In unincorporated Bossier Parish, the Police Jury’s building official is a contracted firm, Code Inspections Plus, 700 Benton Road, Suite B, Bossier City (318-562-3030, info@lacodes.com). Permits are applied for and paid online through MyGovernmentOnline (MGO), and inspections are booked through the same portal. A new house costs a $200 plan review fee, $525 for inspections and a permit fee of $0.11 per square foot. Bossier City and Haughton run their own permits, and IBTS handles all permits and inspections for the Town of Plain Dealing.
What needs a permit in Bossier Parish?
Chapter 19 of the parish code, updated by Ordinance 5104 on April 1, 2026, applies the 2021 International Codes in the unincorporated parish and lists the work that does not need a permit:
No permit needed
- One-story detached sheds, playhouses and similar buildings of 200 sq ft or less with no utilities
- Fences up to 6 ft high
- Retaining walls up to 4 ft that hold back no surcharge
- Sidewalks and driveways
- Painting, tiling, carpet, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work
- Prefabricated pools under 24 inches deep, and playground equipment
Permit types on the fee schedule
- New homes, modular homes, additions and remodels
- Moving or relocating a house
- Pools, decks and unenclosed porches
- Manufactured homes and portable buildings over 200 sq ft
- Detached garages, shops and sheds over 200 sq ft
- Roofing, electrical meter changes and other trade work
- Commercial new construction and remodels
Code Inspections Plus says a shop or shed of 200 sq ft or less needs no building permit only if it has no plumbing, electrical or HVAC; otherwise it takes a detached building permit with building, foundation and site plans. State law (R.S. 37:3738, re-enacted by Act 881 of 2026) separately bars a parish from enforcing the code on a detached residential accessory structure of 200 sq ft or less outside hurricane-prone regions with a design wind speed of 130 mph or more.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Bossier Parish?
The parish code creates a Bossier Parish Building Department headed by a building official appointed by the Police Jury for the parish outside its incorporated areas, and allows deputies and third-party providers to review plans, inspect and issue permits. The Police Jury has given that role to Code Inspections Plus, which handles permitting, plan review, inspections and floodplain management for the unincorporated parish and the Town of Benton. Very large projects (over $75 million in value, over 500,000 sq ft, or designated by the Police Jury) can be handed to a separate third-party provider at the owner’s cost under the 2026 ordinance.
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Code Inspections Plus (building official) | 700 Benton Road, Suite B, Bossier City, LA 71111; 318-562-3030; info@lacodes.com |
| Bossier Parish Police Jury | 204 Burt Blvd., Benton (P.O. Box 70, Benton, LA 71006); 318-965-2329 |
| Septic permits | Bossier Parish Health Unit, 318-741-7493 |
Bossier Parish has 131,867 residents (Census 2025 estimate). Inside its cities and towns:
| City or town | Building permits |
|---|---|
| Bossier City | City Permits and Inspections Division, 620 Benton Road (318-741-8571); it also permits structures outside the city limits that are on Bossier City water or sewer |
| Benton | Code Inspections Plus, through the same MGO application as the parish |
| Haughton | Town Permits and Inspections Division through MGO Connect, (318) 949-9401; contractors need an annual town registration |
| Plain Dealing | IBTS handles all of the town’s permits and inspections (318-747-2454); the town does not issue them itself. Town Hall 318-326-4234 |
| Shreveport (part) | City of Shreveport Division of Permits and Inspections, which oversees construction in the City of Shreveport |
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and roofing permits
Trade work in the unincorporated parish is permitted through the same MGO portal: choose a “Trade” permit and then the trade. Code Inspections Plus says that when SWEPCO asks for an inspection before reconnecting power, you need an electrical permit so it can inspect. Under Act 239 of 2025 (now R.S. 37:3737(I), re-enacted by Act 881 of 2026), a parish that issues construction permits must permit and inspect roof construction and reroofing. Residential trade permits are $100 for the inspection plus a $50 permit, as is a roofing inspection, and an electrical meter change is $50 plus $50. Commercial trade and roofing permits are $125 for the inspection plus a $100 permit.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →A manufactured home permit covers the inspection of the home and the electrical inspection needed to turn on power. Septic permits come from the Bossier Parish Health Unit (318-741-7493), not the building official.
Bossier Parish permit fees
Code Inspections Plus posts the Bossier Parish fee schedule (revised June 2021). The parish code says building permit fees are generally based on square footage under beam.
| Project | Plan review | Inspections | Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| New house | $200 | $525 | $0.11 per sq ft |
| New modular home | $100 | $175 | $100 |
| Addition or remodel | $200 | $300 | $100 |
| Moving or relocating a house | $100 | $225 | $50 |
| Swimming pool | $100 | $225 | $50 |
| Manufactured home | $0 | $225 | $100 |
| Portable building over 200 sq ft | $100 | $150 | $50 |
| Deck or porch, not enclosed | $100 | $200 | $50 |
| Detached accessory building over 200 sq ft | $100 | $225 | $50 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Other charges on the schedule: a flood review of $50 (residential) or $100 (commercial), a certified building official administration fee of $75 (residential) or $150 (commercial), $150 for a stop work order and $60 for storm water prevention. Commercial buildings pay $0.11 per sq ft plus plan review and inspection fees set by occupancy and size; a business or retail building of up to 3,000 sq ft, for example, is $260 for plan review and $500 for inspections. Commercial re-inspections cost $75, then $125, then $200.
