Office of Coastal Management
Applying for a Coastal Use Permit (CUP)
The Coastal Use Permit (CUP) process is part of the Louisiana Coastal Resources Program (LCRP), which is an effort among Louisiana citizens, as well as state, federal and local advisory and regulatory agencies to preserve, restore, and enhance Louisiana's valuable coastal resources. The purpose of the Coastal Use Permit process is to make certain that any activity affecting the LA Coastal Zone is performed in accordance with the Coastal Use Guidelines established in the LCRP. The Guidelines are designed so that development in the Coastal Zone can be accomplished with the greatest benefit and the least amount of damage. Applications for Coastal Use Permits are required for projects that may impact coastal waters such as any project involving dredge or fill, water control structures, bulkheads, oil and gas facilities, commercial and industrial development and marina and residential development. Submitting an application for a CUP does not imply that a CUP will be required; application is simply one step in following the Rules and Procedures for CUP's so that the Coastal Zone will be protected. The following provides information helpful with submitting an application to OCM.
Forms and Links
Emergency situations are those brought about by natural or man-made causes, such as storms, floods, fires, wrecks, explosions, spills, etc. which would result in hazard to life, loss of property, or damage to the environment if immediate corrective action were not taken. Coastal Use Permits are not required in advance for conducting uses necessary to correct the emergency situation, however, this exemption applies only to those corrective actions which are immediately required for the protection of lives, property, or the environment necessitated by the emergency situation. Prior to undertaking such emergency uses, or as soon as possible thereafter, the person carrying out the use shall notify OCM and the Local Coastal Management Program (LCMP) in all affected parishes. The notification should include: the name and contact information of the entity undertaking the activity; a description of the work performed or to be performed; a description of the equipment used or to be used and a vicinity map showing the location of the emergency work with project site coordinates (lat/long NAD 83 D-M-S) if available. If OCM determines that the proposed activity qualifies as an emergency response, OCM will provide a provisional written Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the performed or proposed activities. One of the provisions of that EUA is the submittal to OCM, within 30 days of EUA issuance) of a complete Joint Permit Application (JPA) for all work performed under the EUA. Please be advised that the emergency work must conform to the definitions of emergency situations and repairs provided above or the activity is not exempt and you may be subject to enforcement action for any work undertaken prior to receiving authorization from OCM.
If you don’t know whether your proposed activity will occur within the LA Coastal Zone or not, or if you are in the LA Coastal Zone but think your proposed activity may be exempt from Coastal Use Permitting, you can use our self-determination tool to find out.
OCM encourages potential applicants to contact us for pre-application consultation. We will review your project and provide you with a summary of the information OCM must consider during the application review process. OCM also will request comments from other regulatory and resource agencies that may have an interest in your project. If preferred, OCM will coordinate an interagency pre-application meeting and/or site visit with you given a minimum of two weeks to make the arrangements. Meetings typically are held at the OCM office in Baton Rouge, LA unless other arrangements have been made in advance. Please review the links below for helpful information regarding the OCM Coastal Use Permit application review process.
(You will need the free Adobe Reader to view, populate, and print the new form. Furthermore, if you have Adobe Acrobat, you can view, populate, print, and save any entered form data locally within the form.)
- Sample plats of some typical activities
- Coastal Use Permit Database
- Coastal User's Guide - Updated 2015
- NDSI Notes to be added to permit plats
- OCM General Permits
- Application Checklist
- Geologic Review
- Needs, Alternatives, & Justification (NAJ) Guidelines
- Hydrologic Modification Impact Analysis Guide (HMIA)
Mitigation Letters
OCM Letter to Applicant - Applicant is Sole Landowner
OCM Letter to Applicant - Applicant is Not Landowner
OCM Letter to Applicant - Applicant is Not Landowner < 1 acre impact
- Mitigation Proposal Evaluation Factors (Appendix A)
- OCM Approved Mitigation Banks - Updated 9/2024
- OCM Authorization Transfer Form
- Frequently Asked Questions
- As-Built Plat Requirements
- Beneficial Use of Dredged Material (BUDM)
- Marsh Buggy Use in the Coastal Zone
- Information Required by Other Agencies