 / Other Guidance

National Register Brochures

Brochure Title Number* HTML PDF
-- html 11 MB
National Register of Historic Places Overview (in English) -- html 13 MB
National Register of Historic Places Overview (en Español) -- html 13 MB
(Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos) National Register of Historic Places Brochure Poster in Spanish --   9 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
    Cemeteries - National Register Eligibility of National Cemeteries – A Clarification of Policy   word 45 kb
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
     
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
Draft GIS Map Guidance   word  

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      

Other Publications/ Guidance

• Additional Guidance

• Policy clarification and Guidance (workshops, handouts, policy updates, drafts, supplemental materials)

Sample Nominations Page (this page replaces bulletin 35 Examples of Documentation: National Register Casebook

CRM Articles (only available online)

36 CFR 60 (NR), 36 CFR 63 (DOEs - Determinations of Eligibility), 36 CFR 65 (NHL), Code of Federal Regulations for the National Register of Historic Places and the National Historic Landmark Program

GPO Access (access to all federal government legislation)

Historic Preservation Laws and Regulations

Book of Historic Preservation Laws (available for purchase)

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