Get Into the TradesYour first steps into a skilled trade

General contractor · State license

How to get a contractor license in Louisiana

State law and licensing-board sources · Last reviewed October 11, 2026

The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) licenses contracting businesses statewide. You need a commercial license for commercial projects of $50,000 or more, a residential license to build homes of $50,000 or more, and a home improvement registration for work on an existing home from $7,500. Licenses are issued to the business, and its qualifying party passes the exams; the law sets no years-of-experience rule. [1][2][3]

New to the trade?

Starting from zero in Louisiana

Louisiana licenses contracting businesses, not construction workers, so you can start as a laborer or carpenter's helper with no state card. Get hired by a builder, or take an entry-level construction class such as ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) Pelican's NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research) Core course in Baton Rouge. If your job includes electrical, plumbing or HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) work, those trades have their own rules. [2][4][19][20]

  • High school diploma or GED

    Louisiana's licenses are for contracting businesses, so there's no state apprentice card or education rule for construction workers. ABC Pelican's page for its entry-level Core class lists schedule and cost but no education prerequisite Ask any program or employer about its own rules. [2][19]

  • Minimum age

    Louisiana's apprenticeship law defines a registered apprentice as at least 16. Employers and programs set their own minimums. [21]

  • Helper and labor jobs

    LSLBC says there are no licensing requirements for labor-only subcontractors on new residential construction. On commercial projects, labor-only subcontracting over $50,000 needs a Labor Only classification, which has no trade exam. [4][7]

  • Plumbing, electrical and HVAC work

    Anyone doing plumbing or gas work who isn't licensed must register with the State Plumbing Board as an apprentice ($20) Act 908 of 2026 moves plumbing licensing to LSLBC on January 1, 2027. Electrical and mechanical work have no state worker card, but some cities license workers; New Orleans, for example, issues electrician trainee cards. [2][20][22][23]

  • Entry-level training

    ABC Pelican's Core class (NCCER Core) runs one semester, one night a week It costs $600 for individuals and less if your employer is a member. As of October 2026, general-public registration for spring 2027 classes is December 1-17, 2026. [17][19]

  • Registered apprenticeships

    ABC Pelican sponsors registered apprenticeships, including form builder carpenter and construction craft laborer, through member employers Your employer must be involved, but you can enroll in its training on your own. [16]

  • Still in high school?

    Louisiana's Jump Start career and technical education (CTE) program has an Architecture and Construction pathway whose credentials include NCCER Core, NCCER Carpentry, Carpenters International Training Fund carpentry levels and OSHA 30 (OSHA 30-hour safety course). A 2026 law (Act 490) created the Louisiana Youth Apprentice: a registered apprentice 24 or younger whose program includes at least 375 hours of paid work and leads to a high school diploma or equivalent plus an industry credential. Dual enrollment earns high school and college credit at once. Contractor licenses have no experience requirement, so there are no license hours for CTE to count toward. [3][24][25][26][27][28]

Where to apply in LouisianaHow to get an apprenticeshipHelper jobs

Licensing office Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) · (225) 765-2301 [14]

Louisiana contractor license at a glance

Who issues licenses
Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors LSLBC [2][14]
Commercial license
Commercial projects of $50,000 or more (labor and materials) Electrical, mechanical and plumbing from $10,000 [1][2]
Residential license
New homes and residential projects of $50,000 or more Residential Construction trade exam [1][7]
Home improvement registration
Work on an existing home from $7,500 up to $50,000 No trade exam; no structural work [1][7][15]
Exams
Trade exam through PSI (a testing company) for the classification, plus the online Business and Law exam 50 questions, 70 to pass [9][10]
Experience
None in the state law's list of license requirements The qualifying party must pass the exams [3]
Net worth and insurance
$50,000 net worth for commercial and residential ($25,000 for home improvement) Residential and home improvement need $100,000 liability insurance and workers' comp [3][5]
Continuing education
6 hours a year for residential contractors None for commercial or home improvement [6]
Reciprocity
LSLBC accepts a trade exam you passed in any other state for an equivalent classification [12]
On this page
  1. At a glance
  2. Starting from zero
  3. The license pathway
  4. Who needs a license in Louisiana
  5. License types and what they require
  6. The exams
  7. Fees, renewal and continuing education
  8. If you're licensed in another state
  9. Steps to get licensed
  10. Where to get the hours
  11. Licensed in another state?
  12. Questions people ask

The license pathway in Louisiana

  1. 1

    Home Improvement Registration

    • State law caps the home improvement fee at $50
    • On the license anniversary; insurance-based licenses can't renew for multiple years; no continuing education

