---
kind: "section"
citation: "54 U.S.C. § 302103"
title: "54"
title_heading: "National Park Service and Related Programs"
number: "302103"
heading: "Criteria and regulations relating to National Register, National Historic Landmarks, and World Heritage List"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/54/302103"
units:
  - "Subtitle III — National Preservation Programs"
  - "Division A — Historic Preservation"
  - "Subdivision 2 — Historic Preservation Program"
  - "Chapter 3021 — National Register of Historic Places"
---

# §302103. Criteria and regulations relating to National Register, National Historic Landmarks, and World Heritage List


The [Secretary](/usc/54/308101.md?p=1), in consultation with national historical and archeological associations, shall—

- (1) establish criteria for properties to be included on the National Register and criteria for National [Historic](/usc/54/308601.md?p=2) Landmarks; and
- (2) promulgate regulations for—
  - (A) nominating properties for inclusion on, and removal from, the National Register and the recommendation of properties by certified local governments;
  - (B) designating properties as National [Historic](/usc/54/308601.md?p=2) Landmarks and removing that [designation](/usc/54/302501.md?p=1);
  - (C) considering appeals from recommendations, nominations, removals, and [designations](/usc/54/302501.md?p=1) (or any failure or refusal by a nominating authority to nominate or designate);
  - (D) nominating [historic property](/usc/54/308901.md?p=3) for inclusion in the World Heritage List in accordance with the World Heritage Convention;
  - (E) making determinations of eligibility of properties for inclusion on the National Register; and
  - (F) notifying the owner of a property, any appropriate local governments, and the general public, when the property is being considered for inclusion on the National Register, for [designation](/usc/54/302501.md?p=1) as a National [Historic](/usc/54/308601.md?p=2) Landmark, or for nomination to the World Heritage List.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 113–287, § 3, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3192.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 302103 | 16 U.S.C. 470a(a)(2). | Pub. L. 89–665, title I, § 101(a)(2), Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 915; Pub. L. 91–383, § 11, as added Pub. L. 94–458, § 2, Oct. 7, 1976, 90 Stat. 1942; Pub. L. 93–54, § 1(d), July 1, 1973, 87 Stat. 139; Pub. L. 96–205, title VI, § 608(a)(1), (2), Mar. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 92; Pub. L. 96–515, title II, § 201(a), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2988. |

The words “or revise” are omitted as being included in “establish” and “promulgate”.