Jefferson Parish, LA Ordinances (2026)

Jefferson Parish has no dedicated leaf-blower ordinance. Leaf blowers are treated as domestic power tools under the noise ordinance (Sec. 20-102), exempt when muffled and used within the daytime hours set for such equipment.

Jefferson Parish prohibits car sound systems that create a noise disturbance plainly audible 50 feet from the vehicle on any public right-of-way or public space. Fines start at $50 and rise for repeat offenses under Sec. 20-102.

Jefferson Parish exempts domestic power tools, lawnmowers, and similar equipment from the noise limits when properly muffled and used roughly 7 a.m.–9 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and 8 a.m.–9 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.

Industrial and commercial noise is capped by Sec. 20-102(f) Table 1, which sets higher permissible decibel levels for those land-use categories than for residential, measured at the receiving property's boundary. River-activity noise is expressly covered.

Jefferson Parish's noise ordinance (Sec. 20-102) governs the unincorporated parish, including Metairie. It caps sound in residential areas near 60 dBA in daytime and 55 dBA at night (10 p.m.–6:59 a.m.), measured at the property line.

Persistent barking or animal noise is handled as a noise nuisance under Sec. 20-102 and through the parish animal-control code (Chapter 7). There is no separate fixed decibel limit for dogs; the test is whether the noise unreasonably disturbs neighbors.

Under Sec. 20-102, operating a radio, stereo, instrument, or amplifier so that it is plainly audible at 50 feet between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. is prima facie evidence of a noise violation in the unincorporated parish.

Sec. 20-102(f) sets maximum permissible sound levels by receiving land-use category in Table 1, measured at the property boundary. Residential limits are reported at about 60 dBA by day and 55 dBA at night.

Outdoor and live amplified music is governed by the same Sec. 20-102 limits: it must stay within Table 1 decibel levels by day and cannot be plainly audible at 50 feet during the 11 p.m.–7 a.m. restricted hours.

Jefferson Parish does not set aircraft noise limits—aviation noise is preempted by federal law (FAA). The parish noise ordinance (Sec. 20-102) exempts aircraft in flight; noise concerns near Louis Armstrong (MSY) go to the airport and FAA.

Jefferson Parish's permit page does not list a specific number of off-street parking spaces for short-term rentals. Parking requirements, where they apply, are part of the STR zoning criteria in JPCO 33-5.3.12.5(7) and the parish off-street parking regulations (Chapter 40).

Yes. To obtain the zoning clearance for a short-term rental, applicants must document that the unit is their primary residence, typically with homestead exemption documentation.

Yes. Before operating a short-term rental (a rental under 45 days) in unincorporated Jefferson Parish, you must obtain a Short Term Rental Lodging Accommodation License and comply with Chapter 17.5 of the parish Code of Ordinances.

Jefferson Parish does not publish a separate STR-only noise rule on its permit page. Guests and hosts must comply with the parish's general noise and nuisance ordinance (Chapter 19), enforced parish-wide including for short-term rentals.

Yes. The STR license application requires proof of valid general liability insurance with coverage of $500,000 or more, submitted along with the $750 fee, proof of ownership, and parish approvals.

The STR lodging license must be renewed every year on or before November 1 for the following year. Renewal requires the $750 processing fee plus proof of ownership, insurance, and continued approvals.

Jefferson Parish does not require the host to be physically present during stays, but a designated local responsible party must be authorized by affidavit to respond to issues, and the unit must be the owner's primary residence.

Jefferson Parish does not publish a maximum number of rental nights per year for licensed short-term rentals. The core limits are zoning-based (mixed-use/commercial only) plus the primary-residence rule and a 45-day per-stay ceiling that defines an STR.

STR guests pay Jefferson Parish local sales tax on room rentals of 3.75% plus Louisiana state accommodation tax (3% where the operator has 10+ rooms, otherwise 5%), plus applicable local occupancy taxes. The parish STR license processing fee is $750 per year.

Jefferson Parish does not publish a simple guests-per-bedroom cap on its permit page. Any maximum-occupancy limits for short-term rentals are set within the zoning standards at JPCO 33-5.3.12.5(7) and Chapter 17.5, and are verified during the required code inspection.

Jefferson Parish has no wildfire-hazard zones or wildland-urban-interface fire designations. It is a low-lying, largely developed and marsh/coastal parish where flooding, hurricanes, and drainage — not wildfire — are the governing hazards. There are no defensible-space or fire-zone building requirements tied to wildfire here.

