How To Get A Business License In Louisiana (2024)

Louisiana requires most businesses that sell products to have a resale certificate, also known as a seller’s permit. This allows a business to collect sales tax and remit it to the state.

Depending on what your business does and the county it is in, there may be other licensing that is required, which include professional services licensing, liquor licensing and food licensing.

When Do You Need a Business License in Louisiana?

A resale certificate is required before you start conducting business. Businesses that have operations in Louisiana and sell or lease goods or services subject to sales tax must obtain a resale certificate. All tangible property sold or leased is subject to sales tax. Services such as renting hotel rooms or admission to amusement parks are also subject to sales tax.

The primary business license is the resale certificate. This license is obtained from the Department of Revenue through online registration. Most businesses selling products and some that sell services will need this certificate.

Businesses selling alcohol or tobacco need to apply as an alcohol or tobacco retailer. This license allows an establishment to market and sell alcoholic beverages or tobacco to consumers.

To obtain an alcohol or tobacco license, you complete an online application with Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control. Some cities have separate liquor license requirements. Tobacco permits are $25 and alcohol permits are between $145 and $345.

Businesses handling food must have a floor and site plan approved and have one person (owner or employee) who is credentialed through the Food Safety Certification Program. This applies to restaurants, grocery stores, bars, meat markets, seafood markets and bakeries. The permit fee begins at $25.

Many different professions require a license to do business in Louisiana. You can find the list and links to the applications on the Louisiana.gov site.

There are a variety of other state and federal licenses and permits you may need to obtain based on your industry. Lousiana’s geauxBIZ site allows you to input information about your business and determine what licenses and permits you may need.

When applying for a resale certificate, you’ll want to make sure that you have the correct information on hand to expedite the process. You apply through the LaTAP online system. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Have the location addresses for all business locations
2. Obtain a current NAICS code
3. Have a valid email address that you access regularly
4. Collect your last two years’ resale inventory purchase amounts (if you are a new business, this should be zero)
5. Enter the LaTAP system and sign up for an account

With the right information on hand, registration should take approximately 20 minutes. Applications take two to three days to process and are approved at that time. Once approved, you can download and print your resale certificate directly from the portal.

There is no cost to apply for a Louisiana resale certificate. Keep in mind that there are other costs associated with starting a business. It costs $100 to register an LLC and $75 to register a corporation in the state. There is no registration or fee to form a sole proprietorship or partnership.

Bottom Line

Most businesses in the state of Louisiana need to obtain a resale certificate as their primary business license. Other licenses may be necessary if you sell certain goods or services such as alcohol or food. When starting a business, it may be wise to consult with a business attorney to ensure you have all the legal requirements fulfilled prior to engaging in business operations.