New Orleans, LA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum hot water temp
- 110°F at every fixture
- Minimum heat
- 68°F in habitable rooms
- Maximum cooling temp
- 80°F in bedrooms
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Safety and Permits
- Governing program
- Healthy Homes Program, Ch. 26 Art. XIII
- Late certificate fee
- $50 (60 days), then $200
Summary
New Orleans requires every rental housing unit in Orleans Parish to meet eleven baseline habitability standards under Code § 26-656, working smoke and, where required, carbon monoxide detectors, hot water at 110°F, heat to 68°F, cooling to 80°F, sound plumbing, and mold- and rodent-free conditions, enforced by the Department of Safety and Permits as part of the Healthy Homes Program.
(a)Each rental housing unit shall have an operable fire and smoke detection system and alarm. A system with missing or expired batteries shall still be deemed operable if it functions properly when new batteries are inserted.(e)Water heating facilities shall be in good working condition, and capable of providing an adequate amount of water to be drawn at every required sink, lavatory, bathtub, and shower at a minimum temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit.(f)Each rental housing unit shall have heating facilities in good working order that can safely maintain a minimum room temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit in all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms. Cooking appliances shall not be used to provide space heating to meet the requirements of this section.(g)Each rental housing unit shall have a cooling system in good working order that can safely maintain a maximum temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit in all bedrooms, measured at a point three feet above the floor and two feet from exterior walls.
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
New Orleans' Healthy Homes Program, codified at City Code § 26-656, sets eleven baseline habitability requirements every rental housing unit in Orleans Parish must meet before a lessor can hold a valid certificate of compliance. Each unit needs an operable fire and smoke detector, one still counted operable even with dead batteries if it works once fresh batteries are inserted, and, where required by the Fire Code or La. S. 40:1581, a carbon monoxide detector with a long-life sealed battery. Plumbing fixtures (bathtubs or showers, lavatories, toilets, kitchen sinks) must be sanitary, properly connected to the sewer system, and supplied with hot and cold running water; water heaters must deliver a minimum of 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heating systems must maintain at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit in habitable rooms and bathrooms, cooking appliances cannot substitute as space heat, while cooling systems must hold bedrooms to a maximum of 80 degrees Fahrenheit, measured three feet off the floor and two feet from exterior walls. The electrical system must be safe and functional, any fireplace or solid-fuel appliance the lessor provides must work properly, roofs and windows must keep out rain and dampness with no visible interior mold, interior surfaces must be free of significant cracking or holes, and the unit and its exterior grounds must be free of visible rodent harborage.
The Department of Safety and Permits, under § 26-653, administers the program and may require an inspection before issuing a certificate of compliance if it doubts a unit meets these standards, and § 26-655 makes violations of § 26-656 cited at a property part of the public database.
Violations & Fines
Failing to meet § 26-656 standards is a housing violation under § 26-670, with penalties capped at the maximum monetary amount allowed under state law and each day of non-compliance charged as a separate offense. A hearing officer can revoke the certificate of compliance under § 26-671 for repeated or intentional violations, triggering a mandatory 60-day notice to displaced lessees. A revoked certificate cannot be reissued until all violations are cured and outstanding fines, fees and liens are paid; the city may also seek injunctive relief and discontinue electrical service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does New Orleans require carbon monoxide detectors in rental units?
What temperature must a New Orleans rental's heater maintain?
Can a smoke detector with dead batteries still pass inspection?
What happens if a New Orleans rental fails these standards?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Orleans
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