Publications and Technical Bulletins

California Historical Resource Status Codes

The California Historical Resource Status Codes replace the National Register Status Codes. The revised status codes reflect the application of California Register and local criteria as well as the National Register and will clarify the identification, evaluation, and understanding of the significance of California's historic resources. 

For more information, see Technical Assistance Bulletin 8

Federal Historic Preservation Laws, Regulations, and Orders

Federal Historic Preservation Laws, Regulations, and Orders (background, guidelines)

Federal Historic Preservation Laws (publication; final ed. 2018)

Instructions for Recording Historical Resources

This manual provides instructions for documenting historic resources using the DPR523 Series forms.

Manual - PDF Format (1995 - 266-kb - 57-p)

Historic Structures Report

This document details the topics that should be addressed in an historic structures report.

CHRIS Information Center Rules of Operation Manual

This manual provides procedural guidance to CHRIS Information Centers and assists clients in use of IC services.

OHP Technical Assistance Bulletins

06 California & National Register Programs Comparison (pdf - 6 pgs)

08 User's Guide to the California Historical Resource Status Codes & Historic Resources Inventory Directory (pdf - 29 pgs)

10 California State Law and Historic Preservation (pdf - 95 pgs)

13 How to Nominate a Property as a California Historical Landmark or California Point of Historical Interest (pdf-43 pgs)

14 Drafting Effective Historic Preservation Ordinances (pdf - 101 pgs)

15 Incentives for Historic Preservation in California 2017 (pdf - 84 pgs)

The OHP Technical Assistance Bulletins listed below are being revised. The documents will be reposted at a later date. Please contact the Registration Unit at (916) 445-7000 for guidance on the process for nominating a property/district to one of the four registration programs.

02 Registration Programs
03 California Register Questions & Answers
07 How to Nominate a Resource to the California Register

Archaeological Resource Management Reports (ARMR):

Recommended Contents and Format
The California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP), under its state and federal mandates, has developed Archaeological Resource Management Reports (ARMR): Recommended Contents and Format (ARMR Guidelines) for the preparation and review of archaeological reports. The purpose of this guidance is to improve the quality of public archaeology in California.

Guidelines For Archaeological Research Design

ARCH Research Design.pdf (February 1991 - 17pages)

Guidelines for the Curation of Archeological Collections

These guidelines are provided to assist private and public curatorial repositories in preserving archeological collections of prehistoric and historic cultural materials and associated records recovered under the authority of existing State environmental laws, codes, and regulations or by the State of California. In addition they are provided to assist agency officials, organizations, and individuals in the selection of an appropriate repository.

Manual - PDF Format (1993 - 20 pages)

California Archaeological Resource Identification and Data Acquisition Program: Sparse Lithic Scatters

The Identification And Management Of An Archaeological Resource Class