A paint permit is required for all outside painting affecting the exterior (whether visible from the street or not) of any building situated on private property in the French Quarter. The area of the VCC’s jurisdiction is bounded by Iberville St., N. Rampart St., Esplanade Ave., and the Mississippi River. Before any exterior work can be undertaken on any property located within the Vieux Carré Historic District, the property owner, owner’s representative, lessee, architect or contractor must first make an application to the Vieux Carre Commission (VCC), specifying the anticipated work and the present and proposed use and/or treatment of the property before obtaining a permit from the Commission. Applications for permits fall into four categories: general work, painting, signage, and banners (temporary); and, based upon the nature of most work applications, it is expected that support materials, as specified in the VCC Design Guidelines, will be needed to fully explain whatever work is proposed.
Restrictions
Scanned materials provided by the applicant will be required in order to process an application. Without them, the application will be returned to the applicant until all required materials are submitted as well. VCC staff will NOT scan documents for any proposal or applicant. NO EXCEPTIONS.
This permit prohibits the application of the following exterior coating materials and paints and the use of rotary sanders:
- Sealers
- Ceramic coatings/paints
- Elastomeric coatings/paints
- Waterproofing/water repellent coatings
Fees
- VCC permit fees are incorporated into fees charged by Safety and Permits
Required Documents
All submittals for any proposal, or staff level denials of a proposal, to be reviewed by either the Architecture Committee or the VCC must be submitted digitally. Additionally, applicants are required to submit three copies of the physical documents.
A paint permit is not required for touch ups, but is required for large jobs or if you are setting up equipment that will block a sidewalk or other right of way. Please click here for the full explanation of a proper submission.
In addition to an accurately completed VCC Paint Application in OneStop, the following should be submitted:
- Photographs of the areas to be painted
- Paint chips of the proposed colors, including manufacturer, color name, color number and degree of gloss (flat, satin or semi-gloss)
- Documentation, if possible, of the existing colors, and whether the proposal is to match existing or apply new colors, which must be approved by the VCC.
Please note that due to the public review process and in order to provide the Commission with complete materials for a thorough understanding of any proposal, the staff will schedule the subject property application for a hearing only after all the necessary materials have been provided. ALL initial applications must be received by the VCC office two (2) weeks prior to the date of the meeting at which the proposal is to be considered.