Louisiana’s Act 239 now requires a permit and post-installation inspection for every re-roofing project in the state, and contractors must hold an active LSLBC license with roofing classification to pull those permits legally. Homeowners who hire unlicensed contractors risk $7,500 fines, voided warranties, and insurance claims denied due to unpermitted work. Big Easy Roofers is fully licensed under LSLBC and handles all permit applications and inspections across New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, and Jefferson Parish.
If you own a home in New Orleans, two pieces of Louisiana legislation have changed the rules for every roofing project in the state. At Big Easy Roofers, we have watched these reforms reshape how licensed contractors operate across Southeast Louisiana, and every homeowner should understand what they mean before signing a roofing contract.
Act 239 now requires permits and inspections for all roof construction and reroofing statewide (effective August 1, 2025). Act 422, effective January 1, 2026, created a residential roofing license classification and set the project-value threshold at $7,500. Together, these laws give Orleans Parish homeowners stronger protections against unlicensed storm chasers.
Signed during the 2025 Louisiana Legislative Session, Act 239 (House Bill 85) requires every municipality and parish to issue permits and conduct inspections for roof construction and reroofing. Before this law, many parishes had no formal permit requirement for residential reroofing, allowing unqualified crews to install roofs without code oversight.
Under Act 239, all roofing work must comply with the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council’s adopted versions of the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC). The law also makes it a violation to begin work before a permit is issued, to misrepresent the project’s value or scope, or to skip required inspections. If your contractor cannot show a valid permit before tearing off your old shingles, that is a red flag. A qualified contractor who handles schedule a permitted roof installation will always pull permits before starting. Big Easy Roofers handles the full permit process for every project, so homeowners never have to navigate that paperwork themselves.
Effective January 1, 2026, Act 422 created a dedicated residential roofing license classification through the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC). Any person who advertises, solicits, bids on, or performs construction, modification, repair, or maintenance on a residential roofing system for a project valued at $7,500 or more must hold either a residential roofing license or a residential construction license.
That $7,500 threshold matters because most full or partial reroofing jobs in New Orleans, Metairie, and Kenner exceed it easily. Contractors applying for the new classification must pass the LSLBC’s residential roofing trade examination (a computer-based PSI test of 50 to 115 questions) and complete the LSLBC Business and Law course. Qualifying parties who already hold a Residential Construction, Building Construction, or Commercial Roofing classification are exempt from the trade exam but must still comply with all permit and inspection requirements under Act 239. Big Easy Roofers holds the required residential roofing classification and can verify its license status on request.
One of the most practical provisions allows building code enforcement officers to accept geotagged photographs for required roofing inspections. A geotagged photograph is digitally stamped with GPS coordinates, confirming exactly where and when the image was taken.
For homeowners, this means faster turnaround. Instead of waiting days for an in-person inspector, your contractor can submit location-verified photos at each stage: materials packaging with wind-rating compliance, underlayment on each side of the roof, drip edge and shingle nailing patterns before covering, and manufacturer installation instructions. This keeps projects moving, particularly in New Orleans where demand for book an inspection for your permit file surges after every storm season.
New Orleans homeowners know the routine. After every major hurricane, out-of-state crews flood the city offering fast, cheap roof repairs. These storm chasers often lack Louisiana licensure, skip permits, use substandard materials, and vanish before the first leak appears. After Hurricane Ida in 2021, the LSLBC and local news outlets documented numerous cases of unlicensed operators collecting thousands of dollars for work in neighborhoods like Lakeview, Gentilly, and Uptown that failed within months.
Acts 239 and 422 directly target this problem. By requiring permits, inspections, and a verifiable license for any project over $7,500, the state has created multiple checkpoints that legitimate contractors pass and storm chasers cannot. If someone knocks on your door after a storm with a handwritten estimate and no license number, you now have the tools to verify their credentials on the spot.
Before signing any roofing contract in Louisiana, take five minutes to confirm the contractor is properly licensed:
Taking these steps before hiring is critical when you need to learn how to vet a roofing contractor in Louisiana for your home. If you want to confirm Big Easy Roofers’ credentials before calling, the LSLBC search tool will show an active license with residential roofing classification.
Under Louisiana Revised Statute 37:2160, performing contracting work without proper authority is a misdemeanor. Upon conviction, an unlicensed contractor faces fines of up to $500 per day of violation, up to three months in prison, or both. The LSLBC can also issue cease-and-desist orders to stop work in progress and revoke or suspend licenses for contractors who violate permit and inspection requirements.
For homeowners, hiring an unlicensed contractor carries its own risks. Work performed without proper licensure may void warranty claims, create insurance complications, and leave you with no recourse if the job is defective.
Orleans Parish implemented its residential reroofing permit requirement in May 2025 through Ordinance 30,235 MCS, administered by the city’s Department of Safety and Permits. A permit is required when replacing 50 percent or more of a roof on a one- or two-family home.
To apply, homeowners or their licensed contractors can visit nola.gov/reroofing-permit/ or contact the Department of Safety and Permits at (504) 658-7200. The city adopted the geotagged photo inspection provision, so contractors can submit location-verified photographs at each stage instead of scheduling separate in-person visits. This was a deliberate move to increase insurer confidence in the city’s housing stock, a factor in rising homeowner insurance premiums across the metro.
Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes implemented similar reroofing permit tracks earlier with a streamlined process. If your property sits in a neighboring parish, check with your local permitting office for specific requirements.
These new laws make it easier to how to verify a roofer and avoid storm chasers.
Act 239 applies to roof construction and reroofing projects. Minor repairs that do not constitute reroofing may not require a permit in every jurisdiction. However, Orleans Parish requires a permit when 50 percent or more of the roof is replaced. Check with your local permitting office to confirm requirements for smaller repairs, because rules vary by parish.
Since January 1, 2026, any contractor working on a residential roofing project valued at $7,500 or more must hold either a Residential Roofing classification or a Residential Construction classification from the LSLBC. Contractors with Building Construction or Commercial Roofing classifications are also authorized to perform residential roofing work.
Your contractor takes photographs at each stage of the project using a device that embeds GPS coordinates and timestamps into each image. These photos document materials, underlayment, nailing patterns, and completed work. Building code enforcement officers review the submitted photos to verify code compliance, which eliminates the delay of scheduling an in-person site visit for every stage of the project.
Yes. You can report suspected unlicensed activity through the LSLBC’s website at lslbc.gov or through the free La. Contractor mobile app available on both iOS and Android. The LSLBC investigates complaints and has the authority to issue cease-and-desist orders and pursue fines against unlicensed operators.
Act 422 applies to projects beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and Act 239 applies to projects beginning on or after August 1, 2025. If your project was completed before those dates, the prior rules apply. If you are experiencing problems with work done by an unlicensed contractor, you can still file a complaint with the LSLBC and consult a Louisiana attorney about your options.
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Jun 2, 2026