Retaining wall permit checklist — New Orleans, Louisiana
Assembled from New Orleans’s own published permit rules. Every line below is quoted from a city document and linked to it. Nothing here is generated, estimated, or inferred from another jurisdiction.
Do you need a permit?
New Orleans requires a permit for a retaining wall.
A building permit is not required for retaining walls which are not over three ft. in height. Masonry walls up to three ft. in height from grade or structure are also exempt when used as a fence and when in compliance with the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Exemption from permit requirements does not authorize work that violates the code, and property in a local historic district may still require approval from the Vieux Carre Commission or the Historic District Landmarks Commission.
Loading the full checklist…
Sources
- retaining wall — permit rules ↗verified August 2026
Other permits New Orleans publishes rules for
Listed because the city publishes a separate rule for each type — not because this project necessarily triggers one. Whether it does depends on your scope of work.
- Deck permit checklist
- Fence permit checklist
- Shed permit checklist
- Water heater permit checklist
- Re-roof permit checklist
- Electrical work permit checklist
- General building work permit checklist
BuildSpec is a reference, not the authority having jurisdiction. Confirm requirements with New Orleans before you build.