Historic Preservation
The Historic Preservation Office encourages the preservation of Austin’s historic buildings, structures, sites, and districts; promotes awareness of our cultural and architectural heritage; and helps shape a more sustainable, equitable, and livable city in collaboration with other City departments and community partners.
Learn more about the Historic Landmark Commission, application deadlines for 2025, Historic Review Application, and the Commission review process (see Related Links below).
We're developing a new equity-based preservation plan! Learn more about the planning process.
Use the Historic Property Viewer to find out if a property is a historic landmark, located in a locally designated historic district, or in a National Register district. If the property is a historic landmark or a contributing property in a historic district or a National Register district, you must submit a historic review application for:
- Exterior alterations
- Additions
- Permanent site work
- Signs (historic sign standards)
- Stand-alone, ground-up new construction on a historic landmark property, in a historic district, and in a National Register district also requires a historic review application.
Historic landmarks, historic districts designated after November 2022, and National Register districts should use the Historic Design Standards (PDF) when planning projects (estándares en español) (PDF). Historic districts designated before November 2022 should use the design standards developed during the application process.
We encourage you to submit applications through the City’s online portal Austin Build + Connect. You can fill out the application, upload plans and photographs, and pay fees. If you have not used this feature before, you will need to register for an account before submitting an application.