Bolthole Index

LaSalle Parish, Louisiana

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Town of Jena, Louisiana

Town of Jena, Louisiana requires a building permit for construction, remodeling, additions and moving a manufactured home or other structure inside town limits.1 Jena Town Hall handles building-permit applications and preliminary flood-zone, zoning and sewer approvals; the town provides public water and sewer, while individual septic systems require state health approval.234 We could not confirm a town zoning ordinance; ask Town Hall about the proposed use and parcel.5

At a glance

Building permit
Required for construction, remodeling, additions and moving structures inside town limits1
Plan review
$200 when the completed application and drawings are returned; other building-permit and inspection fees follow approval6
Zoning
Town zoning ordinance and dimensional rules unconfirmed; ask Town Hall5
Sewer and septic
Town water and sewer connections through Town Hall; individual sewerage systems require state health approval37
RV and tiny-home living
Occupancy permission unconfirmed; ask Town Hall before planning to live on the lot5
Owner-builder
State personal-residence licensing exemption is conditional and requires an exemption affidavit for the building permit8
Inspections
Request 24 hours ahead; final approvals precede the certificate of occupancy910

Who to call

Building permits

Jena Town Hall — Town Clerk

Building-permit applications and questions about prior flood-zone, zoning and sewer approvals inside Jena town limits.

(318) 992-2148

2908 E Oak St, Jena, LA 71342

Also useful

Jena Town Hall — Utilities

Public water and sewer service questions, including connection costs.

(318) 992-2148

2908 E Oak St, Jena, LA 71342

Septic permits

LaSalle Parish Health Unit

Environmental health contact for questions about state onsite wastewater approval.

318.992.4842

1673 N. Second St., Jena, LA 71342

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 Town of Jena means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Town of Jena, LA?

Jena requires a building permit for any construction, additions or remodeling inside town limits, including moving a manufactured home or another structure onto the property.1 The Town Clerk is the starting point for the application; Town Hall also identifies prior flood-zone, zoning and sewer approvals before construction begins.2 Jena excludes farm structures from its adoption of the state construction code, but that exclusion does not establish an exemption from every town approval.11 Ask Town Hall how the proposed farm building will be classified before relying on that exclusion.5

Who handles building permits in Town of Jena, and what do they cost?

Contact the Jena Town Clerk at (318) 992-2148 or visit Town Hall at 2908 E Oak St, Jena, LA 71342 for building-permit applications.5 Jena requires a $200 plan-review payment when the completed application and construction drawings are returned.6 Building-permit and inspection fees are due when the approved permit is ready for pickup; the full fee schedule remains unconfirmed, so request a project-specific total from Town Hall.6 Louisiana offers a conditional contractor-licensing exemption for owners building their personal residence, with an exemption affidavit required to obtain the building permit and health and life-safety requirements still applicable.8

Does Town of Jena have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

We could not confirm a general Jena zoning ordinance, zoning map, minimum lot size, setbacks or minimum dwelling size; ask Town Hall to identify the rules for the exact parcel and proposed home.5 Jena’s residential application process specifically directs applicants to Town Hall for possible zoning requirements before construction.2 We also could not confirm permission for RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy or an accessory dwelling on a private lot; bring each proposed use to Town Hall before buying or moving a unit.5 Moving a manufactured home or another structure onto property inside Jena town limits requires a building permit.1

How do sewer connections and septic permits work in Town of Jena?

Jena provides public water and sewer service inside town limits, and owners seeking a connection must contact Town Hall for tap fees, deposits and the utility superintendent’s connection requirements.3 Public sewer connection requires prior town-council approval, and the owner pays approved materials and labor for service lines across private property to the public right-of-way.3 Louisiana requires state health approval before installing, altering or operating an individual sewerage system.7 Individual sanitation is allowed only where community sewer is unavailable or connection is not feasible, so establish the town sewer option before planning an off-grid wastewater system.12 Contact the LaSalle Parish Health Unit for environmental health questions about the proposed onsite system.13

Building a home in Town of Jena: what are the steps?

  1. Visit Jena Town Hall to determine prior flood-zone, zoning and sewer approvals for the proposed construction.2
  2. Return the completed building-permit application with a set of construction drawings and the $200 plan-review fee.26
  3. Let the code official and inspectors review the application and drawings, then pick up the approved permit and pay building-permit and inspection fees before starting construction.2
  4. Request inspections at least 24 hours ahead and wait for approval before proceeding to the next construction phase.9
  5. Obtain the certificate of occupancy after all final inspections have been approved.10

What should you check before buying land in Town of Jena?

For land outside Jena town limits, use the LaSalle Parish guide rather than Jena’s town building-permit procedure, which applies inside town limits.1 For a Jena parcel, ask Town Hall about flood-zone approval, the proposed use and sewer approval before committing to a house design.2 We could not confirm a town driveway or curb-cut approval rule; ask Town Hall who reviews access for the parcel’s street.5 If proposing a private well, Louisiana requires a licensed water-well drilling contractor and registration within 30 days after completion; domestic wells follow post-installation notification rules rather than the ordinary 60-day advance notification requirement.14 Confirm the public-water connection option with Jena Town Hall as well.3

Watch-outs

  • Jena’s published building-permit instructions refer to the 2006 residential code; ask Town Hall which code edition and drawing requirements apply to a new application.2
  • A Jena building permit does not replace state approval for an individual sewerage system.17
  • We could not confirm RV or tiny-home occupancy permission in Jena; ask Town Hall about the intended use before moving onto the lot.5

