Historic districts across the DC area
What changes in a historic district? The rules differ at every jurisdiction line. Here is the short answer for each.
Disclaimer: This is general information, not legal or professional advice for any one property. Codes change. SetbackIQ is not a zoning determination, a permit, or a survey, and it does not replace an architect, engineer, or lawyer. Confirm with your building and zoning offices before you build, buy, or sign a contract.
| Where | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Washington, DC | On a landmark or in a historic district, every permit exemption falls away and HPO reviews exterior work. Raze permits get HPO review too. |
| Montgomery County, MD | On a Master Plan historic site or in a historic district, exterior changes need a Historic Area Work Permit from the Historic Preservation Commission. SetbackIQ checks the county's historic preservation map. |
| Prince George's County, MD | Designated historic sites, their environmental settings and county historic districts need a Historic Area Work Permit for exterior work. National Register-only districts don't. SetbackIQ checks the Planning Department's historic map. |
| Alexandria, VA | In Old and Historic Alexandria and Parker-Gray, exterior work visible from a public way needs a BAR certificate of appropriateness, even with no building permit. SetbackIQ checks the city's historic district map. |
| Arlington County, VA | In a local historic district, exterior changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the HALRB. SetbackIQ checks the county's historic district map. |
| Fairfax County, VA | In a Historic Overlay District, exterior changes need Architectural Review Board approval before permits issue. SetbackIQ checks the county's HOD map. |
Towns and cities inside these counties (for example, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Bowie, Laurel, Herndon, Vienna, and Falls Church) have their own rules.