Exterior modifications and site changes will usually require building permits from the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). Maintenance work (such as painting) does not require a permit, but a permit will be required if the work extends to repointing, reroofing, and the replacement or reconstruction of a significant part or part of a building. Property owners are responsible for obtaining and displaying building permits before the work is performed. Failure to comply may result in fines and delays in the work. See the DCRA website for more information.
Building permits in historic districts must be approved by the HPO, under the HPRB’s regulations. HPO staff are authorized to sign-off on minor projects and those clearly meeting established design guidelines.
Major changes must be approved by the HPRB at monthly public hearings. HPO staff will work with the applicant and if necessary, the community, to develop a staff report with recommendation for the HPRB.
Different Kinds of Work Require Different Levels of Review
The following are rules of thumb from the HPO website to determine what level of review a specific project may require:
Work Not Subject to Historic Preservation Review
- Interior alterations and non-structural interior demolition
- Ordinary maintenance
- Painting and paint color selection (with the exception of landmarks with unpainted masonry)
- Gutters and downspouts
- Window attachments (Screens, storm windows, non-commercial awnings, security bars, air conditioners
- Window repair (reglazing, caulking, weatherstripping, consolidating deteriorated elements)
- Landscaping (planting or removing trees and shrubs, but not including paving)
- Movable site features (outdoor furniture, play equipment, sculpture and ornaments
- Temporary dumpsters, scaffolding, construction fences, use and occupancy permits
Minor or Routine Work (where HPO response / approval may be expected the same day)
- Minor repairs and in-kind replacement of deteriorated elements (roofing and flashing; siding, cornices, moldings, shutters, and trim; front steps, walks, fences, and other site elements; masonry repointing or repair.
- Compliant front fences up to 42” high and retaining walls less than 12 inches high
- Alterations and installations that demonstrably will not be visible from a street (e.g., skylights, vents, and chimneys; HVAC equipment and solar panels; satellite dishes and antennae; dormers; opening or blocking up window and door openings on secondary elevations
- Work in rear and side yards demonstrably not visible from a street
- Rear fences up to seven feet in height
- Steps, walks, and retaining walls
- Patios, terraces and first floor decks
- Garden sheds, gazebos, and trellises
- Garage door replacement
- Parking pads on private property accessed from an alley
- Certifications of designated property for parking and loading waivers; renewal permits Excavation, sheeting & shoring and other underground work for approved construction
- Unenclosed sidewalk cafes on existing paving with removable furniture
- Subdivisions involving minor or insignificant lot changes, conversion of assessment and taxation lots to record lots
Work Requiring HPO Full Staff Review with a Staff Report for HRPB review and Approval
- Demolition of landmarks or contributing buildings in historic districts, substantial or in their entirety, as defined in DCMR 10-C, Section 305
- New buildings
- Front and side additions, including new porches (other than reconstruction of missing original porches) and porch enclosures
- Front alterations, such as new dormers, entrances, and entrance features
- Substantial rear additions
- Roof additions or decks visible from a street
- New two-story garages and garages prominently visible from a street
- New curb cuts, driveways and parking pads in front or side yards
- Significant alteration of important architectural features (window or door openings on front facades; removal of special windows, distinctive materials, and decorative architectural features)
- Subdivisions involving landmarks, significant changes in lot boundaries, or substantial combination/division of lots
- Work that exceeds HPO delegated authority or determined by HPO to be inconsistent with HPRB standards and practices