Historic Preservation in San Antonio, TX (2026)
2 verified historic preservation rules for San Antonio, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
HPOZ Rules
Any exterior change to a building in a San Antonio historic district, or to a designated landmark, needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic and Design Review Commission before permits issue. The Office of Historic Preservation and the HDRC review the work against adopted design guidelines.
San Antonio Historic Districts: Certificate of Appropriateness Required
Significant RestrictionsSan Antonio Unified Development Code Section 35-451 (Certificate of Appropriateness), Art. IV, Div. 5
A certificate of appropriateness shall authorize only those modifications to a building or structure requested in the application and approved as provided herein. ... Applications proposing work or changes to the exterior of a landmark, in a historic district, in a river improvement overlay district, viewshed protection or mission protection overlay district, or a property identified as an elig...
Historic-Cultural Monuments
San Antonio can designate a building, site, structure or district a historic and cultural landmark under UDC Sec. 35-607 once it meets at least three of ten listed criteria, from cultural heritage value to unique architectural design. City council, the historic preservation officer or the owner can initiate the process, and once approved the property carries an 'HL' zoning suffix and falls under Certificate of Appropriateness review for exterior work.
San Antonio Cultural Landmark Designation Standards
Significant RestrictionsSan Antonio Unified Development Code § 35-607
Historic districts and landmarks shall be evaluated for designation using the criteria listed in subsection (b). In order to be eligible for historic landmark designation, properties shall meet at least three (3) of the criteria listed. Historic districts shall consist of at least two (2) or more structures within a legally defined boundary that meet at least three (3) of the criteria. Addition...
Looking for Bexar County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Antonio city rules.
Historic Preservation in Bexar County →