Open burning of yard waste is effectively banned in Jefferson Parish. Louisiana's open-burning rule (LAC 33:III.1109) only lets homeowners burn leaves and branches in parishes of 300,000 or fewer, and Jefferson Parish (about 441,000) exceeds that. Plastic, rubber, and tires may never be burned.

The private use, sale, and discharge of fireworks is prohibited in the unincorporated areas of Jefferson Parish, including Metairie, Marrero, Harvey, Terrytown and River Ridge. Only sanctioned public displays are allowed. Some incorporated cities (Kenner, Gretna, Grand Isle) permit personal fireworks on limited dates.

Backyard fire pits and chimineas are treated as recreational fires under the Louisiana-adopted International Fire Code. A recreational fire must stay at least 25 feet from any structure, and a portable outdoor fireplace at least 15 feet, kept constantly attended.

Louisiana law requires every one- or two-family dwelling to have a working smoke detector at sale or lease, and since 2023 a carbon monoxide detector too. Jefferson Parish enforces this statewide standard through its adopted codes; landlords must keep the alarms operable.

Jefferson Parish is flat, low-lying coastal Louisiana and does not impose a defensible-space or brush-clearance requirement like wildfire-prone western counties. Overgrown lots are instead handled as a property-maintenance nuisance under the parish weed and grass rules, and open burning to clear brush is restricted under state DEQ regulations.

Propane (LP-gas) storage in Jefferson Parish follows Louisiana's adopted Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code, NFPA 58, enforced by the State Fire Marshal and the Louisiana LP Gas Commission. Container placement, cylinder quantities, and clearances from buildings and ignition sources must meet NFPA 58, and larger installations require permits and inspection.

Small backyard fires for cooking or recreation are allowed if they follow the state-adopted fire code: kept a safe distance from structures, constantly attended, and limited to clean fuel. Burning yard waste or trash is not permitted, since Jefferson Parish exceeds the state open-burning population limit.

It is unlawful to park or store a vehicle on the unpaved front-yard area of any home or business, or on servitudes, levees and neutral grounds. Off-street parking areas must have an approved all-weather hard surface.

The parish zoning code lets residents keep RVs and boats on their lot, but they must sit behind the front building line (or 60 feet back) and, if over seven feet tall, be set back five feet and screened from neighbors and the street.

You may not leave a vehicle parked on any parish street, shoulder or curb for more than 48 consecutive hours, and parking on medians and neutral grounds is prohibited unless signs allow it.

In residential zoning districts, heavy commercial vehicles are barred, but one commercial van or trailer may be kept if it meets the same setback and screening rules that apply to RVs.

The parish tags and tows junked, wrecked, derelict or abandoned vehicles from public and private property. Once tagged, the owner has 72 hours to remove it before it is impounded and sold or destroyed.

Jefferson Parish sets no blanket overnight ban, but no vehicle may stay parked on any street, shoulder or curb for more than 48 consecutive hours, so multi-night street storage is prohibited.

Recreational vehicles, watercraft, commercial vans and trailers over seven feet tall must be set back five feet from side and rear lot lines and screened from neighbors and the street by a six-foot fence.

Commercial and larger buildings must provide off-street loading space rather than blocking the street. The zoning code requires at least one loading space per 7,500 square feet of gross floor area.

Jefferson Parish has no dedicated residential EV-charging ordinance. Home chargers are regulated as ordinary electrical work through the parish building and electrical permit process, not by a separate parking rule.

Residents may not paint or mark parish curbs themselves. No-parking curb markings and signs are established only by the parish's Department of Public Works traffic-engineering division; unauthorized curb markings are prohibited.

Backyard barbecue and propane grilling is allowed at single-family and two-family homes in Jefferson Parish, subject to the state-adopted fire code and NFPA 58. Grills should be used outdoors, away from combustibles, and multi-family buildings face tighter limits on where LP-gas and charcoal grills may be operated and stored.

Wood, charcoal, and pellet smokers are permitted at Jefferson Parish homes as outdoor cooking, not open burning, so long as they are used outdoors, attended, and kept clear of structures. The parish has no smoker-specific ordinance; the fire code's cooking and open-flame provisions and neighbor nuisance-smoke rules apply.

In the unincorporated parish (including Metairie), the zoning ordinance allows a fence up to eight (8) feet along side and rear lot lines. Front-yard fences are more restricted. Height is measured from the lowest adjacent soil and includes any chain, retaining, or low masonry wall beneath it.

