Bolthole Index

Caddo Parish, Louisiana

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Shreveport, Louisiana

Shreveport, Louisiana requires building permits and approved plans for building construction and reconstruction.1 Shreveport has its own zoning districts; septic permitting is administered by the Louisiana Department of Health through the Caddo Parish Health Unit.23 For land outside city limits, use the Caddo Parish guide.4

At a glance

Building permits
Required for construction and reconstruction; painting and flooring are exempt1
Zoning
City zoning applies, including an R-A Rural Agricultural district2
Septic permits
Louisiana Department of Health, through the Caddo Parish Health Unit35
Building inspections
Required at foundation, framing, pre-finish and completion stages6
Owner-submitted plans
Owners may submit plans; a city owner-builder exemption is unconfirmed7
Driveway construction
City submission requires a site plan8

Who to call

Building permits

City of Shreveport Division of Permits & Inspections

Building and trade permits, plan review, inspection scheduling and online building-permit search

318-673-6100

505 Travis St. Government Plaza, Suite 130 Shreveport , LA 71101

Online permits →

Zoning

Shreveport-Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission, Planning Department

City zoning questions, development standards and rezoning applications

318.673.6480

505 Travis St Suite 440 Shreveport, LA 71101

Septic permits

Caddo Parish Health Unit, Louisiana Department of Health

Local health-unit contact for state onsite sewage permitting

(318) 676-5222

1035 Creswell Avenue Shreveport, LA 71101

Floodplain permits

City of Shreveport Permit Center, Floodplain Development

City floodplain construction and development-permit questions

(318) 673-6100

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Shreveport means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Shreveport, LA?

Shreveport requires approved building plans for construction and reconstruction, with building-permit requirements covering new buildings, additions, remodels, roofs, siding and accessory structures.1 Painting and flooring do not require building permits in Shreveport.1 A Shreveport driveway project requires a site plan as part of the city submission.8

Shreveport construction must conform to the adopted International Building, Existing Building and Residential codes and applicable local ordinances.9 Owners may submit building plans, but we could not confirm a city owner-builder exemption; ask Permits & Inspections about the contractor requirements for your project.7

Who issues Shreveport building permits, and how do you apply?

The City of Shreveport Division of Permits & Inspections processes building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits.10 Reach the Shreveport building office at 318-673-6100 or visit Government Plaza, Suite 130, using the address listed below.10

Shreveport uses My Government Online for building-permit applications, payments, inspection requests, file submissions and permit-status checks.7 The same portal offers building-permit searches and downloads of approved plans and inspection reports.10 A contractor, architect, engineer or owner may submit plans for review.7 Ask the division for a project-specific building-permit fee estimate before committing to a construction budget.

Does Shreveport have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Shreveport has city zoning, and the R-A Rural Agricultural district is intended to allow single-family residences within agricultural areas.2 The Shreveport-Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission is the planning contact for zoning questions and rezoning applications.11 Shreveport zoning restrictions govern building types, height, distance from the street and other development standards.11

We could not confirm the R-A and principal single-family districts’ minimum lot sizes, setbacks, lot coverage, building heights or minimum dwelling sizes; ask the MPC to identify the parcel’s district and the applicable dimensional standards.211 Before buying agricultural-looking land inside Shreveport, ask the MPC and Permits & Inspections whether the proposed home and outbuildings qualify under city zoning and building requirements.21

How do septic permits work inside Shreveport?

Septic permits inside Shreveport come through the Louisiana Department of Health’s parish-health-unit permitting system, with the Caddo Parish Health Unit as the local contact.3 Louisiana requires a state-health-officer permit before installing, altering or operating an individual sewerage system.5 Approval considers whether community sewer connection is feasible, along with soil, drainage and lot dimensions.5

Louisiana final approval requires installation verification through a health-officer representative’s inspection and/or a licensed installer’s certification.12 Caddo Parish’s countywide soil estimate rates only 13.6% of soils not limited for conventional septic drain fields; that is a reason for a site evaluation, not proof that septic is impossible on a Shreveport lot.13

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Shreveport?