Sources

  1. Building Permit - Town of Jena, Louisiana (Town of Jena), quoted and re-checked
  2. Building Permit - Town of Jena, Louisiana (Town of Jena), quoted and re-checked
  3. Departments - Town of Jena, Louisiana (Town of Jena), quoted and re-checked
  4. Louisiana Administrative Code Title 51, Part XIII, Public Health—Sanitary Code (Louisiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Jena Town Hall — Town Clerk (townofjena.com)
  6. Building Permit - Town of Jena, Louisiana (Town of Jena), quoted and re-checked
  7. Louisiana Administrative Code Title 51, Part XIII, Public Health—Sanitary Code (Louisiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Louisiana Revised Statutes § 37:2157 — Exemptions (Louisiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Building Permit - Town of Jena, Louisiana (Town of Jena), quoted and re-checked
  10. Building Permit - Town of Jena, Louisiana (Town of Jena), quoted and re-checked
  11. Sec. 8-19. Uniform Construction Code adopted (Town of Jena), quoted and re-checked
  12. Louisiana Administrative Code Title 51, Part XIII, Public Health—Sanitary Code (Louisiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. LaSalle Parish Health Unit (ldh.la.gov)
  14. Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 43, Part VI, §701 (Louisiana statewide rule), 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 Town of Jena

Town of Jena’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Any construction, manufactured-home or structure move, addition, or remodeling inside Jena town limits.

    • Permits are obtained by contacting the Town Clerk, Cory Floyd.
    • The page directs applicants to Town Hall for prior approvals such as flood-zone, zoning, and sewer approval.
    “Building permits are required and may be obtained by contacting the Town Clerk, Cory Floyd. Anyone inside the town limits who is planning any type of construction, moving a manufactured home or any other structure on their property, adding on or remodeling, needs to obtain a permit.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted residential construction inside Jena town limits.

    • Inspection requests must be made 24 hours in advance.
    • Requests may be phoned or faxed.
    • The inspector leaves an inspection notice and sticker after each inspection.
    • Construction may proceed to the next phase after approval.

    advance inspection request: >= 24 hours

    “Please request inspections 24 hours in advance. Inspection requests can either be phoned or faxed into the office. At each inspection, the inspector will leave an inspection notice and sticker notifying you of the result of the inspection. Once an inspection has been approved, you may move onto the next phase.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Permitted residential construction inside Jena town limits after final inspections.

    • All final inspections must be approved before issuance.
    • The certificate is signed and sent by the building official.
    “When all final inspections have been approved, a certificate of occupancy will be signed and sent to you from the building official.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Connections to Jena's public water and sewer systems inside the town limits.

    • The town services water and sewer inside the city limits.
    • A property owner seeking connection must contact Town Hall.
    • Town Hall advises on tap fees and deposits.
    • The utility superintendent provides procedure and material requirements.
    • Public sewer connection requires prior town-council approval.
    • The owner pays approved materials and labor for service lines across private property to the public right-of-way.
    “Any property owner that desires to connect said property to public sewer, water or gas system shall contact Town Hall, who will advise them of tap fees and deposits. An appointment will be scheduled with the utility superintendent who will notify owner of the proper procedure and material requirements for connection to the utility system. (b) It shall be the owner's responsibility to pay costs of approved materials and labor for installation of service lines, by qualified persons, across private property to the public right-of-way.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Farm structures inside Jena town limits.

    • Farm structures are excluded from the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code adoption in Sec. 8-19.
    • The opened material does not establish whether other town, state, floodplain, utility, or health requirements apply.
    “There is hereby adopted, for the purpose of regulating the construction, alterations, repair, equipment, use and occupancy and maintenance of every building or structure or any appurtenance connected or attached to such buildings or structures, excluding farm structures and recreational camps, the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Residential building permits and inspections inside Jena town limits.

    • A $200 plan-review fee is due when the completed application and construction drawings are returned.
    • All permit and inspection fees are due when the permit is approved and ready for pickup.
    • The opened official page does not provide the full permit-fee schedule.

    plan review fee: 200 USD (Due when the completed application and construction drawings are returned.)

    “After the application has been filled out completely, return the construction application along with one set of construction drawings to the municipality. Engineered drawings are required for structural steel construction or any construction outside the scope of the 2006 IRC only. ($200 plan review fee due at this time). [...] The code official or inspector will contact you when the application/permit is approved and ready to be picked up. All permit/inspection fees are due at this time.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Residential building-permit applications inside Jena town limits.

    • Visit Town Hall to determine prior approvals and local permits.
    • Submit the completed application and one set of construction drawings.
    • Engineered drawings are required for structural steel or work outside the 2006 IRC scope.
    • The code official and inspectors review the application and drawings.
    • The permit is picked up after approval and payment of permit and inspection fees.
    • Inspections must be requested 24 hours in advance.
    • A certificate of occupancy follows approval of all final inspections.

    inspection-request lead time: >= 24 hours

    “Visit the Jena Town Hall to see what, if any prior approvals and local permits are required before construction can begin (ex. flood zone, zoning requirements, sewer approval).”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Jena or LaSalle Parish directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Jena town limits.
  • Local zoning — Land inside Jena town limits.
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Jena town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential dwellings inside Jena town limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Lots inside Jena town limits.
13 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

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 Town of Jena publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. LaSalle Parish’s page lists the county offices to call.

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