Washington, NC · Beaufort County
Certificate of Appropriateness Application
Washington property owners and applicants use this application to request historic preservation review for proposed work, including alterations, additions, new construction, or demolition affecting a property.
- licensed online notary
- ~15 min average
- Notarized PDF emailed
What you’ll need
- Government-issued photo ID
- Webcam-enabled device (laptop or phone)
- This form, ready to upload as a PDF
What this form is
The application asks for property and applicant details, a description of the work, project categories, and supporting materials such as photographs, drawings, and plans. The form says applicants seeking review by the Historic Preservation Commission must submit by 5:00 p.m. on the 15th of the month before the meeting they wish to attend; incomplete applications are not accepted. If the applicant is not the owner and has no binding purchase option, the owner must complete the authorization section.
Who needs it
Applicants seeking a Certificate of Appropriateness for historic property work in Washington need this form; a non-owner without a binding purchase option also needs the property owner's authorization.
Why it needs a notary
The owner authorization section has a sworn statement before a notary; the property owner signing that authorization must sign before the notary.
How to get this notarized
- 1
Download the Application
Get the Certificate of Appropriateness application and review its instructions and supporting-information checklist.
- 2
Fill Out the Application
Complete the property, applicant, work-description, project-category, and applicable supporting-information sections.
- 3
Book an Online Notary
If owner authorization is required, arrange a commissioned online notary and check with the city about accepting the notarization method.
- 4
Sign on Video
The property owner signs the sworn authorization in the notary's presence; do not sign beforehand.
- 5
Submit to the City
Submit the completed application and required attachments to the city by its stated deadline.
Preview the form
The blank PDF straight from Washington. Look it over, then upload your filled copy to start the notary session.
You’ll need ID and a webcam.
A licensed online notary will join you on video, verify your government-issued ID, witness your signature, and apply their seal. You’ll receive the notarized PDF by email when the session ends.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I get the owner authorization notarized?
- If the applicant is not the owner and has no binding purchase option, the owner completes the authorization and signs its sworn statement before a notary. Do not sign that section in advance.
- Do I need the owner authorization section?
- The form says to complete it when the person requesting Historic Preservation Commission action is not the property owner and does not have a binding option to purchase. Otherwise, disregard that section.
- Can I use online notarization for this form?
- North Carolina's remote electronic notarization program has not launched. Emergency video notarization requires both signer and notary to be in North Carolina and is not remote online notarization. Ask the city whether it accepts your notarization method.
- What supporting materials should I submit?
- The form calls for photographs of existing conditions and drawings of proposed work. Depending on the project, it may also require a site or plot plan, material descriptions, dimensions, and other listed supporting documents. Confirm with the city if unsure.