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Huntsville Historic Districts: What Owners and Buyers Should Know
Huntsville has four local historic districts where exterior work needs city approval, plus several places on the National Register that do not. This guide explains the difference, what needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, the tax credits that may apply and how to check an address before you buy.
Local Historic District vs. National Register
There are two kinds of "historic district," and they work very differently.
Local Historic District
A city creates it by ordinance and appoints a commission to oversee it, as Alabama law allows. Inside a local district, most exterior changes need approval before work starts. That approval is a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA). In Huntsville you need the COA, or a staff approval, before the city will issue a building permit for exterior work.
Sources: Code of Alabama Section 11-68-9 · Huntsville Historic Preservation Commission.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Park Service keeps the register, and the Alabama Historical Commission (AHC) handles nominations in Alabama. The AHC says listing "only recognizes a place's historic character and does not place restrictions on the property." A listing can open the door to the tax incentives below.
Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
This is a state honor only. The AHC says it "is honorary and carries no restrictions or financial incentives."
Sources: Alabama Historical Commission, National Register.
A neighborhood can be one, both or neither. Twickenham is both a local district and a National Register district. The mill villages of west Huntsville are on the National Register but are not local districts, so National Register listing alone does not bring city design review.
Huntsville's Four Local Historic Districts
The City of Huntsville has four locally designated historic preservation districts, and all four are also on the National Register.
| District | Local district since | National Register | Where it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twickenham Homes for sale and values | 1972, the city's first | Listed 1973 | East of the Courthouse Square to Maple Hill Cemetery. The City describes more than 65 antebellum homes. |
| Old Town Homes for sale and values | 1974 | Listed 1978 | About 96 acres along parts of Clinton Avenue and Holmes Avenue between California Street and Lincoln Street. |
| Five Points Homes for sale and values | 1999 | Listed 2012 | At and east of the five-way meeting of Holmes Avenue, Pratt Avenue, California Street and Andrew Jackson Way, reaching to Grayson Street. |
| Alabama A&M University | Local district (year not stated by the City) | Listed 2001 | The campus on Normal's Hill along Chase Road. The City notes the campus plan by Frederick Law Olmsted. |
The wider Five Points neighborhood is larger than the historic district. The Five Points Historic District Association says the district "does not encompass all of the area known as Five Points." Our Five Points area page covers the wider neighborhood and shows the district inside it.
Sources: City of Huntsville, historic districts · City blog: your guide to Huntsville's historic districts · Five Points Historic District Association · National Register listings in Madison County.
National Register nominations posted by the City: Twickenham · Old Town · Five Points · Alabama A&M.
National Register Places With No City Design Review
These are on the National Register but are not among the four local districts, so listing alone does not add a COA requirement. Confirm a specific address with the preservation office.
| Place | Type | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Mill and Mill Village Historic District | National Register district | 2010 |
| Merrimack Mill Village Historic District | National Register district | 2010 |
| Lowe Mill and Mill Village Historic District | National Register district | 2011 |
| Dallas Mill Village Historic District | National Register district | 2011 |
| Maple Hill Cemetery | Individual listing | 2012 |
Sources: National Register listings in Madison County.
Who Reviews Work and What Needs Approval
Huntsville Historic Preservation Commission
The Commission was created by ordinance in 1972. It has nine members: six appointed by the Mayor to staggered six-year terms, plus the City Planning director, the City Building Official and one City Council member. In the City's words, "All properties within the districts are subject to design review."
- Office: Historic Preservation Office, Huntsville City Hall, 4th Floor, 305 Fountain Circle, Huntsville, AL 35801. Phone 256-650-4779.
- Meetings: the second Monday of each month at 4:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. COA applications are due by close of business on the last Monday of the month before. A project representative must attend, or the request will be denied.
- Agendas and applications: City agendas page.
Sources: City of Huntsville, Historic Preservation · About the Commission.
Needs a Certificate of Appropriateness
- Reconstructing, restoring, renovating or altering exterior features (material, color or structural appearance)
- Additions
- New buildings or structures, including fences, patios, pools and solar collectors
- Demolition, including demolition by neglect
- Painting surfaces that were never painted
- Most new or changed signs
Eligible for Faster Staff Review
These can be submitted any time and do not go to the Commission:
- Routine exterior repairs
- Paint and roof color changes
- Removing synthetic siding
- Side and rear window changes
- Mechanical unit placement and screening, hardscape and accessibility features
- Rear decks and gutters
- Demolishing non-contributing detached outbuildings
Exempt
- Interior work that does not change the exterior
- Repainting in the existing colors
- Replacing window glass only
- Reroofing with identical material and color
- Landscaping that does not significantly change the terrain or drainage
Fees and Timing
The application fee is $15, and one form covers both COA and staff review requests. You can apply online. Approvals last 12 months, and staff may grant one renewal of up to six months.
