Properties should be at least forty (40) years old or older and possess integrity of location and construction, should convey a feeling for the time and place of construction, and include properties that are: A. associated with events of state or local significance; and/or B. associated with the lives of persons of state or local significance; and/or C. representative of a type, style, or period of architecture; and/or D. associated with Alabama's history or prehistory (archaeological resources)

The applicant should fill out the application to the best of his/her ability and then submit it to the Alabama Register Coordinator. If the Coordinator has any questions about the property or if more information is needed, he/she will notify the applicant in writing. For more information about researching an historic property, please refer to the Guide to Researching Old Buildings in Alabama.

The Coordinator will visit the site if they cannot assess enough integrity from the photographs and information submitted with the application.

The Coordinator assesses each application for completeness first. Then, the Coordinator assesses whether or not there is enough information in the application to add the property to the agenda for the next Alabama Register Review Board Meeting.

The length of time before the nomination is presented to the staff review committee is dependent upon the quality and accuracy of information provided to the AHC.

The property is presented to the Alabama Register Review Board at the Alabama Register Review Board Meeting, which is held at least four times per year. The Review Board assesses the property for intact physical integrity (location, design, setting, materials, craftsmanship, feeling, and association) based on the Criteria for which indicated in the application under Section 7. Even if the building is not being considered for architectural significance (Criterion C), some physical evidence of that historically significant event must still exist. The review board consists of AHC staff, and the meetings are open to the public.

Yes. The Alabama Register is honorary only and carries no restrictions or financial incentives, owner permission is not required.

The Coordinator will notify both the applicant and the owner, as well as local elected officials, the planning commission, and the local historic preservation commission (if applicable), of the listing. The owner will also receive a certificate that includes the property’s photograph, name, city and county, and date of listing. It will then be included on the official list of properties in the Alabama Register.

The AHC assists owners with placing an order for a plaque for the property once it is listed. Owners may download, fill out, and submit the Alabama Register Plaque Application along with payment to the Commission, and it will forward the information to Sewah Studios. No state funding is available for purchasing a plaque. For more information, contact Hannah Garmon at 334-230-2644 or at hannah.garmon@ahc.alabama.gov.

In an effort to keep recognition of historic properties accessible to the general public, the Alabama Register criteria and application process is not as stringent as the National Register. In addition, the Alabama Register includes properties that normally may not qualify for National Register status such as moved buildings, reconstructed buildings, and structures less than 50 years old.