Zoning Glossary

Historic District

A historic district is a geographically defined area recognized for containing buildings, structures, sites, and landscapes that are significant to the history, architecture, or culture of a community. In the United States, two fundamentally different types of designation exist: federal recognition on the National Register of Historic Places, which provides acknowledgment and eligibility for tax incentives without restricting what private owners may do with their properties; and local historic district designation, which is a zoning overlay that creates actual legal restrictions requiring approval before exterior changes are made to contributing properties.

Land Use

In Practice

Owning property in a locally designated historic district typically requires obtaining a Certificate of Appropriateness from the local historic preservation commission before making exterior alterations visible from a public right-of-way. It is local designation — not federal recognition — that imposes legal obligations on property owners. Before planning any exterior work on a property, the first step is confirming which type of historic district designation applies and which local body administers design review.

Source: Historic District Rules: What You Can and Can't Change · Verified April 5, 2026

Related Terms

Design ReviewVariance

Related Guides

Historic District Rules: What You Can and Can't Change

Source: PropertyZoned Zoning Guide — Historic District Rules: What You Can and Can't Change. Last verified April 5, 2026.

Last updated: April 5, 2026
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