We could not confirm whether Shreveport allows residential RV occupancy on a private lot or a tiny home as a residence; ask the MPC about the proposed use and Permits & Inspections about the structure before buying.21 Shreveport’s temporary-camping rules address city parks and Cross Lake, including a permit requirement for camps or tents in parks; those provisions do not establish permission to live in an RV on private land.14

Shreveport’s mobile-home and travel-trailer provisions require public water and sewerage connections for units used as places of business and utility piping systems in parks.15 Those business and park requirements leave the private residential-lot question unresolved.15

Building a home in Shreveport: what are the steps?

  1. Ask the MPC to identify the parcel’s city zoning and confirm that the planned residential use and building placement fit the applicable standards.211
  2. For a proposed septic system, contact the Caddo Parish Health Unit about state approval and sewer-connection feasibility before installation.35
  3. Submit building plans and the building-permit application through My Government Online; Shreveport requires plan approval for construction and reconstruction.71
  4. If the Shreveport site lies in a special flood hazard area, obtain the city development permit before construction or development begins.16
  5. Request building inspections before pouring foundation concrete, when framing is complete, before finish materials and at completion; trade inspections occur at similar stages.6

What should you check before buying land in Shreveport?

Ask the Shreveport Permit Center about floodplain requirements before committing to a building site; development in a special flood hazard area requires a development permit before work begins.16 Ask the MPC about parcel-specific zoning and ask Permits & Inspections about any driveway site-plan submission.118

Louisiana requires new water wells to be installed by a licensed drilling contractor and registered within 30 days after completion; domestic wells follow post-installation notification rather than the ordinary advance-notification procedure.17 We could not confirm additional Shreveport-specific well requirements or off-grid residential sanitation approval; ask the city building office and the Caddo Parish Health Unit before planning independent water and waste systems.103

Watch-outs

  • Owner-submitted plans in Shreveport do not establish a confirmed exemption from building permits or inspections; ask Permits & Inspections about owner-builder requirements.716
  • Shreveport’s residential certificate-of-occupancy requirement is unclear: the city describes commercial and home-business certificates but also publishes a residential rate, so ask the MPC which certificate your use needs.18
  • Shreveport city-park camping provisions do not settle RV living on a private residential lot; ask the MPC before relying on an RV during construction.1411

Sources

  1. Permits & Inspections (Shreveport), quoted and re-checked
  2. Unified Development Code § 4.2 Residential Districts (Shreveport), quoted and re-checked
  3. Onsite Wastewater Program (Shreveport), quoted and re-checked
  4. Your Guide to Permits & Inspections MPC (2026 county census)
  5. Louisiana Administrative Code Title 51, Part XIII, Public Health—Sanitary Code (Louisiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. Inspections (Shreveport), quoted and re-checked
  7. Permits & Inspections (Shreveport), quoted and re-checked
  8. Permits & Inspections (Shreveport), quoted and re-checked
  9. Building Codes (Shreveport), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Shreveport Division of Permits & Inspections (shreveportla.gov)
  11. Shreveport-Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission, Planning Department (shreveportcaddompc.com)
  12. Louisiana Administrative Code Title 51, Part XIII, Public Health—Sanitary Code (Louisiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  14. Code of Ordinances § 62-31 Erection of camps or buildings (Shreveport), quoted and re-checked
  15. Code of Ordinances § 54-4 Use restrictions (Shreveport), quoted and re-checked
  16. City of Shreveport Permit Center, Floodplain Development (shreveportla.gov)
  17. Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 43, Part VI, §701 (Louisiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Inspections (Shreveport), quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Shreveport

Shreveport’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction and reconstruction of buildings inside Shreveport city limits.

    • Building plans must be submitted and approved for all construction and reconstruction of buildings in Shreveport.
    • Painting and flooring do not require permits.
    • The city lists commercial tents, driveways, accessory structures, additions, demolitions, fences, generators, moves, new buildings, remodels, roofs, siding, and swimming pools among permit-related projects.
    “Building plans must be submitted and approved for all construction and reconstruction of buildings in Shreveport.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Shreveport city limits.

