PARADES

New Orleans City Code ch. 154, art. XVI

in effect

New Orleans City Code § 154-1651 Permit required.

Sec. 154-1651. - Permit required. Any person desiring to stage, present or conduct a parade, motorcade, procession, march or any other planned movement of persons, vehicles or animals on the streets of the city, except road races as set forth in section 146-3, shall first secure from the department of finance a permit to engage in such activity. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(a))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1652 Penalty for violations.

Sec. 154-1652. - Penalty for violations. Any person who shall stage, present or conduct or attempt to stage, present, conduct or participate in a parade on the city streets without first having obtained a permit therefor (except Mardi Gras or Carnival parades or road races) or who shall otherwise violate any of the provisions of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $100.00 or imprisoned for not more than 90 days, or both, at the discretion of the court. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(b))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1653 Exceptions.

Sec. 154-1653. - Exceptions. (a) The provisions of this article shall not be applicable to funeral processions or to parades by forces of the United States Armed Services, the military forces of this state or forces of the departments of police and fire of the city. (b) No part of this article shall be construed to interfere with lawful picketing. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1)

New Orleans City Code § 154-1654 Application for permit.

Sec. 154-1654. - Application for permit. (a) Any person desiring to conduct or manage a parade shall, no later than 15 days before the date on which it is proposed to conduct such a parade, file with the superintendent of police a verified application for a written route clearance on a form furnished by the superintendent of police setting forth the following information: (1) The name of the person or organization wishing to conduct such parade; (2) If the parade is proposed to be conducted for, on behalf of or by an organization, the name, address and telephone number of the headquarters of the organization and the authorized and responsible head of such organization; (3) The name, address and telephone number of the person who will be the parade chairman and will be responsible for its conduct; (4) The name, address and telephone number of the person or organization to whom the permit is desired to be issued; (5) The date when such parade is to be conducted; (6) The route to be traveled, the starting point and the termination point; (7) The approximate number of persons who and animals and vehicles which will constitute such parades; the type of animals and a description of the vehicles; (8) The hour when such parade will start and terminate; (9) The total number of hours between the starting time and termination time, not to exceed four hours; an exception may be allowed for an organization holding a convention of 10,000 participants or more in the city on the proposed permit date; (10) Whether such parade will occupy all or only one-half of the width of the streets proposed to be traversed; (11) A description of assembly and disassembly areas and streets to be used by such parades; (12) The time at which units of the parade will begin to assemble at any such assembly area; total time of assembly not to exceed one hour; (13) The interval of space to be maintained between units of such parade, not to exceed 30 feet. (b) If such parade is designed to be held by and on behalf of or for any organization other than the applicant, the applicant for such permit shall file with the superintendent of police a communication in writing from such organization, authorizing the applicant to apply for such permit on its behalf. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(a)(2))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1655 Route clearance.

Sec. 154-1655. - Route clearance. Any applicant for a permit under this article except applicants for Mardi Gras or Carnival parade permits or road race permits, must present to the department of finance, at the time of filing of the application, written route clearance from the superintendent of police. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(a)(1))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1656 Consideration of application.

Sec. 154-1656. - Consideration of application. After the application for a written route clearance has been filed, the superintendent of police shall consider the application and such other information as he may otherwise obtain and shall assign the number of police officers as he determines necessary to accompany the parade from the time of assembly of the parade until such time that the parade shall terminate. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(a)(3))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1657 Waiver of time limitations.

Sec. 154-1657. - Waiver of time limitations. The time limitations prescribed for the filing of an application for a written route clearance and/or a parade permit may be waived by the superintendent of police and the department of finance in those instances where the applicant can show that, because of unusual circumstances, it was impossible to have made such application within such time limitations; and upon such showing the superintendent of police shall issue a written route clearance, and the department of finance may issue a parade permit to such applicant. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(a)(11))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1658 Compensation of police.