    For remodeling, repair and additions to an existing home with a project value of at least $7,500 but less than $50,000. No trade exam. You can't do structural work such as foundations, load-bearing walls or roofing systems, and you need $100,000 in liability insurance, workers' compensation and $25,000 net worth. [1][3][5][6][7][11]

  2. 2

    Residential Building Contractor

    • Yes: Residential Construction trade exam (PSI) plus Business and Law (50 questions, 70 to pass)
    • State law caps the license fee at $100 and the board's exam fee at $50
    • 1-, 2- or 3-year terms (insurance-dependent licenses can't renew for multiple years); 6 hours CE a year

    For building homes and residential projects of $50,000 or more, on structures up to three floors. You need $50,000 net worth, $100,000 liability insurance and workers' compensation. Holders of an LSLBC Building Construction license are exempt from the residential exam. [1][3][5][6][7][10][11]

  3. 3

    Commercial license (e.g., Building Construction)

    • Yes: trade exam for each classification (e.g., Building Construction) plus Business and Law
    • State law caps the license fee at $100 and the board's exam fee at $50
    • 1-, 2- or 3-year terms; no continuing education

    For commercial projects of $50,000 or more. The license lists each classification you qualify for, such as Building Construction, Heavy Construction or Highway, Street and Bridge Construction, and you can bid only on work in those classifications. You need a financial statement showing $50,000 net worth. [1][3][6][7][11][15]

Who needs a license in Louisiana

State law defines a contractor by the project value, counting labor and materials no matter who pays for them:

You may build your own primary residence without a license if you live in it, but not a home to rent or sell. A local occupational license or Secretary of State registration is not a contractor's license. [1][2][4]

License types and what they require

Every license is issued to a business (which can be a sole proprietor), and each classification needs a qualifying party who passes any required exam. The state law's list of requirements has no years-of-experience rule.

LSLBC's printed rules still list $75,000 as the residential construction threshold, but the statute and LSLBC's own classification page use $50,000.

A holder of an LSLBC Building Construction license is exempt from the residential exam. Residential roofing is its own residential subclassification with a trade exam. Compare states on the general contractor hub. [1][3][5][6][7][8]

The exams

Trade exams moved from LSLBC to PSI on August 5, 2025. After LSLBC approves the qualifying party, PSI sends an eligibility letter, and you schedule through PSI's LSLBC page, where each exam's candidate bulletin lists its content and allowed references. PSI has test centers in Louisiana, including Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Sulphur and Metairie.

The Louisiana Business and Law exam is taken online in your LSLBC Contractor Portal: 50 questions, about 30 to 45 minutes, and you need 70 or above. If you fail an exam, the board's rules make you wait 30 days to retake it, and a no-show forfeits the exam fee. [8][9][10]

Fees, renewal and continuing education

State law caps LSLBC's fees: up to $50 for an exam, $100 for a license, $100 for renewal and $50 for home improvement, plus up to $400 extra for contractors not based in Louisiana. PSI's own exam fees are listed in its candidate bulletins.

Licenses expire on the anniversary of issue. You can choose one-, two- or three-year terms, except for licenses that depend on insurance, which can't renew for multiple years. Renewing more than 15 days late costs a delinquent fee, and a license not renewed within a year can't be renewed.

Residential contractors must complete 6 hours of continuing education a year from a board-approved provider (holding certain commercial licenses counts). Commercial, mold and home improvement licensees have no continuing education requirement. [6][9][11]

If you're licensed in another state

LSLBC announced in October 2024 that it accepts a trade exam you passed in any other state with no waivers, exemptions or grandfathering, for the equivalent Louisiana classification. All other requirements still apply, including the investigation of any violations, and LSLBC said the change voids its earlier state-by-state agreements. Your home board completes LSLBC's Reciprocity Request form, which you upload with your application.

LSLBC's rules also license qualifying military members, military spouses and dependents with a similar license in another state, though they must still complete the Business and Law course. See our reciprocity guide. [4][5][12][13]

Steps to get licensed in Louisiana

  1. Pick the license type and classification

    Commercial work of $50,000 or more needs a commercial license; new homes of $50,000 or more need a residential license; work on an existing home from $7,500 to under $50,000 needs a home improvement registration. Check LSLBC's classification list. [1][7]

  2. Set up the business and gather documents

    Corporations and LLCs (short for limited liability company) must be active with the Louisiana Secretary of State. Prepare the financial statement, business documents and, for residential and home improvement, insurance certificates sent by your agent. [5]

  3. Apply online and name a qualifying party

    Start the online application. The qualifying party must be the owner, a partner, member or officer, or a full-time employee, and completes LSLBC's online verification. [5][10]

  4. Pass the exams

    After approval, PSI emails you to schedule the trade exam through PSI's LSLBC page. Take the Business and Law exam in your LSLBC Contractor Portal (70 to pass). [9][10]

  5. Get licensed and keep it current

    LSLBC issues the license once every requirement is met. You can't bid or start work before then. Renew on the license anniversary; residential contractors complete 6 hours of continuing education each year. [4][5][6][11]

Where to get the hours

Programs that train general contractors in or for Louisiana, from their own official pages. Listed by type, not ranked.