    • Construction must also comply with all local ordinances and regulations.
    • The city page states adoption by the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code.
    “Construction must conform to the 2021 International Building Code, the 2021 International Existing Building Code, 2021 International Residential Code”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Shreveport city limits.

    • Inspections are required at foundation formation before concrete, completed framing, before finish materials, and completion of work.
    • Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing inspections are required at similar stages.
    • The permit holder must notify the city to request inspections.
    “Inspections are required when foundations are formed before any concrete is poured, when the framing is complete, before any finish materials are installed”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Commercial businesses and home-based businesses inside Shreveport city limits.

    • A certificate is required for all commercial businesses when a new business opens, ownership changes, an existing business relocates, or its name changes.
    • A certificate is required for home-based businesses to verify compliance with UDC guidelines.
    • The inspections page states that the certificate is only required for commercial businesses; the city’s certificate page separately describes residential certificate rates.

    City Commercial certificate rate: 125 USD · City Residential certificate rate: 75 USD · Residential renewal period: 24 months

    “This certificate is required for all commercial businesses.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Shreveport city limits; the City’s Unified Development Code establishes residential and other zoning districts.

    “R-A Rural Agricultural Zoning District The intent of the R-A Rural Agricultural District is to permit single-family residences within agricultural areas.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Temporary camping inside Shreveport parks and around Cross Lake.

    • Temporary camps, tents, permanent buildings, and shelters in parks require a permit from the director or designee.
    • Camping on Cross Lake shores or within the city’s contour-line property is prohibited except in specified areas with proper sanitation facilities.
    “No person shall erect a temporary camp, tent, or permanent building, or maintain a shelter in any park, except pursuant to a permit.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Mobile homes and travel trailers used as places of business, and mobile-home/travel-trailer parks, inside Shreveport city limits.

    • A unit used as a place of business must connect to public water and sewerage and all other required utilities.
    • The chief building official may waive other chapter requirements.
    • Every mobile-home and travel-trailer park must contain water, sewerage, and gas piping systems.
    “Every mobile home and travel trailer park shall contain a water, sewerage and gas piping system”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveway construction or alteration inside Shreveport city limits.

    • The city lists a driveway among projects requiring a permit-related submission.
    • A site plan is required.
    “Driveway: site plan required Residential / commercial accessory structures: site plan required”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Published city certificate-of-occupancy fees and commercial plan-review fee surcharge inside Shreveport city limits.

    • The certificate page says to contact the Zoning Office for the most recent ordinance amendments.
    • The 25% surcharge applies to all commercial new/remodel plan reviews.

    City Commercial certificate of occupancy: 125 USD · City Residential certificate of occupancy: 75 USD · commercial new/remodel plan review surcharge: 25 percent

    “25% of the permit fee will be added for all commercial new / remodel plan reviews”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permit and inspection process inside Shreveport city limits.

    • Applications and plans are submitted through My Government Online.
    • The city provides plan review, permit issuance, inspection scheduling, online payments, file submission, inspection reports, approved plans, permit status, and permit-data access.
    • Plans may be submitted by a contractor, architect, engineer, or owner.
    “Citizens can utilize My Government Online to apply for permits, make online payments, request inspections, submit files, download inspection reports and approved plans”

Rules another office applies inside Shreveport

Shreveport does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicState (with conditions)

    Onsite sewage treatment inside Shreveport city limits, administered through the Louisiana Department of Health and the Caddo Parish Health Unit.

    • The LDH page states that parish-health-unit sanitarians operate the permitting system.
    • The Caddo Parish Health Unit is located at 1035 Creswell Avenue, Shreveport, Louisiana.
    “Sanitarians located in the health units of each parish serve to inform, advise, and operate a permitting system with regard to onsite sewage treatment.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Shreveport or Caddo Parish directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Shreveport city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the R-A and single-family residential districts inside Shreveport city limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in the R-A and principal single-family residential districts inside Shreveport city limits.
  • Setbacks — Setbacks in the R-A and principal single-family residential districts inside Shreveport city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage in the R-A and principal single-family residential districts inside Shreveport city limits.
7 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Tiny homes
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Shreveport publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Caddo Parish’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Caddo Parish: county rules, score and offices