For most residential fences in New Orleans, no building permit is needed, but the zoning rules still apply and historic districts add a review. The nearby parishes and cities have their own rules. We check your address before we quote.
Do I need a permit to build or replace a fence?
In New Orleans, the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (Section 21.6.N) requires a building permit for a fence or wall over 8 feet, or over 7 feet inside a national historic district. The city's list of work exempt from building permits covers fences up to 7 feet that comply with the zoning ordinance. So we treat 7 feet as the safe line and confirm anything taller with the Department of Safety and Permits. A like-for-like replacement follows the same rules as a new fence. Outside the city, Jefferson Parish, St. Bernard Parish, Kenner, Gretna, Harahan and Westwego each run their own permit office. Our town pages name the office for each.
How tall can my fence be? Is 6 feet allowed?
Yes, 6 feet is allowed at the side and rear in New Orleans. The zoning ordinance caps fences and walls at 8 feet, or 7 feet in national historic districts. Front yard fences must be open fences, so a solid 6-foot board fence cannot go across the front. Height is measured from grade, and where two lots sit at different levels it is measured from the higher grade at the property line. A few lakefront districts, such as Lake Vista and Lake Terrace, have much lower limits of their own.
How close to the property line can I build? Do I need a survey?
You can normally build up to the line on your own side. Corner lots have to keep the view clear at the intersection. Old New Orleans lots are narrow, and fences, sheds and even houses often sit a few inches off the recorded line. If the boundary is not marked, or your neighbor disagrees about it, get a plot plan or a survey before any post goes in.
I live in a historic district. What can I build?
Ask the commission for your district before buying material. New Orleans has many local historic districts. The Historic District Landmarks Commission (HDLC) reviews exterior work in most of them, and the Vieux Carre Commission covers the French Quarter. The city states that work exempt from a building permit may still need approval from the HDLC or the VCC. Their staff can tell you which fence styles, heights and materials are accepted on your block.
Can my condo association or HOA restrict my fence?
Yes. An association or HOA can restrict a fence more tightly than the city or parish does, including its height, style and color. Have the approval in writing before you order.
We are adding a pool. What fence does code require?
A pool has to be enclosed by a barrier that meets the pool code. Louisiana building departments apply the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, which calls for a barrier at least 48 inches high, no more than 2 inches of gap at the bottom, openings that will not pass a 4-inch ball, and gates that open away from the pool and close and latch on their own. Your permit office confirms the requirements for your pool and inspects the barrier.
The inspector failed my existing fence for the pool. Who brings it up to code?
A fence contractor does. Existing fences usually fail on the gate, on a gap under the fence where the yard has sunk, on picket spacing, or on something climbable beside the fence. Send us the inspector's notes and we will price those items and nothing else.
My association only allows a 4-foot open fence, but I want privacy. What are my options?
Work inside the rule first. Planting behind a 4-foot open fence fills in quickly in this climate. A screen next to the patio or pool may be treated differently from a boundary fence. If neither works, apply to the board for a written exception. Check your survey as well for servitudes, the Louisiana term for easements, because a fence may have to stay clear of a drainage or utility servitude.
Who calls 811 before digging, me or the contractor?
Whoever is going to dig. The service is Louisiana 811. It is free, and it applies to anyone who disturbs the soil, homeowners included. The request must be made at least two full business days before work begins, not counting weekends and holidays. We file the request for the fences we install. Louisiana 811 covers utility-owned lines. Sprinkler pipe, yard lighting and a line you ran to a shed or pool are private, and you need to show us where they are.
My contractor wants to skip the permit and reuse the old holes. What is the risk?
You carry it. If your fence needed a permit or a historic district approval and has none, the notice comes to the owner, and the fence may have to be changed or taken down. Old holes bring their own trouble. Footings that were too small for this soil will let the new posts lean just as the old ones did.
The city says my existing fence breaks the current rules. Can I just repair it?
Check with the Department of Safety and Permits, or your parish office, before paying for anything. Older fences are often allowed to stay and be maintained, while a rebuilt fence has to meet today's rules. Get the answer in writing if you can.
The real price for your yard comes from a free on-site estimate. Call (504) 584-7028 or text us a photo of the fence line.