Properties listed in the National or State Register may be eligible for investment tax credits for approved rehabilitation projects.  Listed properties are also eligible to compete for grants from Colorado's State Historical Fund.  These grants may be used for acquisition and development, education, and survey and planning projects.

Although OAHP strongly encourages the preservation of National and State Register properties, listing offers no automatic protection.  Private owners of National and State Register properties using private funds may alter or demolish these properties within existing local building regulations.  Projects involving federal or state agency actions or funding are reviewed by OAHP with the goal of preserving historic resources whenever possible.

OAHP staff is available to assist with the initial assessments of eligibility and to provide guidance in the completion of register nomination.

Above photo: Bingham Homestead Rural Historic Landscape (5LR.774). Photo by Ron Sladek.

Click here to see a list of currently registered historic places

How to List a Property on the National Register of Historic Places or the Colorado State Register of Historic Places

We break the listing process into 8 steps below. It may be lengthy, but we (the National and State Register Staff) are here to help!

Step 1) Submit a Preliminary Property Evaluation Form (PPE Form)

Writing a historic register nomination takes an average of three months. We'd like to ensure your proposed property is eligible for the National or State Register before you start. Please submit a PPE Form for our internal panel to review.
The PPE Form can be found at the bottom of this page.

Submission Deadline: The last Wednesday of each month
Expected Response: In the first two weeks on the next month expect a Determination of Eligibility Letter.

Step 2) Submit a Nomination Form

To proceed with a nomination, fill out a nomination form.
We look forward to receiving your nomination draft.
Nomination forms can be found here!

Submission Deadline: January 30, 2026; May 29, 2026; October 2, 2026

Step 3) Staff Review and Rewriting

A National and State Register staff member will review your nomination for technical completeness and historical adequacy before sending it back with comments. This back-and-forth will last two or three rounds.

Timeframe: Typically 2-3 Months
If a nomination requires considerable edits, the review and rewrite period may extend into the next review round.

Step 4) Nomination Notifications

The local government, property owner, and preparer will receive a notification of the nomination a month before the State Review Board Meeting. At this time, the nomination will also be sent to members of the State Review Board.

If a National Register nomination is located within a Certified Local Government (CLG), the CLG, local government, property owner, and preparer will also receive a notification of the nomination two months before the State Review Board Meeting. The CLG will review the nomination and submit a letter of support or objection.

Step 5) State Review Board Meeting

Three times a year, the State Review Board meets to review nominations. National and State Register staff will give a short presentation on the property. Then the preparer, owner, and affiliated community members will have the opportunity to speak. Please notify staff in advanced about who would like to speak at the meeting. Finally, the board will discuss the nomination and vote on forwarding the nominations to the proper authorities.

Meeting Dates: January 16, 2026; May 15, 2026; September 18, 2026
Note: Due to the large number of nominations we receive, off-cycle meetings may be held in July and November.

Step 6) National Review OR History Colorado Board of Directors Approval

National Register nominations will be forwarded to a National Park Service reviewer who will either submit the nomination to the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places or respond with comments. If the NPS reviewer has comments, we will forward them to the nomination preparer and discuss next steps.
Expected Timeframe: 45 days after submission (barring governmental shutdown)
Note: Due to the number of nominations National Register reviewers receive, we have been asked to stagger our submittals.

State Register nominations will be presented to the History Colorado Board of Directors approximately a week after the State Review Board Meeting. After the nomination is approved by the Board of Directors, staff will send listing notification letters.
Expected Timeframe: 2 weeks after the State Review Board Meeting
However, these letters can be delayed for a number of reasons.

Step 7) Celebrate!

Celebrate as you see fit! You've finished listing a historic place to the National or State register!
Places listed to the National Register of Historic Places will receive a commemorative plaque. Keep in contact with staff to arrange acquisition of the plaque.

Step 8) Keep in Contact

Once your property is on the National or State Register, it is eligible for the following programs:
Tax Credits - Learn more at https://www.historycolorado.org/preservation-tax-credits
State Historical Fund - Learn more at https://www.historycolorado.org/state-historical-fund