jaspector
§ LA East Baton Rouge Parish
City building permits

City of Baton Rouge

How to apply for a building permit in City of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.

Last verified
April 2026
On this page 6
§ 01

Permit authority

Permit and Inspection Division, Department of Development, City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge

Street address
300 N Tenth Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Phone
225-389-3205
Email
bpousson@brla.gov
Coverage
City-Parish permit office for Baton Rouge city permits and inspections; separate municipalities in East Baton Rouge Parish maintain their own permit functions.
Online portal
MyGovernmentOnline (MGO)
MyGovernmentOnline
Website
Department website
Additional resources
§ 02

When a permit is required

Permit triggers and exempt work for Baton Rouge

City-Parish ordinance requires a permit before constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, demolishing, or changing occupancy of a building or structure, or installing, enlarging, altering, repairing, removing, converting, or replacing regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing systems.

Note: No consolidated exempt-work list was clearly posted on the Baton Rouge permit page. Contact the Permit and Inspection Division to confirm whether a specific project is exempt before starting work.

Required documents
  • Application through MGO
  • Plans
  • Flood or elevation documents where applicable
  • Servitude and setback related documents where applicable
  • Trade permit information
  • Other discipline-specific forms listed on the official permit page
Building code
City-Parish ordinance 22-01525 adopts the latest editions of the IBC, IRC, IEBC, IPMC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, and NEC as adopted and amended by the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council.
Contractor requirements
State licensing applies through the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors; Baton Rouge also links to the state licensing board from the permit fee page.

Source: Permit and Inspection Division, Department of Development, City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge ↗

§ 03

Application process

Typical processing: Third-party plan review submittals receive approval or a deficiency report within 8 business days of submission per ordinance 22-01525.

  1. 01
    Confirm project scope and gather any required forms from the City-Parish Permits and Inspections page, including elevation and zoning related forms where applicable.
  2. 02
    Create or log into a MyGovernmentOnline account; the official Baton Rouge page links to MGO account and customer portal FAQs.
  3. 03
    Submit the permit application and upload required supporting documents through MGO. Some permits also require floodplain, sewer, drainage, or UDC review.
  4. 04
    Pay plan review and permit fees. The fee page states permit payments by credit card incur a 5 percent fee.
  5. 05
    Respond to plan review comments, if any. City-Parish ordinance 22-01525 states third-party plan review submittals receive either permit approval or a deficiency report within 8 business days of submission.
  6. 06
    Once the permit is issued, post or maintain permit records as required and schedule inspections through the permit process and MGO workflow before concealment or occupancy.

Typical processing time: Third-party plan review submittals receive approval or a deficiency report within 8 business days of submission per ordinance 22-01525.

Source: Permit and Inspection Division, Department of Development, City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge ↗

§ 04

Fee schedule

Baton Rouge building permit fees

Fee type
Amount
01
Minimum permit fee
Residential: $80 minimum for new buildings; $125 minimum for additions and renovations. Commercial: $100 minimum.
02
Plan check fee
Residential new building plan review is included in the $0.50 per square foot line item with an $80 minimum. Commercial plan review is $3 per thousand up to $500,000 valuation, then $1,500 plus $0.50 per thousand above $500,000, with a $100 minimum.
03
Permit fee formula
Residential new building permits are $0.50 per square foot. Residential additions and renovations use flat minimums. Commercial plan review and permits are valuation-based.

Credit card payments are charged a 5 percent fee; technology fee is $15 for all permits.

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.

§ 05

Required inspections

Scheduling and sequence

How to schedule

Source: Permit and Inspection Division, Department of Development, City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge ↗

§ 06

Frequently asked

Common questions about Baton Rouge permits

01 Do I need a building permit in Baton Rouge, LA? ▸
City-Parish ordinance requires a permit before constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, demolishing, or changing occupancy of a building or structure, or installing, enlarging, altering, repairing, removing, converting, or replacing regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing systems.
02 How much does a building permit cost in Baton Rouge, LA? ▸
Building permit fees in Baton Rouge, LA are set by the local building department and vary by project type and valuation. The minimum permit fee is Residential: $80 minimum for new buildings; $125 minimum for additions and renovations. Commercial: $100 minimum.. Fees are calculated as: Residential new building permits are $0.50 per square foot. Residential additions and renovations use flat minimums. Commercial plan review and permits are valuation-based.. Plan check fee: Residential new building plan review is included in the $0.50 per square foot line item with an $80 minimum. Commercial plan review is $3 per thousand up to $500,000 valuation, then $1,500 plus $0.50 per thousand above $500,000, with a $100 minimum..
03 How do I apply for a building permit in Baton Rouge, LA? ▸
To apply for a building permit in Baton Rouge, LA, follow these steps: 1. Confirm project scope and gather any required forms from the City-Parish Permits and Inspections page, including elevation and zoning related forms where applicable. 2. Create or log into a MyGovernmentOnline account; the official Baton Rouge page links to MGO account and customer portal FAQs. 3. Submit the permit application and upload required supporting documents through MGO. Some permits also require floodplain, sewer, drainage, or UDC review. 4. Pay plan review and permit fees. The fee page states permit payments by credit card incur a 5 percent fee. 5. Respond to plan review comments, if any. City-Parish ordinance 22-01525 states third-party plan review submittals receive either permit approval or a deficiency report within 8 business days of submission. 6. Once the permit is issued, post or maintain permit records as required and schedule inspections through the permit process and MGO workflow before concealment or occupancy.
04 How long does it take to get a building permit in Baton Rouge, LA? ▸
Building permit processing times in Baton Rouge, LA typically run Third-party plan review submittals receive approval or a deficiency report within 8 business days of submission per ordinance 22-01525.. Timelines can vary based on project complexity and current department workload.
05 How do I schedule a building inspection in Baton Rouge, LA? ▸
Once your permit is issued and work reaches an inspection milestone, you can schedule a building inspection in Baton Rouge, LA via: MGO portal, 225-389-3205.
last verified April 2026 source Permit and Inspection Division, Department of Development, City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge ↗ entry id permits/louisiana/east-baton-rouge/baton-rouge
Report a correction

Educational reference. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with Permit and Inspection Division, Department of Development, City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge before applying. Jaspector is not legal advice.

§   Adjacent

Other jurisdictions in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Same county, different permit office. Click for that jurisdiction's full guide.

All East Baton Rouge Parish jurisdictions →