In unincorporated Winn Parish, the Police Jury issues the electrical/building permit at its office in Room 102 of the courthouse, 119 West Main Street, Winnfield (318-628-5824), and electricians and contractors can apply online through GOVmotus. Inspections are carried out by the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS), and no permit is issued until the 911 address, the fee, the property description and a flood zone determination are on file. The City of Winnfield permits its own limits.
What needs a permit in Winn Parish?
The parish code requires a permit from the parish building official to build, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building, change its occupancy, or install or change any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. The Police Jury’s permit packet sorts jobs into these groups:
Plan review + IBTS inspections
- New homes, modular homes and detached structures
- Commercial buildings and additions (State Fire Marshal approval too)
- Additions of more than 50% of the original floor area
Inspection only
- Mobile homes, including replacing one with another
- Electrical service to an existing building, RV or camper hookups, upgrades and temporary service
- Reconnecting a building whose utilities were off for 6 months or more, or whose meter was pulled
- Recreational camps (electrical inspection and a notarized camp affidavit)
State law (R.S. 37:3737(I), re-enacted by Act 881 of 2026) requires parishes that issue construction permits to permit and inspect roofing and re-roofing. Under R.S. 37:3738 the parish may not enforce the building code on a detached residential accessory structure of 200 sq ft or less unless it stands in a hurricane-prone region with a design wind speed of 130 mph or more.
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Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Winn Parish?
The Police Jury office in the courthouse takes the applications and issues the permits. Under the parish code its building official enforces the state construction code only in the unincorporated parish. Inspections are done by IBTS (the Institute for Building Technology and Safety, a third-party firm with a North Louisiana office in Bossier City, 318-747-2454). New buildings and large additions also need a certified building plan review, and the parish’s certified building official issues the Certificate of Occupancy.
| Place | Building permits |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated parish | Winn Parish Police Jury, 119 West Main Street, Room 102, Winnfield; 318-628-5824 |
| Winnfield (4,480) | City of Winnfield, City Hall, 120 East Main Street; 318-628-3939; permit forms on the city’s Licenses & Permits page |
| Dodson (337) | Published sources do not say; ask the village, 318-628-3775 |
| Calvin (267) | Published sources do not say; ask the village, 318-727-9276 |
| Atlanta (171) | Published sources do not say; ask the village, 318-628-6789 |
| Sikes (125) | Published sources do not say; ask the village, 318-628-2634 |
Populations are Census 2025 estimates; the parish has 14,961 residents. A small, unpopulated part of Tullos lies in Winn Parish; the town is mostly in LaSalle Parish.
Electrical, plumbing and gas work
The parish permit is a combined electrical/building permit. An electrical trade permit covers service to an existing structure, an RV or camper hookup, a service upgrade or temporary service, and each needs an IBTS inspection before the power company connects. Electricians and contractors can register and apply online through GOVmotus; owners apply at the counter.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Under the parish sewage ordinance, power companies may not connect a mobile home, or permanent service to any other building, until the health officer has issued the final sewage system permit, and temporary service needs the sewage work authorization first. Plumbing work must be done by a plumber licensed by the Louisiana State Plumbing Board, as the parish checklist notes.
Winn Parish permit fees
The Police Jury gives the permit fee by phone (318-628-5824) and accepts checks, money orders, cashier’s checks, and debit and credit cards. Plan review and IBTS inspection charges are separate from the parish fee.
Documents for a Winn Parish permit
Before the permit
- Recorded legal description from the Clerk of Court (Room 105, 318-628-3515)
- 911 address, new or existing (911 coordinator, 318-628-1534)
- Permit fee
- Flood zone determination, done for every application
- Sewer permit from the parish sanitarian, or a verification letter for an existing system
After the permit
- New homes and commercial work: certified building plan review and the name of the licensed contractor
- Commercial work: State Fire Marshal approval
- Mobile homes: Louisiana Manufactured Housing Commission installation sticker and, in XS, A, AE or V flood zones, a floor elevation certificate before the electrical inspection
- Camps: notarized affidavit that the property is a camp and not a primary residence
The application must give the owner and contractors with daytime phone numbers, the location, square footage, type of construction, intended occupancy and the trades involved, with a sworn statement that the work will meet the code. Once the permit is issued, report the new building to the Assessor in Room 101 so it is added to the tax roll.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a Winn Parish building permit
Winnfield and the villages are not covered by the parish building official.
