Historic Preservation; Consulting Services for Owners of Historic Structures

If you wish to or are required to carry out work on a historic monument, you will need to address technical, legal, and financial issues.

The historic preservation authorities— in particular the local historic preservation authorities (district offices, independent cities, and major county seats) and the State Office for Historic Preservation—are responsible for providing you with comprehensive advice. This advice is not limited to technical matters (e.g., specific restoration methods) but also covers permit and building approval procedures, as well as all questions regarding funding through public grants or loans or through tax benefits.

In appropriate cases, the advice provided by the historic preservation authorities should take place on-site, i.e., at or within the historic monument.

The so-called “consultation days” organized by the State Office for Historic Preservation have proven very effective for historic preservation:

On specific days, representatives from the State Office for the Preservation of Historic Monuments visit a county or independent city under their jurisdiction and, together with staff from the local historic preservation authority, meet with monument owners who have requested advice or for whom specific measures are pending or currently being carried out. Depending on the circumstances of each individual case, however, on-site inspections outside of consultation days or meetings at the headquarters of the local historic preservation authority or at the State Office for the Preservation of Historic Monuments may also be considered. For archaeological sites, a meeting is held as needed.

In all cases, please contact your local historic preservation authority first; they will coordinate the appointments with the State Office for Historic Preservation. They will inform you in a timely manner which documents you should bring to your consultation appointment.