Vernon Parish, Louisiana Building Permit Guide

The Vernon Parish Police Jury requires a building permit for all new construction in the parish, and the permit comes from its local permit office at 512 S. 3rd Street, Leesville, run by Building Inspection Group (337-404-4081, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Before that office will issue it, you need a 911 permit and a sewer permit, and electricity is not turned on until all three permits are in place. Leesville and Rosepine handle permits inside their own limits, and the small part of DeRidder in Vernon Parish follows DeRidder’s route through the planning commission office in DeRidder.

What needs a permit in Vernon Parish?

The Police Jury’s permit page says every new building in the parish needs a building permit. The parish code’s building chapter, adopted in 2014, requires a fee for each building, electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing permit, on a schedule approved by the Police Jury, without setting the amounts, and requires the permit to stay posted where it can be seen from the road until the job is finished.

Two state laws also apply. R.S. 37:3737(I), re-enacted by Act 881 of 2026, requires parishes that issue construction permits to permit and inspect roofing. R.S. 37:3738 bars a parish from enforcing the construction code on a detached residential accessory structure of 200 sq ft or less unless it is in a hurricane-prone region with a design wind speed of 130 mph or more.

Who issues building permits in Vernon Parish?

The Police Jury (300 S. 3rd Street, Leesville; 337-238-0324) sets the rules, and its building permit page sends applicants to the Building Inspection Group office at 512 S. 3rd Street, which issues the permit and is where the parish’s local inspector works. The parish code itself, written in 2014, still names MHI Construction Services’ code compliance office as the building department and says permit fees follow that provider’s schedule as approved by the Police Jury, so the code has not caught up with the current office.

The parish has an estimated 45,091 residents (Census 2025).

Vernon Parish permit fees

The Police Jury publishes no current fee amounts: the “Permit Fee Schedule” link on its website points to a 2021 document that no longer loads. Call the permit office (337-404-4081) for the fee on your project. What the published rules do say:

• The building permit and the 911 permit both carry a fee.
• The 911 office takes money orders and debit or credit cards only, not cash or personal checks.
• Under the parish code, the fees must be paid before a building permit application is accepted.
• Starting work before the permit is issued doubles the permit fees.

The three permits and what to bring

The Manual J heating and cooling load calculation has been required for houses since January 1, 2015.

How to get a Vernon Parish building permit

Flood and road rules in Vernon Parish

Floodplain: the parish flood damage prevention chapter sends floodplain development permits and building permits in flood areas to the floodplain administrator, who is the Parish Road Manager at the Public Works Department, 602 Alexandria Highway, Leesville (337-239-9933). Public Works is open Monday to Thursday, 6:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and closed on Fridays.

Culverts and roads: Public Works maintains and repairs parish roads and has a culvert contact, so ask that office about a driveway culvert on a parish road.

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 Vernon Parish permit resources

• Vernon Parish Police Jury building permits: the three permits
• Vernon Parish Public Works and floodplain administrator
• Vernon Parish Code of Ordinances
• City of Leesville permits and applications
• City of DeRidder permits
• Act 881 of 2026 (HB 1186): R.S. 37:3737 and 37:3738
• Louisiana Uniform Construction Code Council

Vernon Parish permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Vernon Parish?

The Police Jury’s permit office run by Building Inspection Group at 512 S. 3rd Street, Leesville (337-404-4081). Leesville and Rosepine handle permits in their own limits, the Vernon Parish part of DeRidder goes through DeRidder’s planning commission office, and in the other towns you should ask the town hall first.

What permits do I need before the power is turned on?

Three: a 911 permit, a sewer permit from the Health Unit and the building permit.

How much is a building permit in Vernon Parish?

The Police Jury does not publish a current fee list. Call the permit office for your project; work started without a permit pays double.

What do I need to bring for a new house?

The 911 and sewer permits, a legal description from the Tax Assessor, 2 sets of house plans and a Manual J calculation.

How do I pay for the 911 permit?

By money order or debit or credit card; the 911 office does not take cash or personal checks.

Simplify Vernon Parish 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 Vernon Parish permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.