Historic Preservation in North Carolina (2026)
24 rules on the books across North Carolina, 24 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Historic-Cultural Monuments
How buildings, sites, and trees are nominated and designated as Historic-Cultural Monuments, the protections that follow, and the demolition-stay process.
Apex
Heavy RestrictionsContributing historic structures in Apex's National Register Historic District cannot be relocated under the Town's…
Read full rule →Asheville
Significant RestrictionsAsheville and Buncombe County designate historic landmarks, sites, buildings, or objects of special historical…
Read full rule →Cary
Significant RestrictionsThe Town of Cary designates historic landmarks by ordinance when the Historic Preservation Commission finds a property…
Read full rule →Charlotte
Significant RestrictionsCharlotte bans erecting any monument on city-owned property without following its Public Monuments Ordinance, and…
Read full rule →Cleveland County
Significant RestrictionsCleveland County's Historic Preservation Commission can designate a building, structure, site or object a 'landmark'…
Read full rule →Concord
Significant RestrictionsConcord's City Council may designate individual properties as historic landmarks after Historic Preservation Commission…
Read full rule →Durham
Significant RestrictionsDurham designates historic landmarks under UDO Sec. 3.16.3: the Historic Preservation Commission and City Council…
Read full rule →Greensboro
Significant RestrictionsGreensboro designates cultural and historic landmarks through the Guilford County Joint Historic Preservation…
Read full rule →Greenville
Significant RestrictionsGreenville's Historic Preservation Commission can recommend that the City Council designate an individual building…
Read full rule →Guilford County
Significant RestrictionsGuilford County's Historic Preservation Commission, created under G.S. 160D-303, reviews and recommends Historic…
Read full rule →Harnett County
Significant RestrictionsThe Harnett County Board of Commissioners designates historic landmarks by resolution on recommendation of the…
Read full rule →Kill Devil Hills
Significant RestrictionsIn the Town of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, the Historic Landmarks Commission designates buildings, sites and…
Read full rule →Lee County
Significant RestrictionsLee County's governing body designates historic landmarks through its Unified Development Ordinance, and once a…
Read full rule →Lincoln County
Significant RestrictionsThe Lincoln County Historic Preservation Commission can recommend that the Board of Commissioners designate individual…
Read full rule →Mebane
Significant RestrictionsIn the City of Mebane, North Carolina, buildings inside a designated historic district or on landmark property face…
Read full rule →Raleigh
Significant RestrictionsRaleigh City Council designates Historic Landmarks under UDO Sec. 10.2.16, following a report from the Historic…
Read full rule →Rowan County
Significant RestrictionsRowan County designates historic landmarks through Chapter 9.5's Historic Landmarks Ordinance. A seven-member Landmarks…
Read full rule →Sampson County
Significant RestrictionsIn unincorporated Sampson County, no one may place a monument, memorial, or piece of public artwork on county property…
Read full rule →Surry County
Significant RestrictionsSurry County's Board of Commissioners created a Historic Preservation Commission under G.S. §§ 160D-940-949, with the…
Read full rule →Union County
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Union County can designate a property as a historic landmark once its Historic Preservation Commission…
Read full rule →Fayetteville
Some RestrictionsFayetteville's city council created the Historic Resources Commission under G.S. 160D-303 to designate historic…
Read full rule →Franklin County
Some RestrictionsWhen Franklin County reviews a proposed subdivision in the unincorporated area, developers cannot destroy…
Read full rule →Rutherford County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Rutherford County, the Historic Preservation Commission, created under G.S. 160D-940, can only…
Read full rule →Burlington
Light RestrictionsIn the City of Burlington, North Carolina, a nonresidential building designated as a local historic landmark, listed on…
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