Building permits in New Orleans, Louisiana
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in New Orleans, 6 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 1 official source
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in New Orleans
City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits
- 1340 Poydras Street, Suite 800, New Orleans, LA 70112
- Phone: (504) 658-7200
- Email: permitinfo@nola.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in New Orleans
New Orleans runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
What needs a permit in New Orleans
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in New Orleans, 6 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | deck area, with the exemption also requiring the deck be uncovered, no more than thirty inches high from grade at any point, detached from the dwelling unit, and not serving an exit door | Building permit fee is $60 plus $5 per $1,000 of work to be performed (job value x .005... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | $40 application fee plus $3 per new circuit plus $0.30 per service amperage |
| Fence Permit | It depends | height of the fence, with the exemption also requiring compliance with the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance | Building permit fee is $60 plus $5 per $1,000 of work to be performed (job value x .005... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Before adding a roof or cover over a patio, and before any paving that does not comply... | Where a permit is required, the building permit fee is $60 plus $5 per $1,000 of work to... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Any size | $60 plus $5 per $1,000 of work to be performed |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | share of the roof replaced, for single and two-family homes | Base Fee: $60 |
| Shed Permit | Permit required | Any size | $60 plus $5 per $1,000 of work to be performed |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...for rooftop solar are classified as Electrical Permits with associated costs of $40... |
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New Orleans permit fees compared with nearby Louisiana localities
| Louisiana locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | Building permit fee is $60 plus $5 per $1,000 of work to... | See schedule | $40 application fee plus $3 per new circuit plus $0.30 per... |
| Baton Rouge | ...to a house falls under "Residential Addition $0.80/... | ...Electrical or Plumbing, Gas Trade Permits $125.00"... | ...Electrical or Plumbing, Gas Trade Permits $125.00"... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Louisiana jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
New Orleans permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in New Orleans?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for New Orleans, 6 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 4 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each New Orleans permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in New Orleans?
- New Orleans publishes a fee for 10 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in New Orleans?
- City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits issues permits in New Orleans, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at (504) 658-7200. The New Orleans official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the New Orleans pages were verified. 10 permit types, 7 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for New Orleans is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.