Bolthole Index

Orleans Parish, Louisiana

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a city in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. New Orleans adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits New Orleans’s rules apply, not the county’s. 3 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 16, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Orleans Parish page.

Answers from the rulebook for New Orleans

New Orleans’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside New Orleans city limits

    • The city publishes the ordinance as the New Orleans Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO), administered through the City Planning Commission.
    “new orleans comprehensive zoning ordinance a codification of the zoning ordinances of new orleans, louisiana”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and zoning map inside New Orleans city

    • Districts are set out in CZO Articles 6-18 (open space, rural development, historic core, historic urban, suburban, commercial, industry, central business, overlays). District standards not opened in this job.
    “article 6 zoning districts & zoning map article 7 open space districts article 8 rural development districts”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Non-commercial short-term rentals of dwelling units inside New Orleans city

    • Requires a short-term rental owner permit; only natural persons 18 or over may own an NSTR; business-entity ownership prohibited; one permit per person.
    • Licenses are time-limited and renewed annually; the document is a training deck for a prior cycle, so verify current rules.
    “no dwelling unit may be used as a short-term rental unit unless an owner possesses a short term rental owner permit issued in accordance with this article.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask New Orleans or Orleans Parish directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits inside New Orleans city
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside New Orleans city
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside New Orleans city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside New Orleans city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside New Orleans city
22 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that New Orleans publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Orleans Parish’s page lists the county offices to call.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in New Orleans means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

← All of Orleans Parish: county rules, score and offices