Crane permits in Louisiana:
a practical guide for project managers

Most crane picks in Louisiana do not require a special permit. The crane drives to the jobsite under its own power, sets up on private property, and runs the pick. But certain picks — anything that closes a road, parks in a public right-of-way, or moves an oversize crane through populated areas — does require permits and coordination with city, parish, or state authorities.

For street closures and right-of-way occupation, permits are issued by the municipality (city of Lafayette, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, etc.) or the parish. For state highway moves of large cranes, permits come from Louisiana DOTD. For overweight or oversize moves, route engineering and police escort may be required.

When you need a city or parish permit

If the crane is going to sit in a street, parking lane, or sidewalk during the pick — almost always for downtown HVAC sets, French Quarter work, or constrained jobsites — you need a city or parish street-use permit. CDH coordinates these with our customers and traffic-control subcontractors.

When you need a state DOTD permit

Moving a crane over the legal road limits (axle weight, overall length, width) requires a Louisiana DOTD overweight/oversize permit. CDH handles the permit and route survey as part of mobilization on larger cranes (typically 175T and above).

When you need police escort

For very large or wide moves — typically 300T and 500T cranes on permit routes — police escort is required and adds cost. We coordinate escorts as part of the mobilization plan and bill them at cost.

How early to plan

For routine city permits, 5–10 business days is usually enough. For state DOTD permits with route surveys and escorts, 2–3 weeks is the safe planning window. For emergency picks, we work with you on the fastest path through the permit process.