GENERALLY

New Orleans City Code ch. 134, art. II, div. 1

in effect

New Orleans City Code § 134-36 Enforcement agency designated.

Sec. 134-36. - Enforcement agency designated. The director of the department of safety and permits or his departmental or agencies representative(s) is hereby designated as the primary enforcement agency to administer and enforce the terms and conditions of this chapter and all other provisions of laws relating to signs and shall, in such administration and enforcement, coordinate his efforts with the New Orleans Police Department or any duly authorized law enforcement officer or code enforcement officer(s) or all other persons having enforcement powers or responsibilities. (Code 1956, § 3A-2(a); M.C.S., Ord. No. 21877, § 1, 3-17-05)

New Orleans City Code § 134-37 Enforcement responsibility.

Sec. 134-37. - Enforcement responsibility. The duties of the department of safety and permits shall include not only the issuance of permits as required by this chapter, or by other applicable law. The department of safety and permits, New Orleans Police Department or other duly authorized law enforcement or code enforcement officer(s) have the responsibility of ensuring that all signs comply with this chapter [and] any other applicable law, and that all signs for which a permit is required do in fact have a permit. These departments and agencies shall make such inspections as may be necessary and initiate appropriate action to bring about compliance with this chapter and other applicable law if such inspection discloses any instance of noncompliance. These departments or agencies shall investigate thoroughly any complaints of alleged violations of municipal laws governing signs. The enforcement agency may locate the persons in violation by calling the number advertised as a method of investigation. (Code 1956, § 3A-2(b); M.C.S., Ord. No. 21877, § 1, 3-17-05)

New Orleans City Code § 134-38 Powers of enforcement.

Sec. 134-38. - Powers of enforcement. The department of safety and permits and the New Orleans Police Department or any duly authorized law enforcement or code enforcement officers or other persons having enforcement powers or responsibilities shall have the power and authority to administer and enforce the conditions of this chapter and all other laws relating to signs. Included among such powers are the following specific powers: (1) Every sign for which a permit is required may be subject to the inspection and approval of the department. When deemed advisable by the department, a sign may be inspected at the point of manufacture if such point is within or adjacent to the city limits. (2) Upon presentation of proper identification to the owner, agent, or tenant in charge of such property, the departments, agencies or their representative(s) may enter, for the purposes of inspecting and investigating signs or sign structures, any building, structure, or other premises or property between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Sunday through Saturdays, and in the case of business, during the hours of operation of the business provided, however, that in cases of emergency where extreme hazards are known to exist to persons, loss of life, or severe property damage, and where the owner, agent or tenant in charge of the property is not available after the departmental or agencies representative(s) have made a good faith effort to locate same, the departmental or agencies representative(s) may enter the aforementioned structures and premises at any time upon presentation of proper identification to any other person on the premises. Whenever the departmental or agencies representative(s) shall enter upon private property, under any circumstances, for the purpose of inspecting and/or investigating signs or sign structures, which charge, shall be notified of his presence and shown his proper and official credentials. The departmental or agencies representative(s), when on private property, shall observe the establishment's rules and regulations concerning safety, internal security and fire protection. In a case where permission to enter is denied, entry shall be accomplished only pursuant to a warrant obtained as otherwise provided by law. (3) Upon notice and issuance of a stop-work order from the director of the department of safety and permits, work on any sign that is being conducted in a manner contrary to the provisions of this chapter or other applicable law or is being conducted in a dangerous or unsafe manner shall be immediately stopped. Such notice and order shall be in writing and shall be given to the owner of the property, or to his agent, or to the person doing the work, and shall state the conditions under which work may be resumed. Where an emergency exists, written notice shall not be required to be given by the departmental or agencies representative(s). (4) Following the issuance of a stop-work order, the department or agencies representative(s) shall initiate proceedings to revoke any permit issued for the work covered by such stop work order, unless the cause of the stop work order is resolved to the departmental or agencies representatives) satisfaction. (5) The departmental or agencies representative(s) shall have, and is hereby granted, the power and authority to revoke any and all permits authorized by this chapter for violation of the terms and provisions of this chapter; and all other applicable provisions of law, provided that, the departmental or agencies representatives) shall conduct a hearing prior to the revocation of any permit authorized under this chapter to determine the facts incident to the pending revocation. The person whose permit is under consideration shall be given at least 15 calendar days' written notice of the hearing and shall be permitted to present relevant facts and legal arguments regarding the pending revocation. Following such, the department or agency representative shall consider the merits of the case and shall present a written opinion prior to any action. However, that if in the opinion of the department the health, safety, or welfare of the citizens of the city is endangered by any violation of this chapter, the department of safety and permits or agency representatives may immediately revoke any or all permits authorized by this chapter and shall conduct the necessary hearing as soon as possible thereafter, but in no case later than three business days after the effective date of the revocation unless the affected permittee shall request in writing a later date. (6) The departmental or agencies representative(s) shall have the authority to adopt regulations required to implement the provisions of this chapter. (Code 1956, § 3A-2(c); M.C.S., Ord. No. 21877, § 1, 3-17-05; M.C.S, Ord. No. 21916, § 2, 4-21-05; M.C.S., Ord. No. 28121, § 1, 6-6-19)

New Orleans City Code § 134-39 Violations and penalties.

