Virginia Law

Ordinarily, cemeteries, birthplaces, graves of historical figures, properties owned by religious institutions or used for religious purposes, structures that have been moved from their original locations, reconstructed historic buildings, and properties less than 50 years old are not eligible for designation. Such properties, however, will qualify if they fall within the following categories:

1. A religious property deriving its primary national significance from architectural or artistic distinction or historical importance; or

2. A building or structure removed from its original location but which is nationally significant primarily for its architectural merit, or for association with persons or events of transcendent importance in the nation's history and the association consequential; or

3. A site of a building or structure no longer standing but the person or event associated with it is of transcendent importance in the nation's history and the association consequential; or

4. A birthplace, grave or burial if it is of a historical figure of transcendent national significance and no other appropriate site, building or structure directly associated with the productive life of that person exists; or

5. A cemetery that derives its primary national significance from graves of persons of transcendent importance, or from an exceptionally distinctive design, or from an exceptionally significant event; or

6. A reconstructed building or ensemble of buildings of extraordinary national significance when accurately executed in a suitable environment and presented in a dignified manner as part of a restoration master plan, and when no other buildings or structures with the same association have survived; or

7. A property primarily commemorative in intent if design, age, tradition, or symbolic value has invested it with its own national historical significance; or

8. A property less than 50 years old, if it is of extraordinary national importance.