Frequently Asked Questions

What defines a property as being a rental property?

  • Rental property includes single-family dwellings, duplexes, apartments, town homes and condominiums that are leased, rented, or occupied by a person or persons other than the owner. This includes all short-term rentals as well. 

Who is responsible for registering the property?

  • The property owner, registered agent, or management company is responsible for completing the registration process.

What are the carbon monoxide and smoke detector/alarm requirements?

  • The Healthy Homes ordinance requires that all rental dwelling units have a properly installed and maintained smoke detector and alarm.
  • A carbon monoxide detector and alarm is also required for all single-family and two-family buildings in accordance with State Law — no exceptions. This laws were passed follwing an increase in carbon monoxide-related deaths from improper portable electrical generator use.
  • For multi-family buildings of three dwellings and above, the International Fire Code as adopted by the City of New Orleans governs. This creates an exepmtion for carbon monoxide detection within buildings that use electric appliances and do not contain fuel-burning elements that would generate Carbon Monoxide gas. Accordingly, you may submit this supplement to the application, if your property meets these specific exemptions.
  • Regarding the proper installation of Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarms, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal has provided guidance on where the alarms should be located in the dwelling unit, which can be referenced on their website. The link is available here.

I have a Certificate of Compliance for my property but some of the information on the Certificate has changed. What do I do?

  • Please contact us. You will have 30 days to notify us of any material change to an application. A material change may include the contact information of the owner or operator (property manager), or if any previously unrented unit on the property becomes a rental unit. An additional application will be rejected, unless the application is a renewal or the property has changed ownership.

I’ve just acquired a rental property that is registered and has a current Certificate of Compliance. Do I need to re-register?

  • Yes. A Certificate of Compliance is issued to the owner of a property and is not transferrable. The certificate is void on the transfer date. You will have 90 days from the transfer date to submit an application under new ownership.

Do I have to register if my rental property is not occupied?

  • Yes. On the application, you may indicate that a dwelling unit is not listed for rent.

Does each rental unit need its own application?

  • That depends. Rental units on the same lot of record must be submitted on a single application. Rental units on separate lots of record must be submitted on separate applications.

What is a lot of record?

  • A “lot of record” is a portion of land with fixed boundaries, sometimes known as a parcel. Generally, there is one tax bill number associated with a lot of record.  Each lot of record in New Orleans appears on our city’s Property Viewer website (property.nola.gov).

    When selected in Property Viewer, the lot of record will be highlighted in blue and have a thick blue border. See below for an example. 

I own condominium units. How many dwelling and rental units should I put on the application?

  • When filling out the application, you should put the total number of dwelling and rental units that you own on a single lot of record. Please indicate that you are registering condominiums in the description section of the application. 
    • For example, if you own 3 condominium units in a 10-unit building, and if they are all rentals, you should put “3” dwelling units and “3” rental units. In the description, indicate that the application is for "3 condominium units in a 10-unit building."

What if I rent out rooms in my house to roommates or students?

  • If you have a verbal or oral rental agreement, and receive any form of compensation, you need to register your home as a rental.  

What should my site plan look like?

  • Site plans are a picture of the property itself showing the general footprint of the building(s), where each residence is located within the property, the entry for each unit, and the street on which the building is sited. Drawings printed from the assessor’s page alone are not sufficient — if they are submitted, they must be labeled with street names, each unit, and each unit entrance. 

I am having difficulty using the OneStopApp. What should I do?

  • A full FAQ guide for using the OneStopApp can be found Here.
  • For additional technical assistance, email onestopapp@nola.gov.

Do I need another inspection if I had one by Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) ?

  • Landlords are responsible to perform their own inspections or walk-thru of the property to confirm compliance with minimum standards which includes a walk-thru with the tenant, walk-thru with HANO inspector or in the ordinary course of maintenance.

I already registered. Where can I find my Certificate of Compliance?

  • Certificates are available by searching for the property address or application reference code on OneStop. To view your certificate(s), open the Healthy Homes license and then navigate to the "Documents" tab. If the Certificate has been issued, you may download it as a PDF. 

Is there a fee charged for registration?

  • There is NOT a fee for timely registration. As the registration deadline has now passed, unregistered units will incur a late fee. New owners have 90 days from the date of sale to obtain a Certificate of Compliance.

Can someone help with submitting my application?

  • Yes. You may visit the office located at 1340 Poydras St, Suite 800 Monday – Friday 8AM-5PM for assistance.

Is there a paper version of the application?

  • A paper application is available to be completed in-person only at the Department of Safety and Permits. Our office is located at 1340 Poydras St, Suite 800 Monday – Friday 9AM-5PM. You must complete the application in-person.

Who can I talk to if my landlord is trying to evict me or if I need legal help?

  • Resources can be found by contacting the following agencies:
    • Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Client Services - SLLS  (504) 529-1000
    • Louisiana State Bar Association Find Legal Help (lsba.org) (504) 566-1600

How can tenants report violations?