Pressure Washing Permit Requirements in New Orleans, LA

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC/corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online)

   Free

   Immediate (online)

1. Louisiana Sales Tax Registration

   Register as a dealer with the Louisiana Department of Revenue if you sell, lease or rent tangible personal property or digital products in Louisiana, or furnish one of the services the statute specifically enumerates as taxable (R.S. 47:301(4)). Louisiana taxes only listed services, so most professional and personal services are outside the requirement. Registration is made through LaTAP or geauxBIZ; local sales taxes are collected separately by parish collectors.

   Official government source

   The Louisiana Department of Revenue publishes no fee for opening a sales tax account; register through LaTAP or geauxBIZ and confirm at registration.·Not published by LDR; register before your first taxable sale and confirm account activation through LaTAP.

   The Louisiana Department of Revenue publishes no fee for opening a sales tax account; register through LaTAP or geauxBIZ and confirm at registration.

   Not published by LDR; register before your first taxable sale and confirm account activation through LaTAP.

2. General Liability Insurance (contract requirement, not a Louisiana licensing requirement)

   No Louisiana statute requires a pressure washing business to carry general liability insurance. The requirement comes from customers and property owners: commercial clients, property managers and public agencies routinely make a certificate of insurance a condition of the contract, and public-property work sets the highest bar — the City of Shreveport, for example, requires a city-approved certificate naming the city as additional insured with commercial general liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate, plus a waiver of subrogation and 30-day cancellation endorsement. What Louisiana does mandate is workers' compensation coverage the moment you have an employee, and the Office of Workers' Compensation warns that subcontractors performing substantial manual labor can be treated as employees. Commercial auto coverage is also needed for a work vehicle, since personal auto policies generally exclude business use.

   Not a government fee — the premium is set by the insurer from your revenue, payroll, services and claims history, so the '$500-$1,500/year' band has no official source. Get quotes from carriers licensed in Louisiana; the limits you need are driven by what your contracts demand rather than by any statutory minimum.·Not an official process with a published turnaround. An online quote is not coverage — the policy is effective when the insurer binds it, and a certificate of insurance is issued after that. Have it in force before the first job on a client's property.

   Not a government fee — the premium is set by the insurer from your revenue, payroll, services and claims history, so the '$500-$1,500/year' band has no official source. Get quotes from carriers licensed in Louisiana; the limits you need are driven by what your contracts demand rather than by any statutory minimum.

   Not an official process with a published turnaround. An online quote is not coverage — the policy is effective when the insurer binds it, and a certificate of insurance is issued after that. Have it in force before the first job on a client's property.

1. New Orleans Occupational License

   All businesses operating in New Orleans must obtain a general Occupational License from the city's Bureau of Revenue (Department of Finance) before conducting any commercial activities — not from a 'City Clerk's Office,' which does not issue business licenses. A Certificate of Occupancy for the proposed use is a prerequisite. Pressure washing companies must renew annually and are subject to gross-receipts-based fees.

   Official government source

   $50/year minimum where gross sales are under $50,000, rising through the city's Occupational License Tax Tables (Table 1 runs to $6,200/year at $5.5M+ in gross sales).·Not published by the city. Apply through the One Stop App; a temporary Occupational License is generated automatically on approval, and the Amended Return Form must be completed within the first 40 days of operation.

   $50/year minimum where gross sales are under $50,000, rising through the city's Occupational License Tax Tables (Table 1 runs to $6,200/year at $5.5M+ in gross sales).

   Not published by the city. Apply through the One Stop App; a temporary Occupational License is generated automatically on approval, and the Amended Return Form must be completed within the first 40 days of operation.

2. Stormwater / Wastewater Discharge Compliance

   Pressure washing wastewater containing detergents, oils or other pollutants may not be allowed to enter storm drains in New Orleans; contain it and dispose of it properly. There is no 'Orleans Parish Environmental Health' office — the City of New Orleans and Orleans Parish are consolidated. Local drainage/sewer questions go to the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans or the Department of Public Works; state water-quality permitting is handled by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality's Water Permits Division.

   Official government source

   No permit fee — this is a continuing compliance obligation, not a paid registration. Budget for containment and disposal equipment.·Not applicable — no application or waiting period; compliance is continuous from the day you operate.

   No permit fee — this is a continuing compliance obligation, not a paid registration. Budget for containment and disposal equipment.

   Not applicable — no application or waiting period; compliance is continuous from the day you operate.

3. Trade Name (DBA) Registration — Louisiana Secretary of State

   If operating under a trade name, register it with the Louisiana Secretary of State (form #309, filed online through geauxBIZ) before accepting jobs under that name. Trade names are a state filing in Louisiana — no Orleans Parish office registers fictitious business names.

   Official government source

   $75 for a Trade Name/Trademark/Service Mark registration (Louisiana Secretary of State form #309). The Commercial Division fee rises to $95 effective October 1, 2026 under Act 921 of the 2026 Regular Session. Credit card filings add a $5 statutory convenience fee; optional expedite is $30 ($50 priority).·The Secretary of State does not publish a processing time for standard filings; expedited service is $30 ($50 priority). Check name availability before filing (225-925-4704).

   $75 for a Trade Name/Trademark/Service Mark registration (Louisiana Secretary of State form #309). The Commercial Division fee rises to $95 effective October 1, 2026 under Act 921 of the 2026 Regular Session. Credit card filings add a $5 statutory convenience fee; optional expedite is $30 ($50 priority).

   The Secretary of State does not publish a processing time for standard filings; expedited service is $30 ($50 priority). Check name availability before filing (225-925-4704).

Official Sources

• City of New Orleans — Business Licensing
• Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
• Louisiana Secretary of State

Related Guides