Louisiana

Louisiana Permit Guide for Metal Carports, Garages and Barns

In Louisiana, the permit for a metal carport or garage comes from your parish or town, under one state building code that every parish and city is expected to enforce. That code is the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code, kept up by the Louisiana Uniform Construction Code Commission in Baton Rouge. State law also carves out farm structures and some small backyard buildings, which matters a lot for barns and sheds out in the country.

Building code in effect

Louisiana builds to the 2021 International Codes with Louisiana amendments. The 2021 IRC, IBC, IEBC, IMC, IFGC and IPC took effect January 1, 2023, the 2021 IECC took effect July 1, 2023, and the 2020 National Electrical Code took effect January 1, 2023. The Commission has published a notice to move to the 2024 I-Codes and the 2023 NEC, and its code information sheet lists the 2024 ICC codes as becoming effective January 1, 2027. The state law adopts the IRC without Part I (Administration) and Part VIII (Electrical), so the NEC covers wiring.

Who issues permits

Parishes and municipalities issue building permits and do the inspections. State law says a local government can't skip enforcement, but it can sign an agreement with another public entity or with a licensed private inspector to run its permit program, and the State Fire Marshal can enforce the code for a parish or town under a letter of intent. All inspectors must be licensed by the Commission, and the Commission has an inspector search you can filter by parish. Zoning, flood permits and driveway rules are separate and are handled by your parish or city.

County permit guides

County guides are coming soon.

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When you need a permit

Farm structures: Parishes and towns may not enforce the construction code on a farm structure, meaning a building on a farm used for the farm (barns, sheds, poultry houses). A house or anything attached to a house does not count.
Small backyard buildings: State law defines a residential accessory structure as a detached building used with a home, with a footprint of 200 square feet or less, and not in an area where the design wind speed is 130 mph or more in a hurricane-prone region. Only a city of more than 45,000 people may enforce the code on these.
Camps: Private outdoor recreational structures, like hunting or fishing camps, are also outside local code enforcement. The owner has to sign an affidavit about the exempt status and file it in the parish conveyance records.
Permits can still apply: The law says these exemptions do not take away a parish's or town's power to issue permits for farm or camp structures, and FEMA flood rules still apply. Call your parish before you build.
Garages and big carports: A detached garage or carport over 200 square feet that isn't a farm building falls under the full code, so plan on a permit and engineered drawings.

Farm buildings

Under La. R.S. 37:3738(B), a farm structure is a structure built on a farm, other than a residence or a structure attached to one, for use on the farm. Parish and municipal governments may not enforce the part of the Uniform Construction Code that regulates farm structures. A building that was a farm structure and later gets turned into something else loses that status. The same section says the exemption does not limit a parish's or town's power to issue permits for farm structures, and National Flood Insurance Program standards still apply, so you may still need a permit or a flood elevation check.

Wind and snow

Wind is the big design issue in Louisiana. The coast and the southern parishes sit in the hurricane-prone region with high design wind speeds, and the law even uses 130 mph as a cutoff for small accessory buildings. North Louisiana sees lower design winds but still gets severe storms and tornadoes. Snow load is rarely the deciding factor here. Many parishes also have mapped flood zones that affect where and how high you can set a building. Ask your parish what wind speed, exposure and snow load to engineer for before you order. Our partnered manufacturers offer certified buildings rated for 140 MPH wind and 35 PSF snow load, and higher ratings can be quoted where required.

Before you order

Call your parish or city permit office first and ask if your town has more than 45,000 people, since that changes the rule for small sheds.
If you're near the coast, get the design wind speed for your exact address before picking a building rating.
Check the flood map for your lot. A farm building can skip the code but still has to meet flood rules.
If you're claiming the farm exemption, be ready to show the building is used for the farm and not as a shop or garage.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Louisiana?
It depends on size and use. A detached carport with a footprint of 200 square feet or less, outside the 130 mph hurricane wind zone, is outside local code enforcement unless you live in a city of more than 45,000 people. Bigger carports usually need a parish or city permit. Always check with your local office.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage in Louisiana?
Usually yes. A garage over 200 square feet that is not a farm building is covered by the state code, which is based on the 2021 International Residential and Building Codes. Your parish or city issues the permit.

Are farm buildings exempt?
Yes, for code enforcement. La. R.S. 37:3738 bars parishes and towns from enforcing the construction code on farm structures used for the farm. They can still require a permit, and flood rules still apply.

Sources

Permit rules change. Always confirm with your local permit office before you build.

Looking at buildings? See our metal carports, metal garages and metal buildings.

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