Development Services
Long Range Planning - Historic Preservation

The Historic Preservation Section provides services related to historic districts, historic structures, and potential historic districts and structures. These services include Landmark (historic) Designation, Certificates of Appropriateness (approval forms for work on landmark structures), and administering tax incentive programs within Historic Districts and on individual Historic Structures.  For more information on Historic Preservation, Landmark Designation, Certificate of Appropriateness, or Tax Incentives, please use the contact information listed below. Go to the bottom of this page to download the Certificate of Appropriateness and Certificate of Eligibility application, or for more information about tax incentives.

Historic Preservation
Development Services Department
City Hall, Room 5CN
1500 Marilla Street
Dallas, Texas 75201
(214) 670-5088
(214) 670-0728 Fax

View historic districts, designated landmark structures, and proposed landmark structures.

Status Report on the Historic District, Conservation District and Neighborhood Overlay Activity

Landmark Designation

Individual properties and neighborhoods can benefit from designation as a City of Dallas Landmark. Landmark Designation is determined by the Landmark Commission with final approval by the City Council. The Landmark Commission is appointed by the City Council and is assisted by City's Historic Preservation staff.

Certificate of Appropriateness

Certificates of Appropriateness (CAs) are required before exterior work (including landscaping) can be undertaken on City of Dallas Landmarks or on structures in Landmark districts. Minor changes generally require only staff approval, but substantial alterations require approval of the Landmark Commission, which meets the first Monday of each month in City Hall, Room 6EN, Council Chambers. Contact the Historic Preservation Staff to determine whether your proposed work will require staff review or Landmark Commission approval.

See below to download application and further information.

Tax Incentives

The City offers tax incentives to property owners completing rehabilitation projects to historic properties (City of Dallas Landmarks or structures in Landmark Districts) administered by the Historic Preservation Program. These incentives consist of tax exemptions for rehabilitation or residential conversions. In order to qualify, property must be designated a City of Dallas Landmark or be a contributing property within a Landmark district. To apply for any of the incentive programs, please submit a Certificate of Eligibility, downloadable below or available upon request from the Historic Preservation at the address above.

The Certificate of Appropriateness and Historic Preservation Incentives applications, as well as information about the Preservation Incentives Program are available in PDF format and may be downloaded by clicking on the desired document:

Certificate of Appropriateness (Adobe PDF documents)

• Application and Information
• Application Due Date and Review Schedule for 2007
• Application Due Date and Review Schedule for 2008
• Historic Preservation Ordinance

NOTE: Tuesday, July 1, 2008 is the application deadline for cases to be reviewed by the Landmark Commission for the month of August.

Historic Preservation Incentives (Adobe PDF documents)

• Historic Tax Incentive Program Forms
  Note: If ALL the rehabilitation work has already been completed, submit Step 1 and Step 2 applications
  • Information Packet     (MS Word)     (Adobe PDF)
  • Step 1: Application to Landmark Commission    (MS Word)     (Adobe PDF)
  • Step 1: Application to Landmark Commission (partial work already completed)
        (MS Word)     (Adobe PDF)
  • Step 2: Verification of Expenditures    (MS Word)     (Adobe PDF)
• Historic Tax Incentive Program Ordinance

Designation Forms (MS Word documents)

• Designation Report Template
• Preservation Criteria Template

Draft Landmark Commissin Rules of Procedure - February 2008 (Adobe PDF)

Preservation Plans (Adobe PDF)

• Dallas Historical Landmark Survey, 1975
• Landmark Preservation Plan, July 1, 1976
• Dallas Historic Preservation Plan, 1981
• Dallas Historic Preservation Plan, 1987-1988