In unincorporated Jefferson Parish, the height of a chain, retaining, or low masonry wall is counted as part of the fence height when a fence sits on top of it. Fence height is measured from the lowest elevation of adjacent soil, so a wall plus fence together cannot exceed the

In unincorporated Jefferson Parish, fences along street rights-of-way must be built with the finished side facing out: nondecorative posts, horizontal rails, cross-members, and similar unfinished components must be oriented inward toward the owner's lot. Screening fences required by permit must be opaque wood, brick, or masonry.

Fences in unincorporated Jefferson Parish must comply with zoning Section 40-743.5 and the clear-vision rules at intersections. A building permit for a nonresidential or multifamily lot abutting a residential district triggers a mandatory screening fence. Confirm permit requirements with the parish Department of Inspection & Code Enforcement before building.

Louisiana is a civil-law state, so boundary-fence rights come from the Louisiana Civil Code, not common-law line-fence statutes. A fence on the boundary is presumed common (owned jointly) unless proven otherwise, and neighbors can be compelled to share fence costs on enclosed lands.

Fences in the unincorporated parish must be set back at least one foot from sidewalks and cannot block clear-vision (sight) areas at intersections. Section 40-665 requires clear vision of 25 feet at street intersections and 15 feet on reverse corner lots, so corner-lot fences are limited near the corner.

Jefferson Parish zoning does not ban common fence materials outright, but it dictates orientation (finished side out), caps column size at 18 inches, and requires opaque wood, brick, or masonry for mandatory screening fences. Suburban (S-1) district common lot lines require an opaque or living fence at least six feet

Maximum building height in unincorporated Jefferson Parish depends on the zoning district. In the R-1A Single-Family Residential District the maximum building height is 35 feet. Taller limits apply in commercial and multifamily districts; incorporated cities set their own limits.

Yard (setback) requirements in unincorporated Jefferson Parish depend on your zoning district. In the R-1A Single-Family Residential District the code sets a front yard of 35 feet, rear yard of 25 feet, and two side yards of 15 feet each. Other districts (R-1B, S-1, two-family) use different figures.

Jefferson Parish limits how much of a lot may be built on through district-specific yard requirements and, in some districts, explicit lot-coverage and open-space standards. Required front, side, and rear yards must be kept open, and certain districts require a share of the lot to be landscaped. Rules vary by

The Parkways Department controls trees on parish rights-of-way and trims hazardous, dead, diseased or low limbs. If the parish cannot do the work promptly, a property owner may get a permit to hire a qualified company at their own expense.

Jefferson Parish does not require a permit to remove a tree on your own private property. Only trees on the parish right-of-way and public property are protected, and Parkways reserves the right to deny removal of a mature, healthy tree.

Jefferson Parish has no ordinance specifically permitting or banning artificial turf on private residential lawns. Front-yard and setback landscaping in new development is governed by the Unified Development Code, but existing homes are not restricted from installing synthetic turf.

Collecting rainwater is legal in Louisiana and encouraged for outdoor uses. Jefferson Parish sets no permit for residential rain barrels or cisterns. Only commercial systems need a state installation permit; home systems must simply meet applicable plumbing and building codes.

Jefferson Parish, in wet, riparian-rights south Louisiana, has no standing drought or day-of-week lawn-irrigation restrictions. There is no parish rule limiting when you may water your lawn. Restrictions would only appear during a declared water emergency.

Jefferson Parish does not require native plants or ban ornamental lawns for private homes. Landscaping choices are up to the owner, subject only to the eight-inch height limit and, for new development, the UDC landscape-plan standards.

Jefferson Parish requires grass and weeds on all property to be kept below eight (8) inches. In June the Parish Council cut the limit from 12 inches to 8. It applies to both occupied and unoccupied lots parishwide.

Weeds are enforced under the same eight-inch limit as grass. Vacant and abandoned lots are handled by the Weed Control Section, and occupied properties by the Property Maintenance Section, both under Inspection and Code Enforcement.

Jefferson Parish has no ordinance banning home composting. Residents may compost yard and food waste in a backyard pile or bin, provided it does not create odors, attract rodents or vermin, or otherwise become a public-health nuisance under the parish code.

In Jefferson Parish, no dog may be on any street, alleyway, highway, common, or public square unless under the immediate control of a competent person and restrained by a substantial chain or leash no longer than six (6) feet. Owners must otherwise keep dogs confined or humanely secured.

Jefferson Parish's animal code sets no fixed limit on the number of dogs or cats a household may own. Instead, all dogs, cats, and ferrets over four months old must be licensed and rabies-vaccinated, and keeping too many animals to care for properly can be enforced as cruelty, neglect, or

Jefferson Parish prohibits intentionally feeding waterfowl (ducks, geese, and other amphibious birds) by making food available on private property or within 20 feet of a public street or residence. Tossing bread, corn, or other feed on the ground for waterfowl is treated as prohibited feeding.

Jefferson Parish's animal code (Chapter 7) contains no beekeeping ordinance; the former beekeeping article is reserved. Hive keeping is governed by the Chapter 40 zoning ordinance and nuisance rules, and by state law. Louisiana's Right to Farm law and apiary program apply, so verify your zoning district and register hives

Jefferson Parish's animal code sets no fixed limit on backyard chickens or other fowl kept on private property, but fowl and poultry may not run at large, and where they roam onto streets or a neighbor's land they may be impounded. Placement and number are governed by the Chapter 40

Jefferson Parish flatly bans keeping the most dangerous wild or exotic species (Class 1, such as big cats, bears, primates, venomous snakes, and wolves). Class 2 species require a $150 permit from JPAWS, and only Class 3 animals (common reptiles, rabbits, ferrets, small birds) may be kept without a JPAWS

Jefferson Parish's animal code is breed-neutral: it does not ban pit bulls or any specific breed. Instead, any dog can be declared a dangerous or vicious animal based on its behavior, which triggers strict ownership requirements such as spay/neuter, microchipping, secure enclosure, warning signage, and $100,000 liability insurance.

In unincorporated Jefferson Parish, keeping more than two (2) hogs, pigs, or swine for more than 24 hours is deemed livestock and must follow the Chapter 40 zoning ordinance. Cattle, horses, goats, and other livestock may not run at large or be on a neighbor's property, and may be impounded

Jefferson Parish licenses cats like dogs and regulates outdoor feeding of feral or community cats. On residentially zoned property, food left out for feral cats may not stay accessible longer than 30 minutes at a time (90 minutes per 24 hours), gravity feeders are banned, and fed cats must be

Jefferson Parish does not have a standalone hoarding ordinance, but keeping more animals than you can properly care for is enforced through its cruelty and neglect provisions. Owners must supply adequate food, water, shelter, and veterinary care, and tethering an animal as its only confinement is itself treated as cruel

Jefferson Parish requires a building permit to construct a swimming pool. Only small prefabricated pools less than 24 inches deep accessory to a home are exempt. Fencing and permanently installed pool equipment also require permits.

Louisiana's adopted swimming pool code (ISPSC Sec. 305) governs Jefferson Parish residential pools. The barrier top must be at least 48 inches above grade, with no more than a 2-inch gap at the bottom and no gap passing a 4-inch sphere. Gates must self-close and self-latch.

Above-ground pools in Jefferson Parish must control access. If the pool wall is the barrier, the ladder or steps must be lockable or removable. Prefabricated pools under 24 inches deep are permit-exempt; deeper ones need a permit and a compliant barrier.

Where a dwelling wall serves as part of the pool barrier, Louisiana's adopted pool code requires added protection: a door alarm audible when opened, a self-closing/self-latching door, or a listed safety cover. Pool equipment must sit at least 36 inches outside the barrier.

Under Louisiana's adopted pool and spa code, spas and hot tubs are treated like pools for barrier purposes. Glazing next to a spa within 60 inches of a walking surface must be safety glazing. A listed safety cover can satisfy the barrier requirement.

A parish tree-removal permit applies only to trees on the public right-of-way. Parkways reserves the right to deny removal of a mature, healthy right-of-way tree. No permit is needed to remove a tree entirely on your own private property.

Jefferson Parish's Dangerous Building Abatement and Code Compliance programs cite blighted, boarded, or collapse-prone structures in the unincorporated parish (including Metairie). Owners must repair or demolish; the parish can abate and lien the property. Incorporated cities enforce their own blight codes.

Jefferson Parish makes it unlawful to let grass or obnoxious weeds exceed eight (8) inches in height on private property, occupied or not. The Zoning Section handles occupied lots and the Weed Control Section handles vacant ones. The parish can cut and bill.

In unincorporated Jefferson Parish, garage and rummage sales are regulated under Chapter 30 (Sales). Residents obtain a garage-sale permit through the Citizens' Affairs office or the online permit portal; the permit limits how often and how long you may sell.

In unincorporated Jefferson Parish, all household garbage must be bagged inside the parish-provided 95-gallon tipper cart. Carts may not go out before 4 p.m. the day before collection and must be pulled back from the curb by noon the day after.

Jefferson Parish's Weed Control Section cites vacant and abandoned properties for grass over eight inches, trash and debris, and junked or abandoned vehicles. If the owner doesn't clear it, the parish cuts and cleans the lot and bills the owner.

Louisiana RS 40:4.9 lets residents prepare low-risk foods at home for sale without a license, as long as gross annual sales stay under $30,000. Each product must be labeled that it was not made in a licensed or regulated facility.

Jefferson Parish does not require a separate discretionary home-occupation zoning permit for a compliant home business, but operators must hold a parish occupational license (collected by the Sheriff) and meet all Chapter 40 home-occupation conditions.

Jefferson Parish home occupations may not advertise with exterior commercial signs. The zoning standards allow only a small nameplate of not more than two square feet, with no other outward indication the dwelling is used for business.

Jefferson Parish zoning (Chapter 40) permits home occupations in residential districts. Section 40-3 defines a home occupation as an occupation carried out by a resident that is clearly incidental and secondary to residential use of the dwelling.

Louisiana, not Jefferson Parish, sets the main rules for in-home child care. Caring for six or fewer children is a family child care provider needing no state license; seven or more children for 12.5+ hours weekly requires a Louisiana Department of Education license.

Jefferson Parish's zoning ordinance has no modern by-right ADU program. Detached accessory buildings in residential districts are regulated as accessory structures (Sec. 40-743) and may not be used as separate dwellings unless the zoning district and lot expressly allow a second dwelling unit.

Jefferson Parish has no dedicated tiny-home ordinance. A tiny house on a permanent foundation is regulated as a dwelling under Chapter 40 zoning and the adopted building code; a tiny house on wheels is treated as a recreational vehicle and may not be used as a permanent residence in residential

Converting a garage in unincorporated Jefferson Parish is a zoning and building matter under Chapter 40. Turning an accessory garage into separate living quarters requires the district to allow an additional dwelling unit; converting an attached garage into living space needs permits and must keep required off-street parking.

Under Jefferson Parish zoning Sec. 40-743, an accessory building such as a shed may sit in a required rear or side yard but must not exceed 13 feet in height and must stay at least 3 feet from interior side and rear lot lines, with limits on rear-yard coverage.

A carport is treated as an accessory structure under Jefferson Parish zoning Chapter 40. It must meet the same accessory-building setback and height limits in Sec. 40-743 and any front-yard and clear-vision rules, and a building permit is required in the unincorporated parish.

Jefferson Parish collects containerized household garbage twice per week from the parish-provided tipper cart. Recycling and bulky waste are collected once per week on your designated day. Garbage must be bagged and placed inside the cart.

Jefferson Parish asks residents to recycle magazines, newspapers, and corrugated cardboard, containerized or bundled. Bundles may not exceed four feet long, two feet in diameter, and 75 pounds so they're safe to handle and don't litter.

Roll your tipper cart to the curb no sooner than 4 p.m. the day before collection, and bring it back in by noon the day after. Carts left out between pickups are a code violation in unincorporated Jefferson Parish.

Jefferson Parish collects bulky/large items once per week. Each item must be under six feet long and 400 pounds, and the set-out must not exceed six cubic yards. White goods and tires are accepted up to four items per category weekly.

Dumping litter or trash on public places or on property you don't own is prohibited in Jefferson Parish (Chapter 16, § 16-9) and under Louisiana's littering statute, RS 30:2531. Simple littering carries a $150 fine or community service; gross and commercial dumping carry far higher penalties.

Jefferson Parish has no dark-sky ordinance. Its zoning code addresses outdoor lighting through a glare-control standard: lighted off-street parking facilities must aim and shield fixtures to direct light and glare away from adjacent residential districts.

Jefferson Parish's zoning code requires lighting on off-street parking facilities to be shielded and aimed to keep light and glare off adjacent residential districts. Broader light spilling from one property onto another can be pursued as a nuisance under the parish nuisance code.

Garage-sale signs may be placed on private property with permission but not on any public property or right-of-way. Under Chapter 32, signs illegally placed on public property are considered abandoned property and removed and disposed of by the parish without further notice.

In the unincorporated parish, political signs may be placed on private property with the owner's consent but are prohibited on any public right-of-way. Signs illegally placed in the right-of-way are treated as abandoned property and removed by the parish without further notice.

Jefferson Parish parks post no separate ordinance closing hour, but the parish enforces a juvenile curfew: minors are barred from public places, including parks, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday-Thursday and midnight to 5 a.m. on weekends.