Historic Review
What is historic review?
The City’s historic review process helps steward exterior changes to historic properties. Historic design standards provide guidance for projects. Not sure if your property is historic? Check on the Historic Properties page.
Which projects need historic review?
You must go through the historic review process if:
- Your property has been historically designated as a:
- Historic landmark
- Contributing property in a local historic district
- Contributing property in a National Register historic district
- A noncontributing property in a local or National Register historic district (for sign changes only)
AND
- You are planning:
- Exterior alterations or additions
- Permanent site work
- Sign installation
- Stand-alone, ground-up new construction on a historic landmarked property or any property in a historic district
How does the historic review process work?
In the historic review process, there are several key steps.
- First, submit a historic review application to Austin Build + Connect and pay the fee (check here for current rates).
- Most smaller projects can be approved by staff within 5 business days. Larger projects are referred to the Historic Landmark Commission, which meets monthly. Commission review involves additional fees.
- If the project meets historic design standards, it is approved by the Historic Landmark Commission. You may update your project to better meet the standards and achieve approval.
City staff are available to advise you on your project at any stage. The Architectural Review Committee meets monthly to offer informal feedback on designs. Applications that change after approval must go through historic review again.
Historic Review FAQs
Applicants must pay fees for historic review. When you submit an application, you pay an initial historic review fee (check here for current rates). If the project is not eligible for administrative approval, it will be referred to the Historic Landmark Commission. Commission review involves additional fees.
The timeframe for historic review depends on the type of project:
- Small projects that qualify for administrative approval can be approved within 5 business days.
- Projects that require review by the Historic Landmark Commission will be placed on the next available Commission agenda after the application deadline.
- The Historic Landmark Commission meets once a month. Some projects may be reviewed at multiple Commission meetings.
Historic design standards ensure that additions, alterations, and new construction are compatible with historic buildings. See which standards apply to your project below:
- Historic landmarks: Historic Design Standards (en español)
- Historic districts: Design standards for your district
- New historic districts must use the Historic Design Standards (en español)
- National Register historic districts: Historic Design Standards (en español)
- Signage on all historic properties: Historic Sign Standards
Fill out the application, upload plans and photographs, and pay fees through Austin Build + Connect (AB+C).
If you have not used AB+C before, you will need to register for an account before submitting an application. For detailed instructions, see the Guide to Austin Build + Connect for Historic Review.
Historic Preservation staff may administratively approve projects if they meet applicable design standards. The following projects may qualify for administrative approval:
A new ground-floor, one-story addition with less than 600 square feet of gross floor area
A new second-story rear addition to a two-story building that is not visible from an adjacent public street
A new outbuilding with less than 600 square feet of gross floor area
A new pool, deck, fence, back porch enclosure, or other minor feature
Accurate restorations or reconstructions of documented missing historic architectural elements
Demolition of a minor outbuilding such as a carport, detached garage, or shed
Staff may refer any project to the Historic Landmark Commission for review.
If your property is historic, see How do I submit a historic review application? above. If it is not historic, submit the required Development Services permit applications and your application will be internally routed to the Historic Preservation Office for review. You will be notified if your project is referred to the Historic Landmark Commission. To find out whether your property is historic, visit our Historic Properties page.
Routine maintenance and in-kind repairs do not require historic review. See the Historic Design Standards (en español) for more information.