New Orleans, LA Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)

New Orleans CZO Article 21 prohibits barbed wire, razor wire, concertina wire, broken glass on top of walls, and electrified fences in residential and most mixed-use zones. Barbed wire is allowed only in industrial districts and only above 7 feet. In the Vieux Carre, fence and gate design must respect the neighborhood's 18th and 19th century character; the Vieux Carre Commission typically approves wrought iron, wood pickets painted in approved historic colors, and stucco-faced masonry, and routinely denies vinyl, chain link, pressure-treated lumber left unstained, and modern aluminum panels. The 14 HDLC local historic districts apply similar but slightly less strict standards. Pool barriers and dog containment fences must still meet the material restrictions of the underlying district. Plant materials such as hedges may serve as visual screens but are not regulated as fences. New Orleans flood ordinances require that solid masonry walls in Special Flood Hazard Areas include flood vents or weep openings to allow water passage, since Hurricane Katrina demonstrated that solid walls can collapse under floodwater pressure. Property owners installing fences in servitudes (utility, drainage, or sewer) accept the risk that the city may remove the fence without compensation if access is needed.