Louisiana
Louisiana permits filming parish by parish; Louisiana Entertainment coordinates state property case by case, and the Office of State Parks controls commercial shoots at parks and historic sites.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Louisiana Entertainment (Louisiana Economic Development)
Cost: Varies by property and locality, see the film office
There is no single statewide permit: filming permits are issued by parishes and cities, with Film New Orleans covering Orleans Parish and Film Baton Rouge covering East Baton Rouge, each with its own fees and insurance requirements. Louisiana Entertainment, the state's LED-run film office, handles the tax credit program and coordinates use of state property, where location fees are assessed case by case. The layer photographers actually hit is the Louisiana Office of State Parks (Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism): commercial filming and photography at state parks and state historic sites requires advance permission from the office, and insurance is commonly required for commercial productions.
Drone / airspace
Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107
Check with the individual state park or historic site before flying. For Part 107 and state drone law, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes: you can photograph what is visible from public space in the US
Private property sets its own rules regardless of state law.
Practical notes
- New Orleans is the strictest jurisdiction in the state: even student shoots in Orleans Parish need a Film New Orleans permit.
- Plantation homes and swamp tour operations are mostly private; arrange access and fees directly with the property.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: