Personal Trainer 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. No Louisiana State License for Personal Trainers

   Louisiana has no state license, registration or examination for personal trainers, and no state board regulates the occupation. Certifications from NASM, ACE, ACSM and NSCA are private, voluntary credentials issued by trade organizations, not state credentials, though gyms, insurers and liability carriers commonly require one. One state line does matter: dietetics and nutrition are licensed in Louisiana by the Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition, which issues the Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist and Provisional LD/N credentials and pursues unlicensed practitioners, so a trainer should stay with general fitness guidance and not provide individualized nutrition therapy or meal prescriptions. Otherwise the requirements are the ordinary ones: register the business with the Secretary of State through geauxBIZ, get the local occupational license, and add a certificate of occupancy or facility approval if you operate from your own space.

   Official government source

   No state fee, because there is no state credential. Certification prices are set by each private certifying body and are not published by any Louisiana agency, so the '$200-$800' band has no official source — check current pricing directly with NASM, ACE, ACSM or NSCA. Budget instead for the state business filing, the local occupational license and liability insurance.·Not applicable — there is no state application or waiting period; you may train clients as soon as your business registration and local licenses are in place. Study and exam scheduling are set by the certifying organization; the '1-6 months' figure is not published by any of them.

   No state fee, because there is no state credential. Certification prices are set by each private certifying body and are not published by any Louisiana agency, so the '$200-$800' band has no official source — check current pricing directly with NASM, ACE, ACSM or NSCA. Budget instead for the state business filing, the local occupational license and liability insurance.

   Not applicable — there is no state application or waiting period; you may train clients as soon as your business registration and local licenses are in place. Study and exam scheduling are set by the certifying organization; the '1-6 months' figure is not published by any of them.

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. Zoning / Facility Use Permit

   If operating a personal training business from a commercial or home-based space in Shreveport, a Certificate of Occupancy is required before applying for an occupational/business license. It is issued by the Shreveport-Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission's Zoning Permits Center (505 Travis St., Ste. 130; 318-673-6480). Shreveport has no separate 'Home Occupation Permit' — home-based businesses obtain the same Certificate of Occupancy at a lower rate.

   Official government source

   $75 flat if home-based; $125 flat for a commercial location; no fee outside city limits.·Not published by the city. The Certificate of Occupancy must be in hand before the occupational license application.

   $75 flat if home-based; $125 flat for a commercial location; no fee outside city limits.

   Not published by the city. The Certificate of Occupancy must be in hand before the occupational license application.

Official Sources

• City of Shreveport Revenue Division

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