Cleaning Service Permit Requirements in Shreveport, LA

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

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

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Louisiana Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Registration

   Required for all businesses selling taxable goods or services in Louisiana. The Louisiana state sales tax rate is 5%. Sellers must apply for a sales tax certificate with the Louisiana Department of Revenue. Louisiana also has parish- and municipal-level sales taxes collected separately by local collectors, so the combined rate varies by parish and you must register with each applicable local collector in addition to the state.

   Official government source

   No registration fee is published by the Louisiana Department of Revenue.·Not published by the Louisiana Department of Revenue; the '1-5 business days' figure has no official source.

   No registration fee is published by the Louisiana Department of Revenue.

   Not published by the Louisiana Department of Revenue; the '1-5 business days' figure has no official source.

2. Louisiana Workers' Compensation Insurance

   Under the Louisiana Workers' Compensation Act, administered by the Office of Workers' Compensation Administration within the Louisiana Workforce Commission, every employer that is not statutorily exempt must either carry workers' compensation insurance or be approved to self-insure. Coverage attaches from the day an employee starts work and applies to full-time, part-time, seasonal and minor employees alike. This matters for a cleaning service: OWCA states that subcontractors and certain independent contractors are treated as employees if they are engaged in the pursuit of the employer's trade or business or are performing substantial manual labor, so calling your cleaners contractors does not by itself remove the obligation. The specific statutory exemptions are domestic employees, most real estate salespersons, uncompensated officers and directors of certain non-profits, and public officials. An employer must report an on-the-job injury causing death or more than one week of lost time to its insurer on Form LW-WC-IA-1 within 10 days of learning of it.

   Official government source

   Not a government fee — the premium is set by your insurer from your payroll and classification code, so the '$500-$2,000/year' band has no official source. Get quotes from licensed carriers, or apply to OWCA for self-insured status.·No application process or waiting period with the state; coverage must be in force before the first employee starts work, because liability attaches from day one of employment. Self-insurance requires prior OWCA approval. You can confirm any employer's coverage through the Louisiana coverage verification system.

   Not a government fee — the premium is set by your insurer from your payroll and classification code, so the '$500-$2,000/year' band has no official source. Get quotes from licensed carriers, or apply to OWCA for self-insured status.

   No application process or waiting period with the state; coverage must be in force before the first employee starts work, because liability attaches from day one of employment. Self-insurance requires prior OWCA approval. You can confirm any employer's coverage through the Louisiana coverage verification system.

1. City of Shreveport Revenue Division — Occupational License

   Shreveport requires an Occupational License for all businesses operating within city limits, administered by the Department of Finance (318-673-5500). A Certificate of Occupancy must be obtained first. The license must be renewed annually and displayed at your place of business.

   Official government source

   Varies by business type: professionals pay 1/10 of 1% of gross receipts; retailers $50-$6,200/year; wholesalers $50-$7,500/year. A new business pays $50 if it opens in the first half of the calendar year, or $25 from July 1, pro-rated on projected gross sales.·Not published. Shreveport issues a temporary license covering the first 30 days of business, after which you complete an update for the permanent license. Annual tax notices are mailed in December or January and are due before March 1.

   Varies by business type: professionals pay 1/10 of 1% of gross receipts; retailers $50-$6,200/year; wholesalers $50-$7,500/year. A new business pays $50 if it opens in the first half of the calendar year, or $25 from July 1, pro-rated on projected gross sales.

   Not published. Shreveport issues a temporary license covering the first 30 days of business, after which you complete an update for the permanent license. Annual tax notices are mailed in December or January and are due before March 1.

2. Caddo Parish / Shreveport Home Occupation or Trade Name Registration

   If operating a cleaning service from your home in Shreveport, you need a Certificate of Occupancy at the home-based rate from the Shreveport-Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission's Zoning Permits Center (318-673-6480) before applying for an occupational license. If using a trade name, register it with the Louisiana Secretary of State through geauxBIZ — Louisiana has no parish-clerk trade-name registry, so the Caddo Parish Clerk does not handle this.

   Official government source

   $75 flat for the home-based Certificate of Occupancy ($125 for a commercial location; no fee outside city limits). Trade name registration with the Secretary of State is $75, rising to $95 effective October 1, 2026.·Not published. The Certificate of Occupancy must be in hand before the occupational license application; no processing time is published for geauxBIZ trade name filings.

   $75 flat for the home-based Certificate of Occupancy ($125 for a commercial location; no fee outside city limits). Trade name registration with the Secretary of State is $75, rising to $95 effective October 1, 2026.

   Not published. The Certificate of Occupancy must be in hand before the occupational license application; no processing time is published for geauxBIZ trade name filings.

Official Sources

• City of Shreveport Revenue Division
• Louisiana Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Registration

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