Get Quotes from Top Contractors in Shreveport, LA
How to Verify a Professional's License in Shreveport?
Over 60 different types of professionals in Shreveport are licensed and regulated by about 47 different state-level agencies, including the Louisiana Real Estate Commission, the Louisiana State Board of Home Inspectors, and the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Additionally, certain building professionals like plumbers, electricians, and mechanics must be licensed locally by the City's Permits and Inspections Division. Before hiring any professional, you need to verify the professional's licensing status, as this helps you determine if this professional has the necessary qualifications to provide the required service. You can verify the license of your desired professional by using the appropriate online license search tool provided by each of these state-level licensing agencies. You can also verify the locally-issued licenses of Shreveport professionals like plumbers, mechanics, and electricians by contacting the Shreveport Permits and Inspections Division at (318) 673-6100.
Note that the Permits and Inspections Division is also responsible for issuing permits to residents of Shreveport. As such, it is also advisable to contact this division before embarking on construction-related projects to confirm whether or not the specific nature of your intended project requires you to get a permit.
Louisiana Contractor License Search:
Do Shreveport Neighborhood Councils
Issue Permits?
Shreveport's 100 neighborhood associations do not issue permits of any kind to the residents in their respective areas. Instead, they serve as a voice for the neighborhood citizens, connecting the people to the City Council and the local government agencies. For instance, in March 2020, the Shreveport City Council refused to pass a zoning regulation that would have allowed single-family residential housing to be changed to multi-family residential housing in the Martin Luther King Jr. Area neighborhood after the neighborhood's residents opposed the proposal. Likewise, in July 2021, the Shreveport City Council, after reviewing the public opinion and conducting its research, enacted an ordinance that requires the owners of short-term rentals to obtain a permit before conducting business in the City.
How to File an Unfair Business
Complaint in Shreveport?
The Louisiana Attorney General's Office, through its Consumer Protection Section, accepts reports of unfair business practices from residents of Shreveport. This office has the authority to carry out investigations, on behalf of the public, into unconscionable methods of competition and deceptive trade actions. After conducting these investigations, the Louisiana Attorney General may bring legal actions in the name of the State against any business entity engaging in such practices for injunctive relief, civil penalties, and other types of relief.
If you have any report of unfair business activities against any business in Shreveport, you can file an unfair business complaint by completing and submitting the online consumer dispute form. Alternatively, you can download the printable dispute form and mail it along with other relevant documents to
- Office of the Attorney General
- Consumer Protection Section
- P.O. Box 94005
- Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9005
- Fax: (225) 326-6499
The Attorney General's Office will typically review the complaint within four weeks or more, depending on the nature of the report. Note that this Office is not authorized to act as your legal advisor or attorney. Therefore, if you want to seek compensation or restitution for the business's unfair practices, you can consult a private attorney and seek legal redress at the Shreveport Small Claims Court if the amount of money in dispute is not more than $5,000.