Frost Line Depth in New Orleans, LA: Frost Rarely Reaches the Ground

No official local value

Frost rarely reaches the ground in New Orleans.

No verified code nearby. The only verified Louisiana code we read, Jefferson Parish’s, uses 12 in.

Footings still go at least 12 in (30 cm) below undisturbed ground (IRC R403.1.4).

Source and how we checked

We searched this place’s own code and website and found no published frost line depth.

Climate: 2 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, New Orleans Lakefront Airport, 5.7 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Footings Deck Water line Fence post

12 inJefferson Parish, the only verified Louisiana code
2nights a year at or below 32 °F
100%of nearby soil rated “none” for frost action (USDA)

Does New Orleans have an official frost line depth?

No adopted frost line depth found for New Orleans in its official documents (checked Oct 2026). No verified code lies near New Orleans; the only Louisiana code we verified, Jefferson Parish’s, uses 12 in. Ask the building department for New Orleans’s own number before you dig.

What frost line depth does New Orleans use for footings under Table R301.2(1)?

Call 811 at least a few working days before you dig, so buried lines are marked.
Confirm the frost line depth with the New Orleans building department.
Ask whether your project needs a permit (decks, larger sheds and footings usually do).
Dig below 12 in (the deepest verified state value) unless the building department tells you otherwise.
Book the footing inspection before you pour concrete.

How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in New Orleans?

Drawn with the deepest Louisiana official value (12 in). Confirm New Orleans’s own depth before you dig.

House or garage footing Deck footing Water service line Fence post

House or garage footing in New Orleans: dig at least 12 in (30 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Minimum depths in New Orleans with a 12 in frost line
Project	Depth	Rule
House or garage footing	12 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)	12 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line	18 in	6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom	12 in	No code rule; common practice is below the frost line

Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.

How cold does it get in New Orleans?

New Orleans never averages a low below freezing. 2 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 46.9 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, New Orleans Lakefront Airport station, 5.7 mi away, elevation 9 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table

°F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low	46.9	50.8	56.8	63.4	70.9	76.4	78.2	78.6	75.6	66.6	56.3	49.5
High	61	65.3	71.4	77.7	84.6	89.3	90.6	90.8	87.2	79.2	69.8	63.4

New Orleans has fewer freezing nights than 32 of the 33 other Louisiana places we track. The Louisiana median is 18. Coldest: Lincoln Parish; mildest: New Orleans.

How likely is the soil in New Orleans to heave?

None 100%

USDA rates the sampled soil around New Orleans as 100% none for frost action (main soils: Allemands, Schriever, Harahan).

USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.

New Orleans at a glance

Frost line depth: No official local value
County: Orleans Parish
Population (2023 est.): 364,136
Mean annual temperature: 70.9 °F
ZIP codes (20): 70112 · 70113 · 70114 · 70115 · 70116 · 70117 · 70118 · 70119 · 70122 · 70124 · 70125 · 70126 · 70127 · 70128 · 70129 · 70130 · 70131 · 70139 · 70148 · 70163