Sec. 154-1658. - Compensation of police. (a) The police officers shall be compensated at the city's overtime rate, provided that no more than ten police officers be compensated with funds provided by the person or organization who is named as applicant on the application. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, no funds for compensation of police officers shall be required from an organization which will be holding a convention of 10,000 participants or more in the city on the proposed permit date. (b) When the superintendent of police determines that the parade organizers shall provide the compensation for the assigned police officers, the organizers shall be notified of the amount to be paid. The amount shall be paid to the department of finance at the time that parade organizers obtain the permit. No permit shall be issued until such amount has been paid. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(a)(3), (4))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1659 Standards for issuance.

Sec. 154-1659. - Standards for issuance. The superintendent of police shall issue a written route clearance for a parade if, from a consideration of the application or such other information as the superintendent of police may otherwise obtain, or both, the superintendent of police finds that: (1) The conduct of such parade will not substantially interrupt the safe and orderly movement of other traffic contiguous to its route; (2) The conduct of such parade will not require the diversion of so great a number of police officers to properly police the line of movement and the areas contiguous thereto as to prevent normal police protection to the rest of the city; (3) The concentration of persons, animals and vehicles at the assembly areas of the parade will not unduly interfere with proper fire and police protection of or ambulance service to areas contiguous to such assembly areas; (4) The conduct of such parade will not interfere with the movement of firefighting equipment en route to a fire; (5) The conduct of such parade is not reasonably likely to cause injury to persons or property; (6) Such parade will move from its point of termination in four hours or less; the superintendent of police may establish a specific time limitation in excess of four hours for an organization holding a convention of 10,000 or more participants in the city on the proposed permit date; (7) The conduct of such parade will not obstruct any construction or maintenance work scheduled to take place upon the public streets; (8) The applicant meets with all the requirements of this section. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(a)(5))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1660 Alternative date, time, route.

Sec. 154-1660. - Alternative date, time, route. If the conduct of the parade on the proposed date, time and route is found by the superintendent of police to conflict with any of the requirements of this section, he may suggest an alternate date, time and route. If the applicant desires to accept such alternate date, time and route, he may, within five days but no less than seven days prior to the parade, file a notice of acceptance with the superintendent of police; and the superintendent of police shall proceed to issue the written route clearance. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(a)(6))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1661 Action upon application.

Sec. 154-1661. - Action upon application. The superintendent of police shall, after the filing of such application for a written route clearance, act thereon. If the superintendent of police finds that such written route clearance should be issued, he shall proceed to issue the same; and upon presentation of the written route clearance from the superintendent of police, the department of finance shall issue a permit for a parade. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(a)(7))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1662 Contents of permit.

Sec. 154-1662. - Contents of permit. Parade permits issued under this article shall prescribe: (1) Starting time; (2) Termination time; (3) Minimum speed; (4) Maximum speed; (5) Maximum interval of space to be maintained between the units of such parade; (6) What portion of the streets to be traversed may be occupied by such parade; and (7) The actual distance of such parade route in miles or fractions thereof. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1)

New Orleans City Code § 154-1663 Denial of permit.

Sec. 154-1663. - Denial of permit. If the superintendent of police finds that such written route clearance should not be issued, he shall mail notice of his action denying the written route clearance to the applicant, stating in general terms the reasons for the denial thereof. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(a)(9))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1664 Notice to city departments.

Sec. 154-1664. - Notice to city departments. Upon approval of a written route clearance, the superintendent of police shall be responsible for notifying the superintendent of fire and the directors of the departments of streets, utilities, health and any other departments of the city as the superintendent of police deems should be notified of the proposed parade as well as all public utilities to be affected by the proposed parade. (Code 1956, § 38-124.1(a)(10))

New Orleans City Code § 154-1665 Authority of police to conduct tests.

Sec. 154-1665. - Authority of police to conduct tests. (a) The driver of any vehicle participating in a parade shall be subject to random sobriety and drug testing by the police department. (b) The police department shall have the authority to conduct random sobriety and drug tests of the driver of any vehicle participating in a parade. If any driver fails to pass a sobriety and/or drug test, such driver shall be prohibited from driving any vehicle in the parade. (M.C.S., Ord. No. 17,390, § 1, 1-18-96)

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_CH154TRVE_ARTXVIPAFetched: 10/28/2026