Certificate of Occupancy — City of New Orleans
A New Orleans Certificate of Occupancy certifies the space is approved for the restaurant use under zoning and building codes.
What it is. The Certificate of Occupancy / certificate of use and occupancy certifying that the space conforms with the zoning ordinance and building codes for the restaurant use. A change of use (e.g., to a restaurant) requires the appropriate occupancy approval.
Who issues it. City of New Orleans — Department of Safety and Permits (City-parish layer).
When you need it. Before legally occupying the space for the restaurant use.
How to apply. Apply through Safety and Permits (One Stop App); complete permitted work and pass inspections.
Fees. Per the Safety and Permits schedule — see source (⟢ VERIFY).
What SpoonSeal tracks. The document(s) you upload for this requirement, with automatic renewal/expiration tracking (Current, Due Soon, Expired). Where the city publishes health-inspection results (e.g., NYC and Chicago), SpoonSeal syncs them automatically; elsewhere they can be added manually.
References
- City of New Orleans — Safety and Permits: Services — https://nola.gov/next/safety-and-permits/services/ — Official source last checked: 2026-07-02
Stay ahead of this requirement
SpoonSeal stores your documents, tracks expirations, and reminds you before anything lapses — so you are always inspection-ready.
Get started free →This guide is informational and not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with the official agency linked above.