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New Orleans, LA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

Significant Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section: City Code § 26-448(3)
Pool definition: Water >18 in. deep or >150 sq ft
Barrier height: At least 6 feet, self-closing/latching gate
City remediation: Can fill in pool after 8-day notice
Enforcement: Any authorized law enforcement entity

Summary

New Orleans requires every pool, defined broadly as any structure holding water deeper than 18 inches or covering more than 150 square feet, to be surrounded by a fence or barrier at least six feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate, under City Code § 26-448(3). The city can fill in a noncompliant pool after an eight-day notice.

(1)For the purposes of this section, "pool(s)" means any pool, tank, depression or excavation, in or above ground, or other structure which shall cause retaining of water over a greater depth than 18 inches and/or having a plane surface of water greater than 150 square feet and which shall by designed or used for swimming, wading or immersion purposes by individuals. [...] (3)All pools as defined above, whether in-ground or above-board types, shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and in good repair with a functioning filtration system. Private swimming pools, hot tubs and spas shall be completely surrounded by a fence or barrier at least six feet in height above the finished ground level, measured on the side of the fence or barrier which faces away from the pool. Access gates must be self-closing and self-latching.

Source: Louisiana State Uniform Construction CodeView official code

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

Section 26-448 sits in Article VI ('Property Standards Generally') and is written specifically to reach 'stagnant water and access to pools' as a public-health and safety hazard, distinct from the general maintenance duty in § 26-166. ' What makes § 26-448 distinct from the parallel barrier rule at § 26-166 is its enforcement teeth: subsection (4) lets 'any authorized law enforcement entity' enforce the section, and after eight days have passed following posted notice under § 26-242(c), the city or its agents may enter the property to physically fill in a noncompliant pool under the code's emergency-abatement procedure.

Subsection (5) makes violating the section itself unlawful for the property owner or, in their absence, their agent, a direct exposure separate from the administrative hearing track used elsewhere in Chapter 26.

Violations & Fines

Violating § 26-448 is independently unlawful for the property owner or agent under subsection (5). Beyond a code-official notice and hearing, the section gives law enforcement direct authority to enforce it, and after an eight-day posted notice under § 26-242(c), the city can send crews onto the property to fill in a pool that remains an unsecured, stagnant-water hazard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a 'pool' under New Orleans' barrier requirement?

Broadly. § 26-448(1) defines it as any pool, tank, depression or excavation, in or above ground, that holds water deeper than 18 inches or covers more than 150 square feet and is used for swimming, wading or immersion: reaching far beyond a standard in-ground swimming pool.

What happens if my pool doesn't have a compliant fence?

Under § 26-448(4), the city can post notice and, after eight days, send agents onto the property under the code's emergency-abatement procedure to fill the pool in. Any authorized law enforcement entity can also enforce the section directly, and violating it is independently unlawful for the owner under subsection (5).

Does a self-latching gate satisfy the rule, or does it also have to be self-closing?

Both are required. § 26-448(3) requires access gates that must be self-closing and self-latching: a gate that latches when pushed shut but doesn't close on its own (or vice versa) does not meet the standard.

Sources & Official References

[1]New Orleans Code of Ordinances, Ch. 26, Art. VI (Property Standards Generally)

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