Gretna, Louisiana Building Permit Guide

Inside Gretna city limits, the City’s Building Department issues building, electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical permits and does the inspections; you apply and pay through MGO Connect, choosing City of Gretna as the jurisdiction, or get help at 504-363-1563. A new house of 1,501 to 2,500 sq ft pays a $300 building permit fee plus a consolidated trade filing fee, and exterior work in the two historic districts first needs a Certificate of Appropriateness.

What needs a permit in Gretna?

The City requires a permit before you construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building, and for replacing soffit or fascia on Type V unprotected construction. The City’s list includes:

The Building Official can still require a permit for exempt work that involves hazardous or complex conditions. Sidewalks, driveway aprons and curb cuts on public right-of-way need a consultation with Public Works and Planning and Zoning. The City’s code still waives permits for residential roof resurfacing and residential lightweight siding (section 10-7), but state law (R.S. 37:3737(I), as re-enacted by Act 881 of 2026) now requires cities that issue permits to permit and inspect roof construction and reroofing, so ask the Building Department before a roof job. State law (R.S. 37:3738) bars a municipality of 45,000 people or fewer from enforcing the building code on a detached residential accessory structure with a footprint of 200 sq ft or less, unless the site is in a hurricane-prone region with a design wind speed of 130 mph or more, so ask the Building Department how its shed rule applies to your lot.

Who issues building permits in Gretna?

The Building Department handles all permitting and inspections under the state building code and Gretna’s own building rules, and it also helps administer the historic districts and the City’s site plan review. Danika Gorrondona is the Building Official and also the City’s Floodplain Manager. Land outside the city limits is permitted by Jefferson Parish (see our Jefferson Parish guide).

Filing through MGO Connect

Most of the Building Department’s permit and inspection requests start in MGO Connect. Create a username and password, then select City of Gretna as the jurisdiction; all fees are paid in the portal. The department keeps a kiosk for residents without internet access, and if you cannot pay online, tell staff you will pay at the City Cashier.

Every building trade professional except the general contractor must hold a City of Gretna licence. The City’s electrical and mechanical licence application charges $75 per licence type for the first certificate and $25 per type to renew, due each January 1. Contractor licences can be checked in the MGO portal.

Gretna permit fees

Fees are set in Article II of Chapter 10 of the Gretna Code of Ordinances, adopted by Ordinance 3687 in 2008 and unchanged in the code as updated through April 2026. A new one- or two-family dwelling is charged by the total area of new construction under beams, and the trade filing fees for its electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing work are paid with the building permit as one consolidated fee.

The code lists lower amounts in a separate column headed “Total Electric”, and doubles the consolidated fees for a two-family dwelling. For a new 2,000 sq ft house with all four trades, the building permit is $300 and the consolidated trade fee $620, a total of $920; no plan review fee applies to one- and two-family dwellings. For other construction the code values work per square foot by occupancy and construction type, or the Building Official can use the actual contract price.

Starting work before the permit is issued adds a violation fee of either 150% of the permit fee or the permit fee plus $300, whichever is less.

Electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical filings

Each trade files its own application for inspection with the matching section of the department, and every trade application carries a $15 non-refundable fee. On a new home, the work must be done by City-licensed subcontractors, and inspections are scheduled only when a properly licensed subcontractor asks for them.

• Electrical: $0.30 per ampere for a new or increased service and $3 for each new circuit.
• Plumbing: $50 for up to five fixtures and $10 for each additional fixture; a sewer line up to 100 feet is $50.
• Mechanical: from $30 for 1 to 5 horsepower of air conditioning or refrigeration.
• Same-day trade inspection (Code section 10-39): $50, if the Building Official agrees, requested at least 3 hours ahead.

What a new home application needs

The Planning and City Development fact sheet for new homes asks for:

• Stamped drawings
• A signed contract or invoice showing the estimated cost
• A current survey; a project on more than one lot may need a re-subdivision
• A site plan with labelled setbacks, roof height and pitch, parking for 2 cars, hardscape and green space calculations and the location of mechanical equipment
• On the site plan, the statement: “Post development grading and run-off conditions will not have an adverse impact on neighboring properties.”

