By law, HPRB membership complies with National Park Service requirements for State Review Boards. HPRB appointments are also made with a view toward having its membership represent to the greatest practicable extent the composition of the adult population of the District of Columbia with regard to race, sex, geographic distribution, and other demographic characteristics.

Under National Park Service regulations (36 CFR Part 61), all Review Board members must have demonstrated competence, interest, or knowledge in historic preservation. A majority of the members must meet the Secretary of the Interior's Professional Qualifications Standards for historic preservation.

HPRB professional members must include at least one person qualified in each of three disciplines --- history, archaeology, and architectural history ---although a single qualified member may represent more than one discipline. The remaining professional members must represent one of 12 identified disciplines: archaeology (prehistoric and historic), architectural history, conservation, cultural anthropology, curation, engineering, folklore, historic architecture, historic landscape architecture, historic preservation, historic preservation planning, or history.