Licensed in another state?

  • Commercial and residential (trade exam)

    Since October 2024, LSLBC accepts a trade exam you passed in any other state, with no waivers or grandfathering, for the equivalent Louisiana classification. All other license requirements still apply, and your home board fills out LSLBC's Reciprocity Request form. [5][12][13]

Also listed by: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah (their own boards list Louisiana as a partner; check both sides before you move).

Open the reciprocity map · How reciprocity works

AlaskaAK MaineME VermontVT New HampshireNH WashingtonWA IdahoID MontanaMT North DakotaND MinnesotaMN IllinoisIL WisconsinWI MichiganMI New YorkNY Rhode IslandRI MassachusettsMA OregonOR NevadaNV WyomingWY South DakotaSD IowaIA IndianaIN OhioOH PennsylvaniaPA New JerseyNJ ConnecticutCT CaliforniaCA UtahUT ColoradoCO NebraskaNE MissouriMO KentuckyKY West VirginiaWV VirginiaVA MarylandMD DelawareDE ArizonaAZ New MexicoNM KansasKS ArkansasAR TennesseeTN North CarolinaNC South CarolinaSC District of ColumbiaDC OklahomaOK LouisianaLA MississippiMS AlabamaAL GeorgiaGA HawaiiHI TexasTX FloridaFL
LA Listed here (agreement or endorsement) Lists LA

Questions people ask

When do I need a contractor license in Louisiana?

For commercial projects of $50,000 or more, new residential construction of $50,000 or more, and electrical, mechanical or plumbing work of $10,000 or more. Work on an existing home from $7,500 up to $50,000 needs a home improvement registration. [1][2]

Do I need experience to get a Louisiana contractor license?

The state law's list of license requirements doesn't set a years-of-experience rule. The business's qualifying party must pass the trade exam for each classification (none for home improvement) and the Business and Law exam, and the business must meet net worth and insurance rules. [3][7][10]

Can I build my own house in Louisiana without a license?

Yes, if it's your primary residence and you live in it. You can't build a home to rent or sell without a license. You still need local permits. [4]

Does Louisiana accept contractor licenses from other states?

LSLBC accepts a passing trade exam from another state, taken without waivers or grandfathering, for the equivalent classification. You still apply for a Louisiana license and meet the other requirements. [12]

Sources (28)
  1. R.S. 37:2150.1, Definitions, Louisiana State Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  2. Types of Licenses, Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  3. R.S. 37:2156.1, Requirements for issuance of a license, Louisiana State Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  4. FAQ, Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  5. Checklist of Items Required for Initial License and to Maintain License, Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  6. Continuing Education, Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  7. Exams Classifications, Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  8. Louisiana Contractors Licensing Law and Rules and Regulations (August 1, 2026 edition), Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  9. Test Registration and Scheduling, Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  10. What Happens After I Apply, Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  11. R.S. 37:2156, Applications; licenses; fees; renewals, Louisiana State Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  12. Louisiana Examination Reciprocity (letter of October 23, 2024), Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  13. Reciprocity Request (for Licensure in Louisiana), Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  14. Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (home page), Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  15. Licensing Requirements for Contractors in Louisiana, Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  16. Apprenticeship, ABC Pelican Chapter Craft Training. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  17. Baton Rouge Training Center, ABC Pelican Chapter Craft Training. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  18. Registered Apprenticeships, Louisiana Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  19. Core, ABC Pelican Chapter Craft Training. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  20. Louisiana Plumbing Licenses (License Types), State Plumbing Board of Louisiana. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  21. R.S. 23:386, Apprentice defined, Louisiana State Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  22. Class "E" Electrician Trainee License, City of New Orleans, Department of Safety and Permits. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  23. Act No. 908 (HB 953), 2026 Regular Session, relative to plumbing licenses, Louisiana State Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  24. Jump Start, Louisiana Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  25. Jump Start 2.0 Pathway Brief: Architecture and Construction, Louisiana Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  26. Act No. 490 (SB 322), 2026 Regular Session, relative to apprentices (Louisiana Youth Apprentice), Louisiana State Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  27. SB322, 2026 Regular Session (bill history), Louisiana State Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  28. Dual Enrollment, Louisiana Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.