Certificate of Appropriateness vs. Demolition Permit: What U.S. Property Owners Need to Know Before Tearing Down a Historic Building

If you are planning to demolish a building in a historic district, you will likely run into a term that sounds like a competing approval: certificate of appropriateness (CoA). The key thing to understand first is this: it is not a competitor to your demolition permit. In many local codes, the certificate of appropriateness is a prerequisite to obtaining a demolition permit. This means the real question is not “which one do I need?” but “which one comes first?”—and the answer is usually the certificate.

This commercial investigation explains how these two permits interact, when a certificate of appropriateness applies, what extra scrutiny demolition gets, and where local rules can vary. All factual claims below are drawn from a limited set of local ordinances, not national statistics. Rules change by city, so treat this as a guide to the questions you should ask.

What Is a Certificate of Appropriateness?

A certificate of appropriateness is a preservation review decision, not a demolition permit. It confirms that the proposed work on a historic property or within a historic district meets the local preservation standards. The certificate applies to exterior changes, new construction, and—in many places—demolition.

Arlington County, Virginia, describes its certificate of appropriateness as required for “all proposed exterior alterations, new construction and demolition within a local historic district,” with narrow exceptions for routine maintenance, repairs and replacements using the same materials, interior alterations, and paint colors [6]. Mount Dora, Florida, requires a certificate for “any exterior architectural features, landscape features, or site improvements” on designated historic sites before a building is “erected, altered, restored, renovated, excavated, relocated, or demolished” [1]. Charleston, Illinois, requires a certificate when a building is “altered, extended, or repaired in such a manner as to produce a major change in the exterior appearance,” and explicitly includes “any new construction and demolition in whole or in part requiring a permit from the city” [3].

In short, the certificate is a gatekeeping approval that protects the character of a historic building or district.

Demolition Permit vs. Certificate: The Sequence Matters

Across the evidence, the relationship is consistent: a certificate of appropriateness must be in place before the demolition permit is issued.

Hammond, Indiana, states plainly: “A certificate of appropriateness must be issued by the Historic Preservation Commission before a demolition permit is issued by other agencies of the city” [2]. Ames, Iowa, says the building official “shall not issue the building or demolition permit until a Certificate of Appropriateness has been approved” [4]. Mount Dora goes even further: the certificate “shall be considered prerequisite to the issuance of any other permits required by law,” and any building permit or city permit obtained without the certificate is invalid [1].

Charleston, Illinois, requires the certificate “before a building permit, moving permit, or demolition permit is issued for any designated historic landmark or any building, structure or site or part thereof in the historic district” [3].

Practical implication: do not submit a demolition permit application as if it is the first step. If your property falls under a historic preservation ordinance, you will almost certainly need to go through the certificate of appropriateness review first.

When Is a Certificate of Appropriateness Required?

The trigger varies by jurisdiction. The evidence shows several common patterns.

Designated Historic Sites

Mount Dora requires a certificate before any “building, structure, appurtenance, improvement or landscape feature” that has been “designated a historic site” is demolished, altered, restored, relocated, or otherwise changed [1]. That is a broad trigger: even a landscape feature on a designated historic site can trigger the review.

Properties in Historic Districts

In historic preservation review areas, the triggers can depend on construction date and the scale of work. Mount Dora’s ordinance requires a certificate for demolition, relocation, alteration, restoration, or renovation of exterior architectural features for buildings constructed before 1956. Buildings constructed in 1956 or later trigger a certificate only if the proposed change increases or decreases the building size by 50% or more, or increases the height. New construction also triggers a certificate [1].

Arlington requires a certificate for all proposed exterior alterations, new construction, and demolition within a local historic district, with exceptions for routine maintenance and same-material repairs [6].

Charleston’s list of major changes requiring a certificate is broad: addition, alteration, maintenance, reconstruction, rehabilitation, renovation, repair, new construction, demolition, and moving a building [3]. Note that “maintenance” can count as a major change if it produces a major change in exterior appearance.

What Is Exempt?

Some certificates are not required for certain work. Arlington exempts routine maintenance, repairs and replacements using the same materials, interior alterations, and paint colors [6]. Charleston includes an exemption if the applicant shows that a failure to grant the permit will cause “an imminent threat to life, health or property” [3]. That is a narrow, safety-based exception, not a general “demolition is easier” loophole.

The Demolition-Specific Hurdle: Alternatives and Economic Hardship

Demolition receives especially intense scrutiny in the evidence. It is not treated as a routine permit.

In New Smyrna Beach, Florida, “No Certificate of Appropriateness for demolitions shall be issued by the HPC until the applicant has demonstrated that no other feasible alternative to demolition can be found” [5]. The Historic Preservation Commission may even ask interested individuals and organizations for help finding an alternative to demolition.

On all demolition applications, the commission studies “the question of economic hardship for the applicant” and determines whether the landmark or property in the historic district “can be put to reasonable beneficial use without the approval of the demolition application” [5]. For income-producing buildings, the commission also determines whether the applicant can obtain “a reasonable return from the existing building” [5].

