Show All Answers

1. How do I apply for a permit?

Visit www.MyGovernmentOnline.org to apply online. 

CLICK HERE for a step-by-step guide.

For the customer help guide CLICK HERE. 

2. How do I obtain a Flood Zone Determination?

1.  Start by going to www.MyGovernmentOnline.org

2.  At the top left go to Permits & Licensing, and click Apply Online.

3.  Login to your account, if you have not already. 

4.  Select Louisiana as the State, and East Baton Rouge as the jurisdiction. The project type will be Permit. Click Next, then Get Started on a New Application. 

5.  Select the application type Flood Zone Determination, then click Next. 

6.  Complete the fields with information about your Project, then upload any necessary documents and files.

7.  When all fields are complete and documents uploaded, click Submit and your application will be forwarded to the City-Parish.  

CLICK HERE for printable instructions

3. How do I create an account with MyGovernmentOnline (MGO)?

CLICK HERE for a visual step-by-step guide. 

1. Click on the Create Account link at the top right of your screen. 
2. Fill in the user account login information required to create your new account. A valid E-mail address is required.
   ** The telephone number you enter must be an active working telephone number. The software service will call the telephone number once you have completed the account creation process. You must be able to answer the telephone call in order for your account to become active. **
3. You will receive an “Account Created” confirmation stating that your account has been created. Click the Close button to close the message. A telephone call to the telephone number you provided will follow shortly. When you receive the call, answer the call and press the number 1 on your keypad when prompted. This completes the account activation process. 
   **If you do not receive the telephone call within 10 minutes, please call
   the MyGovernmentOnline support line at 1-866-957-3764, option 2 for assistance. Please have your e-mail address and the telephone number used to create your account ready. **

4. How do I view a list of my Permits on MGO?

CLICK HERE for a visual step-by-step guide. 

1. Go to www.MyGovernmentOnline.org Login with your user account by clicking the Login link located at the top right area of the website.
2. Enter your FULL e-mail address and the password for your account in the login window that appears. 
3. Click on the “My Account” button in the top right section of the webpage. This will take you to your My Account dashboard. 
4. Scroll down the page until you see the section called “My Permits” as shown below. This section contains all of the permits that have been added to your account. From this section you are able to view the project details by clicking “View Permit”. This is where you can view plan review documents, schedule inspections, view inspection reports, and upload documents. 
5. If you do not see a particular project in your My Permits list, CLICK the button “Find Projects Associated to Your Verified Phone Numbers”.
6. Select the appropriate Jurisdiction details for your project. Then click the Search button. The search result will show up at the lower part of the page. Ensure you have located the correct project and then click the “Add to My Account” button on the right side of the screen in the search result.  
7. A window will open as shown below. You may enter a project alias if desired, but one is not required. Click the button that says “Add Project to My Account”.
   Note: If you receive a message stating that you cannot add the project to your account, please call technical support for assistance at 1-866-957-3764, option 2.
8. You will see a new window confirming the permit has been added to your account. The project will now be in your “My Permits” list. Click “View Project Details” to view the project from this screen.

5. How do I submit documents for my Permit through the Customer Portal?

1.  Login to your account, and click the My Account button at the top right of the webpage.

2.  Scroll down to the My Permits section and click on the View Permit link associated with the project you desire. 

3.  When the project opens, scroll down the page to the section called Customer Documents. Click on the link at the far right that says Add New File. 

4.  Click the Upload Files button in the window that appears. 

5.  Select the file you wish to upload from the folder location on your computer and then click Open. 

6.  Allow the file time to upload. Once the file has finished uploading you will see the File Name in the window. You may enter a short description in the Description box but it is not required. Click the Save button to complete the file upload process. 

7.  The file name will display in the Customer Documents section confirming the document has uploaded to the project. The jurisdiction will see the file and contact you if necessary. 

CLICK HERE for a visual step-by-step guide.

6. How much will my Permit cost?

CLICK HERE to view a detailed fee schedule

7. How do I pay for my Permit?

1. Once you are logged in, click on the My Account button at the top right of the screen.

2. Scroll down to the My Permits section, and click the View Permit link associated with the project you would like to make a payment on. 

3. When the project opens, click on the Payments tab. This will take you to a page with a listing of the applicable fees for the project. This is also where you will be able to pay fees online. 

4. Scroll down near the bottom of the Payments page, where you will see a section labeled New Payment. Select the fees you wish to pay and click the Pay Online button. 

** If you feel that the fees are incorrect, please call the Permit & Inspections office before you pay so that it can be corrected.**

5. Provide your payment information on the next page and click the button to process your payment. You will have the option to print a receipt after the payment is processed. 

8. How far in advance do I need to schedule an inspection?

Inspections can be scheduled for the next business day. 

9. Can I schedule an after hours inspection?

Yes. However, after hours inspections are subject to inspector availability and require an additional $150 fee. 

**  CLICK HERE for additional information on Inspections and the Inspection Division. 

10. What is the Expedited Plan Review Service?

The Expedited Plan Review Service is an option available on many permits that has a faster turn around time on plan reviews. 

Expedited RESIDENTIAL plan reviews will be completed within three (3) business days after receipt of all required information, and resubmittals reviewed within two (2) business days after receipt. 

Expedited COMMERCIAL plan reviews will be completed within ten (10) business days after receipt of all required information, and resubmittals reviewed within three (3) business days after receipt. 

Expedited Review Costs: 

Residential: $60 + $0.10 per total square foot under roof

Commercial: $0.19 per total square foot under roof

11. How long will it take to get a permit?

Residential plan reviews will be completed within seven (7) business days after receipt of all required information necessary in order to complete an initial review. Residential resubmittals will be reviewed within three (3) business days after receipt. 

Commercial plan reviews will be completed within twenty-one (21) business days after receipt of all required information necessary in order to complete an initial review. Commercial resubmittals will be reviewed within five (5) business days after receipt. 

Plan review is only one of the many steps in the permitting and review process. It may take additional time for a permit to be issued, based on the specific permit requirements.    

12. What is the Builders Package?

The Builders Package option allows the Applicant to defer a pre-dermined portion of the fees, to be paid after plans are approved. The option is only available for Residential: NEW permit types. A breakdown of the fee schedule is shown below. The Builder portion must be paid in full before plan review can begin. 

• Builder: $0.375 per sqft
• Electrical: $0.05 per sqft
• Mechanical: $0.025 per sqft
• Plumbing: $0.05 per sqft

13. How do I add a TRADE permit to an EXISTING permit?

CLICK HERE to see a step-by-step guide. 

1.  Go to www.mygovernmentonline.org, select apply online. 

2.  Enter all fields for Jurisdiction and Project Type

3.  Select "Add a Permit to an Existing Project" 

4.  Use the drop down menu to select the TRADE permit application type (i.e. Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical)

5.  Search for the Project/Permit using permit number, address, or name. 

6.  On the Project/Permit you would like to add to, select the details button on the bottom right side of the search screen. 

7.  Click on the "+ Select" button on the bottom right of the pop-up screen to add contractor information to the Project/Permit. 

8.  Enter contact information and permit type cost. 

9.  Upload any applicable files (not required)

10.  Save your application to complete later, or SUBMIT your application to complete and send to the jurisdiction.