How to Apply

Once you have determined your rehabilitation projects meets the eligibility requirements you can proceed to the application process.

Application Process

First, complete an Exemption Application from county assessor’s office or the Iowa Department of Revenue.

Next, you will complete a three-part Certification Application from the State Historic Preservation Office.

• Part 1 - Evaluates the building’s integrity and significance and project eligibility
• Part 2 - Evaluates that the proposed rehabilitation work meets The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation
• Part 3 - Evaluates that the completed work has met The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation

Application Timeline

Parts 1 and 2 of the Certification Application should be submitted for review to the State Historic Preservation Office before the project begins. Part 3 must be submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office after the rehabilitation work is complete. 

All three parts of a Certification Application must be submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office by November 1 of the year in which the rehabilitation work takes place.

The application for exemption must be filed with the county assessor, no later than February 1 of the assessment year, on forms provided through the county by the Department of Revenue. That submission must include an approved application for certified rehabilitation (Part 3) from the State Historic Preservation Office.