Business Licensing & Operations in Gretna, LA (2026)
7 verified business licensing & operations rules for Gretna, Louisiana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Gretna requires a police-issued permit before operating an escort agency, nude model studio or sexual encounter center, with fingerprinting, character and residency qualifications, a $1,000 annual fee, and criminal penalties for operating without one.
Gretna Sexually Oriented Business Permit
Significant RestrictionsGretna Code of Ordinances §§ 12-131, 12-137
In order to obtain a permit from the city to operate a sexually oriented business, the operator must obtain a permit in the following manner: Before engaging in a sexually oriented business, the operator shall obtain from the city a current permit from the city police department to conduct such business. No such permit shall be issued to any applicant prior to production by the applicant of doc...
Massage Establishments
Gretna requires massage parlors and massage services to hold an occupational license or business permit, bars alcohol sales at those businesses, and revokes the license immediately for a prostitution-related conviction by the owner or any employee.
Gretna Massage Parlor Occupational License
Significant RestrictionsGretna Code of Ordinances §§ 12-328, 12-329
No person or business engaged in the business of providing massage services shall also engage in the service of selling beverages in low- or high-alcoholic content at wholesale or retail, nor shall the city approve any permit for the sale of alcoholic beverages to such business. ... Every massage parlor and massage service shall first obtain an occupational license and/or business permit in acc...
Tattoo & Body Modification
Tattooing is flatly outlawed within the City of Gretna. Sec. 30-1 states in full that the practice of tattooing is prohibited in the city, a rule that traces to the 1979 Code and has never been repealed. No license or permit track exists for a tattoo studio because the underlying business itself is illegal here.
Gretna Bans Tattooing Citywide
Heavy RestrictionsGretna Code of Ordinances § 30-1
The practice of tattooing is prohibited in the city.
Tobacco Retail License
In the City of Gretna, retailers, distributors and vending machine operators cannot sell tobacco, alternative nicotine or vapor products to anyone under 18. Point-of-sale signage in 30-point type is mandatory, and vending machines need a 22-point warning sticker under Gretna Code of Ordinances § 16-155.
Gretna Tobacco and Vape Sales Rules
Some RestrictionsGretna Code of Ordinances § 16-155
(a)It is unlawful for any manufacturer, distributor, retailer, or other person to knowingly sell or distribute any tobacco product, alternative nicotine product, or vapor product to a person under the age of 18. ... At the point of purchase, a sign in type not less than 30-point type shall be displayed that reads: "LOUISIANA LAW PROHIBITS THE SALE OF TOBACCO, ALTERNATIVE NICOTINE PRODUCT, OR VA...
Secondhand Dealers
Anyone doing business as a secondhand dealer in Gretna needs a license under Sec. 46-37, backed by a $2,500.00 bond and a signed application from three city taxpayers vouching for good moral character. Licensed dealers can only run their shops between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., extended to 10:00 p.m. on Saturdays and in December.
Gretna Secondhand Dealer License Rules
Significant RestrictionsGretna Code of Ordinances §§ 46-36, 46-37
Secondhand dealers means every person engaged in the business of buying, selling, trading in, or otherwise acquiring or disposing of used or secondhand property such as jewelry, silverware, diamonds, pictures, objects of art, clothing, mechanic's tools, carpenter's tools, automobile accessories and supplies, and other such property. The provisions of this article shall not apply to the retail j...
Pawnbrokers
Pawnshops cannot legally operate in the City of Gretna. Sec. 46-19 bars the city from issuing any pawnshop permit or license and separately makes it unlawful for any person to operate or maintain a pawnshop within city limits, a rule that has stood since Ord. No. 3002 in 1993.
Gretna Bans Pawnshops Citywide
Heavy RestrictionsGretna Code of Ordinances § 46-19
The issuance of permits and licenses to operate pawnshops within the city is prohibited. No person shall operate or maintain a pawnshop in the city.
Auto Repair on Residential Property
Gretna bans non-routine motor vehicle repair, work like engine or transmission replacement and paint jobs, in the front yards of R-1, R-1MH, R-2, R-3 and R-1TH residential zones under section 24-155, unless it happens at a licensed auto repair shop. Routine maintenance such as oil and tire changes stays allowed.
Gretna Bars Non-Routine Auto Repair in Yards
Significant RestrictionsGretna Code of Ordinances § 24-155
Front yard is any area, including the driveway, that is positioned in the front of the house, apartment, townhouse or other residence that faces the street on which the residence is located. ... (1)Routine motor vehicle repair includes oil changes, installation of a new battery, fluid changes, battery charging, changing tires, rotation of tires, replacement of windshield wipers and any other ac...
Looking for Jefferson Parish county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Gretna city rules.
Business Licensing & Operations in Jefferson Parish →