New Orleans, LA Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Protected buffer
- 5 ft of Bloch Plaza & Lafayette Square
- Outdoor ban zones
- sports arenas, stadiums, playgrounds, amphitheaters
- Exempt corridor
- Bourbon St., Canal to Esplanade
- Operator fine
- $100/$200/$500 (1st/2nd/3rd)
- Individual smoker fine
- up to $50 per violation
- Report a violation
- city 311 Service Center
- Police enforcement
- summons only, no seizure
Summary
New Orleans bars smoking and vaping in specific unenclosed public areas: within five feet of the Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza and Lafayette Square, in outdoor sports arenas, stadiums, playgrounds and amphitheaters, and at outdoor places of employment including construction sites and vehicles. Owners who fail to enforce it face escalating fines up to $500, and individual violators face fines up to $50, enforced by the Department of Health and police.
Except as permitted by section 66-73, smoking and vaping shall be prohibited in unenclosed areas in the following places: (1)In and within five feet of Richard & Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza.(2)In and within five feet of Lafayette Square.(3)In all outdoor sports arenas, stadiums, recreational areas with playground equipment, and amphitheaters, except when being used for concerts, fairs, farmers' markets, festivals, and parades. Smoking and vaping shall also be prohibited in bleachers and grandstands for use by spectators at sporting events.(4)Places of employment, including, but not limited to, work areas, construction sites, temporary offices such as trailers, restroom facilities, and vehicles.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 116 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 66's Smoke Free Air Act (Article II) bans smoking and vaping indoors almost everywhere under §66-71 (public property, public places, private clubs, workplaces, correctional facilities, schools), then §66-72 extends the ban to four outdoor categories: within five feet of the Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza and Lafayette Square, outdoor sports arenas/stadiums/playgrounds/amphitheaters (except during permitted concerts, fairs, farmers' markets, festivals and parades), spectator bleachers and grandstands, and outdoor places of employment such as construction sites, trailers, restrooms and vehicles. ' Enforcement runs through the Department of Health, with designated employees of property management, safety and permits, parks and parkways, NORDC, fire, and code enforcement also empowered (§66-38(a)); complaints go through the city's 311 Service Center; police may enforce only via municipal summons, not by seizing the product (§66-38(h)).
Violators lose service and can be asked to leave under §66-38(d). A violation can also trigger suspension or revocation of a business permit or license under §66-40(f), and each day of continued violation is a separate offense (§66-40(h)).
Violations & Fines
Under §66-40(c), an owner, manager or operator who fails to stop prohibited smoking/vaping is liable for $100 on a first violation, $200 for a second within 12 months, and $500 for a third or more within 12 months. An individual who smokes or vapes in a prohibited area is liable for up to $50 per violation. Enforcement is by municipal court summons or Chapter 6 administrative adjudication, with possible license/permit suspension added on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I smoke on Bourbon Street in New Orleans?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Orleans
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