Guidelines for Applying the Secretary of the Interior's Standards

The Standards are a series of concepts about maintaining, repairing, and replacing historic materials, as well as designing new additions or making alterations. The Guidelines apply the Standards and describe specific treatments that do and do not meet the Standards. They offer general design and technical recommendations to assist in applying the Standards to a specific property. Together, the Standards and Guidelines provide a framework and guidance for decision-making about work or changes to a historic property.

The Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, codified in 36 CFR 68, are regulatory for all grant-in-aid projects assisted through the national Historic Preservation Fund. The Standards for Rehabilitation, codified in 36 CFR 67, are regulatory for the review of rehabilitation work in the Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program.

Technical Preservation Services has developed sets of Guidelines to assist property owners in applying the Standards. The Guidelines are advisory, not regulatory.

Guidelines on Flood Adaptation for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings

These guidelines provide information about how to adapt historic buildings to be more resilient to flooding risk in a manner that will preserve their historic character and that will meet The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings

These guidelines assist in applying the The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation to projects generally.They pertain to historic buildings of all sizes, materials, occupancy, and construction types; they apply to interior and exterior work as well as new exterior additions.

Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings

These guidelines offer specific guidance on how to make historic buildings more sustainable in a manner that will preserve their historic character and that will meet The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes

These Guidelines provide guidance to cultural landscape owners, stewards and managers, landscape architects, preservation planners, architects, contractors, and project reviewers prior to and during the planning and implementation of project work.

History of the Standards

Read a History of The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing Historic Buildings.