Get the recorded description from the Clerk of Court and the address from the 911 coordinator.
Call the sanitarian at the Winn Parish Health Unit, 301 West Main Street (318-628-2148 ext. 214).
Apply in Room 102 or through GOVmotus; the flood zone review starts when the application is filed.
New construction goes to certified plan review, and IBTS inspects through construction.
The parish’s certified building official issues it; commercial buildings also need the State Fire Marshal’s certificate.
IBTS inspections in Winn Parish
Call the IBTS inspector at the number on the permit packet (318-205-2816) with the permit number and address. For a mobile home, call when the home is in place with wiring run from the service pole to the home and A/C disconnect in conduit, two ground rods 6 ft apart joined with #4 bare copper wire, the mechanical system installed, the plumbing and any gas piping connected and the address posted. The parish 911 ordinance requires numbers at least 3 in high on a red or black background, visible from the road.
IBTS warns that missing inspection requirements may lead to fines, and the parish packet warns that a home or building without its Certificate of Occupancy could have its utilities removed.
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Get a free quote →Local Winn Parish details
Flood maps: the parish flood ordinance adopts the FEMA flood insurance study and rate maps dated August 19, 2020. A development permit is required in special flood hazard areas, new and substantially improved homes must have the lowest floor at or above base flood elevation, and the Police Jury’s assistant secretary-treasurer is the floodplain administrator.
Septic: the parish sanitarian at the Winn Parish Health Unit, 301 West Main Street, keeps office hours on Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. (318-628-2148 ext. 214).
Winnfield: the city publishes electrical, mobile home and Atmos gas permit forms on its Licenses & Permits page and takes the forms at City Hall. City Hall is open Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Parish roads: work in a parish road right-of-way needs a separate Police Jury road permit, filed in Room 102 or by fax to 318-628-7336.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Winn Parish permitting resources
- Winn Parish Police Jury permits page
- Winn Parish electrical/building permit packet and checklist
- GOVmotus online permit applications (electricians and contractors)
- Winn Parish Code, chapter 8: building codes and permits
- Winn Parish Code, chapter 11: flood damage prevention
- Winn Parish Health Unit offices and sanitarian
- Winn Parish mayors and town phone numbers
- City of Winnfield licenses and permits
- Louisiana Department of Health onsite wastewater program
- Louisiana State Fire Marshal review codes and rules
- Louisiana contractor licensing threshold statute, R.S. 37:2150.1
- Louisiana code editions and state amendments, May 20, 2026
Winn Parish permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Winn Parish?
For unincorporated areas, the Winn Parish Police Jury in Room 102 of the courthouse, 119 West Main Street, Winnfield (318-628-5824). Inside Winnfield, the City of Winnfield issues permits.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much does a Winn Parish permit cost?
The Police Jury gives the fee by phone (318-628-5824). Plan review and IBTS inspections are charged separately.
Can I apply online?
Electricians and contractors can apply online through GOVmotus. Owners apply in person at the courthouse.
Who inspects construction in Winn Parish?
IBTS inspects for the parish, and the parish’s certified building official issues the Certificate of Occupancy.
Do I need a permit to reconnect power?
Yes, if the utilities have been off for 6 months or more or the meter was pulled: the building needs a permit and an inspection before service is restored.
Where do I get a septic permit?
From the Louisiana Department of Health sanitarian at the Winn Parish Health Unit, 301 West Main Street, Winnfield (318-628-2148 ext. 214).
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More Louisiana permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Winn Parish permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.