Invoices are sent through MGO and can be paid by card online, or by check through the drop slot at the Code Inspections Plus office. If you give up a permit before construction starts, the parish code allows a refund of 50% of the permit and inspection fees, but not the plan review fee.
What to upload with the application
Most projects
- Site plan drawn to scale (for example, 1 inch = 10 ft) showing the new structure and its distances from property lines and other buildings
- Building and foundation plans
- Septic permit from the Health Unit where there is no sewer
- Affidavit for a homeowner acting as general contractor, where it applies
Special affidavits
- Boat house
- Separate dwelling on the property
- Storage structure
- Replacing a manufactured home with a site-built home
- Ordinance 54-91(8) verification
An application that is not pursued expires 180 days after filing, and a permit lapses if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days; the building official can grant written extensions of up to 180 days. Inside the Benton-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission’s area (the unincorporated parish within five miles of Benton), nearly every project, from fences and pools to a garage, needs a site plan reviewed for zoning before the permit, and larger commercial or multifamily projects need a full zoning compliance and site plan review; those plans and fees also go to Code Inspections Plus.
Rather not deal with the Bossier Parish building department?
Get a free quote →How to get a Bossier Parish building permit
Make sure the site is outside Bossier City, Haughton, Plain Dealing (IBTS) and Shreveport, and not on Bossier City water or sewer.
Within five miles of Benton, plan for the Benton-Parish MPC site plan review.
Where there is no sewer, apply to the Health Unit (318-741-7493).
Create an MGO Connect account, pick the permit type and upload the site plan, plans and any affidavit.
Pay the MGO invoice by card online, or by check at the Code Inspections Plus office.
Request each inspection on your permit in the portal; Code Inspections Plus assigns an inspector.
Bossier Parish inspections
Inspections are requested through your permit in the online portal, and Code Inspections Plus assigns an inspector once the request comes in. Under the parish code, work must stay accessible and may not be covered until the inspector approves it. Code Inspections Plus also carries out draw inspections and floodplain management for the parish.
For a manufactured home, the permit covers the inspection of the home and the electrical inspection that lets the power company connect it.
Local Bossier Parish details
Major industrial projects: under Ordinance 5104 (April 1, 2026), a project worth more than $75 million, covering more than 500,000 sq ft, or designated by Police Jury resolution can be inspected by a parish-approved third-party provider, with all inspection costs paid by the owner or general contractor. Related temporary workforce housing, RV parks and staging areas can be included.
Flood zones: the parish posts FEMA flood information through its Engineering Department, and the fee schedule adds a flood review fee to permits.
Zoning: the unincorporated parish within five miles of Benton is zoned by the Benton-Parish MPC; Bossier City and Haughton each have their own planning commission.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Louisiana building code
Every Louisiana parish and municipality enforces the state’s Uniform Construction Code (R.S. 37:3737), adopted by the Louisiana Uniform Construction Code Commission: the 2021 International Codes with Louisiana amendments, in force since 1 January 2023, and the 2020 National Electrical Code, with the 2024 codes taking effect on 1 January 2027. A local government may set more stringent requirements only with the Commission’s approval, and the State Fire Marshal reviews plans for fire and life safety on all but one- and two-family dwellings. How the LSUCC works
Official government filing resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- Bossier Parish: parish building permits
- Code Inspections Plus (parish building official)
- Code Inspections Plus forms, affidavits and fee schedule
- Bossier Parish fee schedule (Code Inspections Plus)
- Code Inspections Plus FAQs
- Bossier Parish code, Chapter 19 Building Codes and Permits
- Benton-Parish MPC zoning compliance and site plan review
- Bossier Parish FEMA and floodplain information
- Bossier City Permits and Inspections Division
- Town of Haughton permits
- MyGovernmentOnline permit application
- Louisiana Uniform Construction Code Commission: codes and standards
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Bossier Parish permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in unincorporated Bossier Parish?
Code Inspections Plus, the parish’s building official, at 700 Benton Road, Suite B, Bossier City (318-562-3030). Apply online through MGO.
How much is a Bossier Parish permit for a new house?
$200 for plan review, $525 for inspections and $0.11 per square foot for the permit, under the June 2021 schedule.
Do I need a permit for a shed?
Not for a detached shed of 200 sq ft or less with no plumbing, electrical or HVAC. Larger sheds and shops need a detached building permit.
My power company wants an inspection. What do I do?
Apply in MGO for a Trade permit, then Electrical, so Code Inspections Plus can inspect before power is reconnected.
Does the parish permit inside Bossier City?
No. Bossier City’s Permits and Inspections Division permits the city, and also structures outside the city on Bossier City water or sewer.
Can I get a refund if I cancel?
Before construction starts, you can surrender the permit for a refund of 50% of the permit and inspection fees; plan review fees are not refunded.
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More Louisiana permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Bossier Parish permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.