Results of Listing
Results of Listing a Property in the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is an official listing of properties throughout the country that reflect the prehistoric occupation and historic development of our nation, states, and local communities. The Register is maintained by the National Park Service under the United States Secretary of the Interior. It is used primarily as a planning tool in making decisions concerning the development of our communities to ensure, as much as possible, the preservation of buildings, sites, structures, and objects that are significant aspects of our cultural and historic heritage. Sometimes there are misunderstandings as to what listing in the National Register will mean for a property owner. The following is an outline of what it will do and what it will not do.
WILL NOT DO
- Listing in the National Register or being determined eligible for listing does not automatically preserve a building, and does not keep a property from being modified or even destroyed.
- Unless an undertaking is state or federally funded, or regulated by local ordinance, private property owners may deal with their property in any way they see fit. Architects at the Division of Historical Resources are available to provide advice concerning the best ways to approach rehabilitation needs while maintaining the historic character of a property. For more information, call the Florida Bureau of Historic Preservation’s Architectural Preservation Services Section at 850.245.6333.
- Private owners are not required to open their listed property to the public for visitation.
- The federal and state governments will not attach restrictive covenants to a property or seek to acquire it because of its listing in the National Register.
WILL DO
- The National Register provides recognition that the property is deemed by the federal and state governments to be significant in our history at the national, state, and/or local levels. Most properties are significant because of their local significance.
- The National Register identifies the properties that local, state, and federal planners should carefully consider when developing projects. Projects involving federal funding, permitting, licensing, or assistance and that may result in damage or loss of the historic values of a property that is listed in the National Register or is eligible for listing are reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office and the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. A similar review takes place under state law for state or state-assisted undertakings. A typical example of projects that are given such review is road construction or improvement. For more information, visit the Compliance Review Section webpage or call the Florida Bureau of Historic Preservation at 850.245.6333.
- Listing may make a property eligible for a Federal Income Tax Credit. If a registered property that is income producing undergoes a substantial rehabilitation carried out according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, the owner may apply for a 20% income tax credit. The credit amounts to 20% of the cost of the rehabilitation. For more information, contact the Architectural Preservation Services Section of the Florida Bureau of Historic Preservation at 850.245.6333.
- In 1992, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows counties or cities to grant ad valorem tax relief for owners of properties that are listed or eligible for listing in the National Register or in a local district. When a property is improved its value is increased and the assessment is raised accordingly. The ad valorem tax legislation provides that the increase in assessed value of the improved property will be exempted for up to 10 years from taxation for those portions of the tax bill affected by local option county or municipal exemption ordinances. This provision is available for both income and non-income producing properties. Contact your local property appraiser to see if this provision is available.
- Listing may make a property exempt from certain Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements and eligible for some Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and building safety code adjustments. For more information, visit the Architectural Preservation Services webpage or call the Florida Bureau of Historic Preservation at 850.245.6333.
- Listing or being determined eligible for National Register listing is not required for receiving state preservation grants. Grant funding is highly competitive, however, and this official recognition adds weight to the argument that a property is significant and should be awarded a grant. For more information, visit the Grants webpage or call the Florida Division of Historical Resources at 850.245.6300.
