Replacing windows and doors in a Dallas historic district

Do I need approval to replace windows in a Dallas historic district?

Usually yes. In a Dallas Landmark district, the city requires approval before exterior work starts. In a conservation district, the city requires a Work Review Form. The rules depend on your address, so confirm with the city before you order anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

The City of Dallas Office of Historic Preservation says “Certificates of Appropriateness (CAs) are required before exterior work (including landscaping) can begin on City of Dallas Landmarks or on structures in Landmark districts.” A Certificate of Appropriateness is the city’s approval for the work.

Rules change, and this page reflects what the city posted as of November 2026. The office is at 1500 Marilla Street, Room 5CN, Dallas, Texas 75201, phone (214) 670-4206. For permit rules in general, see our Dallas area page.

What is the difference between a landmark district and a conservation district?

A landmark district uses the Certificate of Appropriateness and the Landmark Commission. A conservation district uses a Work Review Form and rules written for that district. Both can affect windows and doors. Each has its own ordinance.

Item	Landmark district	Conservation district
Approval tool	Certificate of Appropriateness (CA)	Work Review Form (WRF)
Who reviews	Staff for minor work; Landmark Commission for substantial work	City staff, against the district ordinance
Example districts	Swiss Avenue, Munger Place, Junius Heights	M Streets, King’s Highway, Vickery Place
Where to start	Office of Historic Preservation; DallasNow portal	City staff; the district’s ordinance

The Dallas conservation packet says there are “currently 15 conservation districts” and names King’s Highway, Hollywood Heights/Santa Monica, North Cliff, Bishop/8th Street, the M Streets, Greenway Parks and Vickery Place as examples. That packet is dated November 2008, so ask the city for the current list.

How does the Certificate of Appropriateness process work?

You apply for the CA before work begins. Minor work follows a routine path with staff approval. Substantial alterations go before the Landmark Commission. Dallas says “both Routine requests and Landmark review requests require a CA before work can occur.”

The city states the split clearly: “Minor changes generally require only staff approval (Routine Maintenance), but substantial alterations require approval of the Landmark Commission.” CAs are applied for through the DallasNow portal (“effective May 5th, 2025,” per the city’s page).

The city’s applications page also lists a CA checklist and a window survey form with instructions. Read both before you design. The page does not say what the survey asks for, so read the form and its instructions before you design.

New construction and major remodels have an extra step. The city says they “must be reviewed with the preservation planner for that district prior to the submittal deadline date.” Talk to the planner early, before drawings are final.

What happened at the June 1, 2026 Landmark Commission meeting?

The Landmark Commission agenda for 6/1/2026 included three window and door cases. They show what the commission sees in practice. We did not check final votes. Read the agenda and minutes on the city’s Legistar site for outcomes.

Address and district	Request on the agenda
5208 Worth Street, Munger Place	A CA “to revise previously-approved plans … with window placement and replacement modifications to the main structure”
5908 Swiss Avenue, Swiss Ave	A CA “to install patio doors at existing window opening of accessory structure”
5605 Worth Street, Junius Heights	A CA “to replace front door”

For the front door case, the agenda lists a recommendation to deny without prejudice. It cites “findings of fact that the existing door is appropriate, if not original, and does not show adequate evidence of deterioration to warrant replacement.”

The lesson is plain. Doors and windows are reviewed as part of a building’s character. Replacement needs a reason, such as deterioration, and a design that fits. Photos, a condition survey and a clear drawing help your case. Staff and the Landmark Commission, not a product maker, decide.

What are the M Streets window rules?

The M Streets ordinance sets specific window rules. As quoted from the ordinance: “Only transparent, stained, or leaded glass is allowed in windows and doors.” Window height must be greater than width. Muntins and mullions have a minimum expression. Metal frames must match the finish of original wood.

Here are the rules the ordinance lists for windows. Read the full ordinance to see which walls and which work each rule covers.