Sources: City of Huntsville, Historic Preservation Application.
Design guidelines: Complete Guide to Design Review · Quick Reference Guidelines · Guide to Purchasing Property in a District · Regulations · All guidelines.
Tax Credits and Tax Breaks
Federal 20% Rehabilitation Tax Credit
- 20% of qualified rehabilitation costs on a "certified historic structure."
- The building must be income-producing, such as a rental or business. The National Park Service says "Owner-occupied residential properties do not qualify." The AHC adds that the property must stay income-producing for five years and the work must be substantial.
- The work must meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.
Sources: National Park Service, tax incentives · AHC, federal tax credits.
Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit
- 25% of qualified rehabilitation costs, and it is refundable.
- The AHC describes it for income-producing properties that are substantially rehabilitated. The property must be listed in or eligible for the National Register and at least 75 years old.
- The Alabama Department of Revenue says reservations are capped at $20 million a year through 2027.
- From April 1, 2026, applications are filed electronically.
Sources: AHC, Alabama tax credits · Alabama Department of Revenue.
Historic Property Tax Assessment
The AHC's instructions say qualifying historic buildings and sites are assessed as Class III property (10 percent), whatever their use. A building must be eligible for the National Register or certified as contributing to a registered historic district. The owner applies to the AHC, then takes the AHC letter to the county revenue commissioner. This matters most for rental or commercial buildings, because owner-occupied homes are already Class III.
Sources: AHC ad valorem application instructions.
Talk with a tax professional before counting on any credit.
How to Check If a Home Is in a District
- City of Huntsville Historic Home Locator map
- City districts page and nomination maps
- Call the Huntsville preservation office at 256-650-4779. This is the surest answer for whether an address is in a local district and whether the building is contributing.
- The Alabama Historical Commission links a web map of listed properties and districts statewide.
Research Help: History, Photos and Old Records
- Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, Special Collections: historic photographs, maps from the early 1800s on, microfilm and archives. Local history guide · maps guide
- Historic Huntsville Foundation: a nonprofit working to preserve the architectural and historic resources of Huntsville and Madison County since 1974. historichuntsville.org
- Historic journals: past issues of the Historic Huntsville Quarterly and the Huntsville Historical Review through Alabama Mosaic and UAH.
- City historic markers: markers page
- District associations: listed on the City's neighborhood associations page.
Other Towns We Cover
National Register districts in nearby towns. Where a town also has local design review we could confirm, it is noted. Everywhere else, ask the city or town planning office two questions before you buy or start work: is the address in a locally zoned historic district, and does exterior work need design review?
| Town | National Register districts (year listed) | Local design review |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | Madison Station Historic District (National Register, 2006) | Not confirmed; ask the City of Madison Planning office |
| Decatur | Bank Street-Old Decatur (1980), New Decatur-Albany Residential (1983), New Decatur-Albany (1995), East Old Town (2012), West Old Town (2012) | Yes. Old Decatur and Albany are locally zoned historic overlay districts, and exterior work needs a COA from the Architectural Review Board. Historic Preservation office: 256-341-4968 |
| Athens | Robert Beaty (1984), Athens State College (1985), George S. Houston (1989), Athens Courthouse Square Commercial (1997) | Athens has a Historic Preservation Commission that hears COA requests; ask the City which districts it covers |
| Mooresville | The town is listed on the National Register (1972) | Ask the Town of Mooresville |
| Hartselle | Hartselle Downtown Commercial Historic District (1999) | Ask the City of Hartselle |
| New Market | New Market Historic District (2004) | Unincorporated; ask Madison County |
| Gurley | Gurley Historic District (2004) | Ask the Town of Gurley |
| Guntersville | Downtown Guntersville Historic District | Ask the City of Guntersville |
| Scottsboro | Public Square Historic District and College Hill Historic District | Ask the City of Scottsboro |
Sources: Madison County National Register list · Morgan County list · Limestone County list · Decatur Architectural Review Board · Athens agenda example.
Homes in Huntsville's Historic Districts
See homes for sale and what homes sold for in Twickenham, Old Town and Five Points, or browse historic homes for sale in Huntsville.
This page is general information, not legal, tax or preservation advice, and it is not a determination about any property. Confirm district status, rules, fees and credits with the City of Huntsville, the Alabama Historical Commission or a qualified professional. Wyze Realty, George Lensch, Broker, (256) 808-6861. Last checked November 1, 2026.