What protections different designations actually provide, THC explains

Commissioners asked what legal protections different historic designations provide, and Kelly Little walked through the distinctions. She said that a National Register listing is primarily honorary for private owners: “For the National Register of Historic Places, there are no restrictions placed on private property owners with what they can do with those properties.” Little contrasted that with Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (RTHL), where owners must notify the Texas Historical Commission for exterior work beyond routine maintenance, and State Antiquities Landmarks (SAL), which require an antiquities permit for nonroutine changes and are the strongest state-level protection.