Rule	What the ordinance says
Glass	“Only transparent, stained, or leaded glass is allowed in windows and doors.”
Shape	“Window height must be greater than the window width.”
Fit	“All windows must fit the wall opening. Infill surrounding the window is not allowed.”
Metal frames	“Metal window frames must have a finish that is indistinguishable from the finish on original wood windows.”
Muntins and mullions	“Window muntins and mullions must be expressed by a minimum of one-fourth inch. Window assemblies must have a profile depth of at least three inches.”
Air conditioners	“Window air conditioner units are not allowed.”

See the M Streets window rules post for more. A muntin divides panes in one sash. A mullion joins two units. The “three inches” depth rule affects slim modern frames. Ask the city whether a specific product meets it.

Which frame materials fit a historic home?

Wood and clad wood are the usual match for old homes. ENERGY STAR says wood frames “are generally favored in historical neighborhoods.” Many wood windows are clad on the outside with aluminum or vinyl to cut upkeep. See the wood-clad window entry.

Honey Rock Window and Door works with three makers, and none of their pages claim approval in a Dallas historic district. Sun Windows makes clad-wood windows and doors with wood interiors and extruded aluminum-clad exteriors. Bertrand makes wood, aluminum and wood-aluminum systems. Jada makes thermally broken steel windows and doors with narrow sightlines.

Steel and slim aluminum can fit some projects. Whether they fit yours is the city’s call. In the M Streets, the metal frame finish rule means you must show how a finish reads next to original wood. Ask for a finish sample, and bring it to your planner. The frame comparison guide covers each material.

How should I prepare a submittal?

A strong submittal is clear and complete. It shows the existing condition and the exact proposed product. It also shows how the new work matches the building. Allow time, because meeting dates and deadlines set the schedule.

1. Confirm your address and district with the Office of Historic Preservation.
2. Meet the district’s preservation planner before you finalize the design.
3. Photograph every window and door, inside and out, with a number for each.
4. Complete the window survey form if the city asks for it.
5. Gather product drawings: profile sections, muntin details, glass type and finish samples.
6. Apply through DallasNow and watch the 2026 calendar deadlines.
7. Do not start work until you hold the approval. The conservation packet warns that code inspectors “will cite the owner and issue a stop work order” for work without a Work Review Form or city building permit.

You may also need a building permit. Window and door permit rules are separate from historic review. Ask Dallas Development Services which permits apply to your work. The city defines a Residential Permit as “an official approval from the City of Dallas that allows you to start construction, renovation, or major repairs on your home.”

What about the Swiss Avenue Historic District?

Swiss Avenue is the first historic district in the City of Dallas. The district’s own site says it “was designated in 1973 as the first historic district in the City of Dallas.” It is an official Dallas Landmark District, and the whole district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

The Swiss Avenue case on the 6/1/2026 agenda shows the CA route at work on a small scale, with patio doors at an existing window opening on an accessory structure. Even a small change in a landmark district goes through a review.

What should I ask the city before I design?

Ask the city five things before you draw. First, is my address in a Landmark district or a conservation district? Second, who is my preservation planner? Third, does my work count as routine or as a substantial alteration? Fourth, which standards or ordinance sections apply to windows and doors? Fifth, what is the next submittal deadline?

The answers shape the product. If the ordinance sets a profile depth, a muntin depth or a frame finish, you want those facts before you pick a frame. If staff expects repair of original sash first, you want to know that before you order new units. A short call or meeting can save a redesign.

Keep a written record. Note the name of each person you speak with, the date and what they said. Ask for the answer in an email when you can. Ordinances and review practice can change, so a dated note helps if a question comes up later.

Also check private rules. A deed restriction or a neighborhood association may add its own review. We found no published window rule for those on the city pages we read, so ask your association directly.

Can Honey Rock handle the approval?

Honey Rock Window and Door does not publish a historic approval service. Ask in your first conversation how the team supports submittals. The company says it follows a project “from the initial design process to the final installation.” The approval itself comes from the city.

Next step

If your home sits in a Dallas historic or conservation district, start with the city. Then bring the rules to Honey Rock. See our window replacement in Dallas page, then use Start your project or call (214) 484-9982.