Sec. 134-39. - Violations and penalties. Any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than $500.00 for each violation. Each day in which any violation shall occur shall constitute a separate offense. In addition, the city attorney is hereby authorized to take all actions, both legal and equitable, necessary to assure compliance with this chapter. (Code 1956, § 3A-2(d); M.C.S., Ord. No. 21877, § 1, 3-17-05)

New Orleans City Code § 134-40 Appeals.

Sec. 134-40. - Appeals. Any person wishing to appeal a decision of the department of safety and permits or agencies representative(s) on the grounds that the decision misconstrues or wrongly interprets this chapter or other applicable law may, within 30 days after the decision, appeal the same to the appropriate board, as hereinafter provided. Where the decision from which an appeal is taken is based upon the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance or a similar land use law, appeal shall be the board of zoning adjustments; when the decision from which an appeal is taken is based upon laws or regulation, including this chapter, pertaining to the design, construction, alteration, demolition, or structural aspects of buildings and/or signs, appeal shall be to the board of building standards and appeals. An appeal timely taken to the improper board shall be transferred to the proper board; and in doubtful cases, or when neither board appears to be the proper board, the mayor, pursuant to section 4-105 of the Charter, shall assign the appeal for decision by whichever board appears more appropriate. Appeals from the decision of a board shall be as otherwise provided by law, and from the decision of the board of zoning adjustments, and/or board of building standards and appeals shall be, pursuant to its rules and regulation, to the civil district court; provided that the appealing party shall give notice of appeal in writing to the department of safety and permits or agencies, representative(s) no less than ten calendar days following the decision appealed from and provided further that the appealing party shall comply with the department of safety and permits' or agencies representative(s)' decision pending appeal unless the department or agency representative(s) shall direct otherwise or unless otherwise expressly provided by law. (Code 1956, § 3A-2(e); M.C.S., Ord. No. 21877, § 1, 3-17-05)

New Orleans City Code § 134-41 Sign companies.

Sec. 134-41. - Sign companies. (a) Registration required. Any person who engages as a business in the erection, placement, leasing or permitting of others to use signs shall first obtain a registration from the department of safety and permits to do so. (b) Registration fee. Any person required to obtain a registration under the terms of this section shall pay an annual registration fee of $400.00. (c) Address and agent for service of process. Any business which is required to obtain a registration under the terms of this section shall at all times maintain an office within the city, the current address of which shall be recorded with the department, or shall appoint and file a record with the department representative and agent within the city for service of process. (Code 1956, § 3A-4)

New Orleans City Code § 134-42 Sign maintenance and removal.

Sec. 134-42. - Sign maintenance and removal. (a) Maintenance. All signs shall be kept in good repair, and unless of galvanized or noncorroding metal or treated with appropriate wood preservative, shall be thoroughly painted as often as is necessary consistent with good maintenance. All braces, bolts, clips, supporting frames and fastenings shall be free from deterioration, termite infestation, rot, or loosening. All signs shall be able to withstand safely at all times the wind pressures specified in any applicable law. In case any sign is not so maintained, the department shall give written notice to the owner or lessee thereof to so maintain the sign, or to remove the sign. (b) Unsafe signs. Should any sign, in the opinion of the department, become insecure or in danger of falling or otherwise unsafe, the departmental representative shall give written notice of the condition of the sign to the person owning, leasing, or responsible for the sign. Such person so notified shall correct the unsafe condition of the sign in a manner to be approved by the department in conformity with the provisions of this chapter or other applicable law. (c) Unlawful signs. In case any sign shall be installed, erected, constructed or maintained in violation of any of the terms of this chapter or other applicable law, the department shall give written notice to the owner, lessee, or person responsible for such sign ordering such owner, lessee or person to alter the sign so as to comply with the law, or to remove the sign. (d) Removal of signs. Any written notice to alter or to remove a sign shall be given by the department by certified mail or written notice served personally upon the owner, lessee, or person responsible for the sign, or the owner's agent. If such order is not complied with within 15 calendar days, the department shall initiate proceedings under this chapter to revoke the permit and remove the sign at the expense of the owner, lessee, or person responsible therefor. (e) Hazardous signs. If the department determines that any sign is causing an extraordinary and immediate hazard to safety or if the owner or person having custody of a sign cannot be determined, or if the department after diligent effort has been unable to give the notice required by the other subsections herein, and if no other provision of law authorizes the city to cause the sign to be immediately removed, then the director shall cause a notice to be affixed to the sign in a prominent place, bearing the date of its posting, which notice shall instruct the person having custody or control of the sign to remove it immediately and shall identify the department as the city agency to be contacted. The notice shall set forth the text of this subsection in full. If the sign has not been removed by 7:30 a.m. of the third calendar day after the posting of the notice, the department shall cause it to be removed and thereafter disposed of in the manner provided by section 134-122(b). (Code 1956, § 3A-5)

Source: City of New Orleans, Code of Ordinances and Home Rule Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/la/new_orleans/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH134SI_ARTIIAD_DIV1GEFetched: 10/28/2026