The zoning rules on the same sheet include a front setback of at least 20 feet (or the block average), a 15-foot rear and 5-foot interior side setback, a 35-foot maximum roof height, at least half the front yard kept as green space, and no more than 2 accessory buildings covering up to 40% of the rear yard. A fence application needs a site plan, the signed fence affidavit and, in a historic district, a picture of the fence type.

How to get a Gretna building permit

Inspections

The building permit placard must be posted on site before work starts. For every new building, a certified form elevation certificate and a certified site plan of the forms showing all building setbacks must reach the Building Department before the slab inspection is scheduled, and no foundation inspection is done until the Building Official certifies the elevation and setbacks. Within 21 days of pouring the concrete, a certified slab elevation certificate is due.

The code’s designated inspection hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Inspections outside those hours cost extra and are booked only after the fee is paid.

Local Gretna details

Historic districts: all exterior work visible from public right-of-way in Mechanickham/Old Gretna and McDonoghville needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic District Commission as well as the building permit. The commission usually meets in the Council Chambers on the Monday of the week before the monthly City Council meeting, and a complete application must reach the Building Department by close of business on the Monday of the week before. Decisions can be appealed to the City Council through the City Clerk.

Flood elevation: since Ordinance 4991 of September 2023, the Unified Development Code sets the lowest floor of a new home in flood zone AE at the higher of the base flood elevation plus 1 foot or 36 inches above the centerline of the street. In zone X, including areas protected by levee, a new home’s lowest floor must be 36 inches above the street centerline. Substantially improved homes in zone AE must reach the base flood elevation plus 1 foot. Elevation certificates the City holds can be viewed online from its Flood Mitigation page.

Fences: all new and replacement fences need a permit, and residential fence permits are free. Side and rear fences can be up to 8 feet (6 feet for street-facing fences on a corner lot, unless the Director of Development approves more), front-yard fences are allowed only in Old Gretna, McDonoghville and Jonestown and are limited to 4 feet, and chain link may not be visible from the street.

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 Gretna permit resources

• City of Gretna Building Department: permits, MGO Connect and trade licensing
• MGO Connect permit portal (select City of Gretna)
• Gretna Code, Chapter 10, Article II: permit fees and inspection fees
• Gretna new home construction fact sheet (February 2025)
• Gretna fence permit fact sheet
• Gretna electrical and mechanical licence application
• Gretna Historic District Commission and Certificate of Appropriateness
• Gretna Planning and City Development
• Gretna Unified Development Code, amended October 8, 2025
• Gretna flood mitigation and elevation certificates
• Act 881 of 2026 (HB 1186), including R.S. 37:3738 on small accessory structures

Gretna permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Gretna, Louisiana?

The City of Gretna Building Department at City Hall, 740 2nd Street (504-363-1563). Applications are filed in MGO Connect under the City of Gretna jurisdiction.

How much is a building permit for a new house in Gretna?

$250 up to 1,500 sq ft, $300 up to 2,500 sq ft, $400 up to 3,500 sq ft and $500 up to 4,500 sq ft, plus the consolidated trade filing fee ($620 for a 2,000 sq ft home with all four trades).

Do I need a permit for a fence or shed in Gretna?

The City requires permits for all new and replacement fences (free for homes) and for storage sheds and carports of any size. State law limits enforcement of the building code on small detached sheds of 200 sq ft or less outside 130 mph wind regions, so ask the Building Department how the rule applies.

Can a homeowner do electrical or plumbing work?

Electrical and plumbing work, including fixtures, outlets and water heaters, must be filed by a City of Gretna licensed electrician or plumber.

Do I need historic district approval?

Yes, for any exterior change visible from public right-of-way in Old Gretna or McDonoghville; the Certificate of Appropriateness comes before the building permit work.

How high must a new house be built?

In zone AE, at the higher of the base flood elevation plus 1 foot or 36 inches above the street centerline; in zone X, 36 inches above the street centerline.

Can I pay without using the portal?

Yes. Tell Building Department staff and pay at the City Cashier; a kiosk is available in the department for people without internet access.

Simplify Gretna permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Louisiana. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Gretna permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.