What a permit bond is
Some cities and counties require a bond before they issue a building or work permit. It guarantees you'll follow local codes and the permit conditions, and pays the agency if you don't, for example if public property is damaged.
In Louisiana
Louisiana has no single statewide permit bond; parishes and cities set their own. For example, the City of Lake Charles requires every contractor to deposit a $7,500 contractor's bond on the city's form.
- Lake Charles also requires a certificate of liability insurance of at least $100,000 naming the city as certificate holder.
You need this bond if you're
- A contractor pulling permits where the city or county requires a bond
- Demolition and house-moving contractors
- Sign, sewer and grading contractors
- Owner-builders in some jurisdictions
What the surety looks at
Basic business details and credit.