Pool Permit in New Orleans, Louisiana
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before constructing or altering any type of swimming pool.
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
- Permit fee
- $60
- from the published schedule
Quick answer
New Orleans requires a swimming pool permit for construction or alteration of any type of swimming pool, with no exemption for size, depth, or above-ground versus in-ground. Residential pool permits are generally issued the same day as application after review by a permit analyst; commercial or public pools require complete plans and a full plan review. A Residential Swimming Pool Acknowledgment form must be submitted for a pool at a private residence. Pools proposed within the Vieux Carre need separate Vieux Carre Commission approval.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?
When a permit is usually needed
Before constructing or altering any type of swimming pool.
What a pool permit costs in New Orleans
How to apply in New Orleans
A residential pool permit application covers both construction and safety: a scaled site plan, structural plans for the pool, a barrier plan showing how the pool will be enclosed, and an electrical plan covering bonding and the equipment disconnect.
What most pool permit applications include:
- Pool and spa design and construction fall under the residential code chapter that folds in the swimming pool and spa code, and permit review checks plans against that chapter (IRC R326).
- The site plan must show pool equipment such as pumps, filters, and heaters set back at least 36 inches from the outside of the required barrier (ISPSC 305.2.9).
- For an in-ground pool, engineered structural plans covering the shell and reinforcing steel, with the responsible structural engineer's license information, are a standard part of the submittal (per official pool submittal checklists).
- A barrier plan identifying the fence, pool structure, or dwelling wall that will enclose the pool must be submitted and must comply with the code's barrier chapter (ISPSC 305).
- Electrical plans must show the pool's equipotential bonding design, since the shell, perimeter surfaces, and metal fittings within 5 feet of the water must all tie into a common bonding grid (NEC 680.26).
- The electrical plan must also show a disconnecting means for the pool equipment that is readily accessible and within sight of the equipment (NEC 680.13).
General submittal guidance from 2021 IRC R326 (adopting the ISPSC), ISPSC 2021 Section 305, and NEC 2020 Article 680. Source. City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits sets the exact checklist for New Orleans.
Where to apply 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
Inspections and closing out your permit
Pool inspections track the concrete pour: the steel and bonding grid are checked before gunite or shotcrete goes in, bonding is checked again before decking is poured, and the permanent barrier and remaining electrical work are checked at final before the pool can be filled and used.
- Before gunite or shotcrete is sprayed, the inspector checks the rebar against the engineered plans and confirms the equipotential bonding wire is stubbed out and tied into the steel, since it will be buried in concrete afterward (NEC 680.26).
- A bonding inspection separately confirms coping, decking, ladders, handrail cups, and any other metal within 5 feet of the water are tied to the bonding grid, and it must pass before coping is installed (NEC 680.26).
- A temporary barrier at least 4 feet high must enclose the site from the moment excavation starts until the permanent barrier is finished, and inspectors check for it throughout construction (ISPSC 305.1.1).
- A pre-plaster inspection confirms the circulation equipment's electrical work is installed and all bonding is complete before the pool's interior finish goes on (NEC 680.26).
- At final inspection the permanent barrier is checked against the code's requirements and the equipment and cover-mechanism bonding must be complete before the pool can be filled and used (ISPSC 305, NEC 680.26).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the New Orleans permit portal or by phone at (504) 658-7200.
Inspection sequence from NEC 2020 Article 680.26 (equipotential bonding) and ISPSC 2021 Section 305 (barriers). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Pool Permit checklist for New Orleans
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before constructing or altering any type of swimming pool.
- Budget the fee. $60 plus $5 per $1,000 of work to be performed. If plans are required there is a plan review fee of $1 per $1,000 of work to be performed. If a property is within a local historic district (property subject to additional regulations by VCC or HDLC), there is a 50% surcharge on the permit fee. Swimming Pool Permit page, last updated 1/13/2026. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. A residential pool permit application covers both construction and safety: a scaled site plan, structural plans for the pool, a barrier plan showing how the pool will be enclosed, and an electrical plan covering bonding and the equipment disconnect. Start at the New Orleans permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits. Phone: (504) 658-7200. Address: 1340 Poydras Street, Suite 800, New Orleans, LA 70112.
- Plan for inspections. Pool inspections track the concrete pour: the steel and bonding grid are checked before gunite or shotcrete goes in, bonding is checked again before decking is poured, and the permanent barrier and remaining electrical work are checked at final before the pool can be filled and used.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a pool permit in New Orleans?
- New Orleans requires a swimming pool permit for construction or alteration of any type of swimming pool, with no exemption for size, depth, or above-ground versus in-ground. Residential pool permits are generally issued the same day as application after review by a permit analyst; commercial or public pools require complete plans and a full plan review. A Residential Swimming Pool Acknowledgment form must be submitted for a pool at a private residence. Pools proposed within the Vieux Carre need separate Vieux Carre Commission approval. Always confirm with the City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits before starting.
- How much does a pool permit cost in New Orleans?
- $60 plus $5 per $1,000 of work to be performed. If plans are required there is a plan review fee of $1 per $1,000 of work to be performed. If a property is within a local historic district (property subject to additional regulations by VCC or HDLC), there is a 50% surcharge on the permit fee. Swimming Pool Permit page, last updated 1/13/2026. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- How long does a pool permit take in New Orleans?
- In New Orleans, a pool permit typically takes same day in some situations, when review is required: Residential projects, 2-5 days; Commercial projects, 20-30 days.. Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.
- Where do you apply for a pool permit in New Orleans?
- You can apply through the New Orleans permit portal or contact the City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a pool permit themselves in New Orleans?
- Under Louisiana law (La. R.S. 37:2157(A)(2), (A)(13), (A)(15)(a), (B); La. R.S. 37:2160(B) and (C)): Yes. R.S. 37:2157(A)(13) exempts an owner who supervises or takes charge of construction, alteration or repair of his own personal residence from the contractor licensing law, but caps the exemption at one residence per year, with the year running from the date the certificate of occupancy issues; the cap lifts only where a change in the owner's legal marital status, or a change in employment forcing a move more than 50 miles from his residence, requires a second home. A separate exemption at R.S. 37:2157(A)(2) covers an owner who takes charge of work on his own property for his own use, where the result will not be for sale or rent and the owner controls access. A residential property owner who physically performs home improvement work on his own residence is also exempt from home improvement licensure under R.S. 37:2157(A)(15)(a). The exemption is not self-executing at the permit counter: R.S. 37:2157(A)(13) requires an affidavit of exemption on a board form in order to obtain the building permit, and R.S. 37:2160(C) obliges the local permit official to collect that affidavit before the permit issues. R.S. 37:2157(B) adds that none of these exemptions waives local or state health and life safety code requirements, so an exempt homeowner still owes the permit and the inspections. Confirm how New Orleans applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in New Orleans
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| 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 | Not specified | $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 | Not specified | Varies based on components of work. |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Not specified | Where a permit is required, the building permit fee is $60 plus $5 per $1,000 of work to... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Not part of the building permit fee. |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | share of the roof replaced, for single and two-family homes | Base Fee: $60. |
| Shed Permit | Permit required | Not specified | $60 plus $5 per $1,000 of work to be performed. |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Permits for rooftop solar are classified as Electrical Permits with associated costs of... |
Pool Permit in other Louisiana localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not New Orleans documents; the office above sets the local rules.
Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Pool Permit requirements across Louisiana localities
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Pool Permit across Louisiana