This is not a blank check. The commission can still approve a demolition even if the property has reasonable beneficial use, but only under limited conditions: if the property no longer contributes to the historic district, no longer has significance as a historic, architectural, or archaeological landmark, or if demolition is required by a community redevelopment plan or the Comprehensive Plan [5].

The same ordinance incorporates standards based on the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation Projects, which say every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property that requires minimal alteration, or to use a property for its originally intended purpose [5].

For a property owner, this means: before you count on demolition approval, be ready to explain why the building cannot be saved, what alternatives were considered, and whether you have a legitimate economic hardship. If the building produces income, expect to show that it is not delivering a reasonable return.

What Happens If You Skip the Certificate?

Skipping the certificate of appropriateness can invalidate your demolition permit. Mount Dora explicitly states that a building permit or other city permit “shall be invalid if it is obtained without a certificate of appropriateness required for the proposed work” [1]. The certificate is not a suggestion; it is a precondition. Ames similarly prevents the building official from issuing the demolition permit until the certificate is approved [4].

This creates real legal and financial risk. If you obtain a demolition permit and then demolish, and the permit is later determined to be invalid, you may face revocation, fines, or a loss of options. You also might accidentally demolish a building that was supposed to be protected.

Practical Limitations and Local Variability

The evidence above comes from a limited set of municipalities: Mount Dora and New Smyrna Beach in Florida, Hammond and Charleston in Illinois? Actually Hammond is Indiana, Charleston is Illinois, Ames is Iowa, and Arlington is Virginia [1][2][3][4][5][6]. These examples are not a national code. There is no single federal certificate of appropriateness process for private properties; local ordinances govern.

The evidence pack does not include fees, typical review timelines, public notice requirements, or appeal procedures. It also does not say how long a certificate remains valid. That means the cost and speed of your project will depend heavily on your local historic preservation commission.

Some historic districts may have “certificate of appropriateness” requirements that are stricter than the examples above, while others may have narrower triggers. Some may not require a certificate at all for a property that has not been individually designated. You must verify with your local planning department.

Also note that a certificate of appropriateness does not replace other permits. Mount Dora says the issuance of a certificate “shall not relieve the applicant from obtaining other permits or approvals required by the city” [1]. Your demolition permit, building permit, and possibly other approvals will still be needed.

Balanced Recommendation for Property Owners

If you are considering demolishing a property that is, or may be, in a historic district, here is a practical path forward:

1. Find out whether a certificate of appropriateness is required. Call the planning department or check the local code. Look for a definition of “historic district” and “major change.” The answer will usually be yes if the building is a designated landmark or inside a historic district.
2. Assume demolition is the last option, not the first. In New Smyrna Beach, the applicant must demonstrate “no other feasible alternative to demolition” [5]. Plan to document why rehabilitation, relocation, or adaptive reuse is not feasible.
3. Prepare for economic hardship questions. The commission will examine whether the property can have a reasonable beneficial use without demolition. If the property produces income, expect scrutiny of its return on investment [5].
4. Do not rely on routine maintenance exceptions. Those exceptions often cover same-material repairs and interior work, not demolition [6].
5. Budget time for public review. Arlington’s certificate process involves public meetings with two advisory groups [6]. This can add weeks or months to your project timeline.
6. If you are buying or selling a historic property, ask about the certificate history. A prior demolition permit might not be valid if no certificate of appropriateness was approved [1]. Verify before you count on tearing anything down.

Bottom Line

A certificate of appropriateness and a demolition permit are not two competing options. The certificate is an earlier, preservation-focused approval that often must be issued before a demolition permit can even be considered. It also carries a much higher burden when demolition is involved. Before you call a demolition contractor, call the local historic preservation commission.

*Disclosure: This article contains no affiliate links or sponsored products. It is based solely on the evidence provided and is not legal or professional advice. Verify all requirements with your local permitting authority.*

Sources

[1] Certificate of Appropriateness Application – Demolitions Only, Mount Dora, FL
https://www.mountdora.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5433/COA-Application-rev-2017_Demolitions-ONLY?bidId=

[2] § 159.09 Certificate of Appropriateness, Hammond, IN
https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/hammond/latest/hammond_in/0-0-0-12616

[3] 9-10-6: Certificate of Appropriateness, Charleston, IL
https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/charlestonil/latest/charleston_il/0-0-0-4791

[4] Certificate of Appropriateness, amended 010924, Ames, IA
https://www.cityofames.org/files/assets/city/v/1/planning/documents/historical-preservation/coa/certificate-of-appropriateness-amended-010924.pdf

[5] Certificates of Appropriateness, New Smyrna Beach, FL
https://www.cityofnsb.com/1413/Certificates-of-Appropriateness

[6] Certificate of Appropriateness, Arlington County, VA
https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Building/Permits/Certificate-of-Appropriateness