How to get a contractor license in Louisiana
Louisiana runs all contractor licensing through one agency, the State Licensing Board for Contractors, with three main lines: a commercial license for projects of $50,000 or more, a residential license for projects over $75,000, and a home improvement registration for residential jobs over $7,500 but under the residential threshold. Most remodelers discover they need the home improvement registration long before they need a full license. Mold remediation carries its own credential through the same board.
Licensing authority
Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors: https://lslbc.louisiana.gov
When a license is required
Commercial projects of $50,000 or more require a commercial license, and residential projects over $75,000 require a residential license. Home improvement work on residences priced over $7,500 but at or below $75,000 requires the board's home improvement registration. Labor and materials both count toward the totals.
License classes in Louisiana
Commercial contractor license
For non-residential projects of $50,000 and up, issued in classifications such as building construction. Requires the trade exam or an accepted NASCLA score plus business and law.
Residential contractor license
For residential construction over $75,000, including new homes. Has its own exam and financial requirements through the same board.
Home improvement registration
Covers residential improvement jobs over $7,500 up to $75,000. A registration rather than an exam-based license, but skipping it is still a violation.
Mold remediation license
Louisiana licenses mold remediation separately through the LSLBC, a legacy of post-hurricane rebuilding. Do not do mold work on someone else's building without it.
What you need before you apply
- Pass the trade exam for your classification, or hold an accepted NASCLA score on the commercial side
- Pass the Louisiana business and law exam, which is never waived
- Submit a financial statement meeting the net worth standard the board sets for your license type
- General liability insurance and workers compensation coverage
- A Louisiana Secretary of State registration for your entity
- The application fee for your license or registration type
How to get licensed in Louisiana
- Place your work on the threshold map. Commercial at $50,000, residential over $75,000, home improvement over $7,500. Many contractors need the home improvement registration now and a full license later, and the board treats them as separate applications.
- Prepare the financial statement. The board reviews net worth as part of licensing. Get the statement prepared to the standard the board specifies for your license type before filing.
- Take the exams. Louisiana requires its business and law exam of everyone. The trade exam can be covered by reciprocity or a NASCLA score for commercial classifications; otherwise you sit it.
- File with the LSLBC. Submit the application with exams, financials, insurance certificates, and fees. Track status with the board rather than assuming silence means progress.
- Renew and stay in classification. Work only in classifications you hold. The board polices scope, and jobs outside your classification count as unlicensed contracting even with a license on the wall.
Reciprocity with other states
The LSLBC has reciprocity agreements with the contractor boards of Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee, plus the North Carolina electrical examiners and Utah's licensing division, generally requiring three years licensed in the domiciliary state with no discipline. Reciprocity waives the trade exam only; the business and law exam always remains, and requests are reviewed rather than automatic.
Working without a license
Unlicensed contracting in Louisiana draws board fines and injunctions that can stop a project mid-pour, and Louisiana courts void unlicensed contracts, limiting the contractor to bare cost recovery with no profit. During post-storm rebuilds, enforcement gets aggressive. Confirm current thresholds and classifications with the LSLBC before bidding, since the rules see regular legislative attention.
Frequently asked questions
Do handymen need a license in Louisiana?
Small jobs are open: residential work at $7,500 or less requires no state credential. From $7,500 up to $75,000 you need the home improvement registration, and over $75,000 a residential license. Almost any full bathroom or kitchen remodel lands in registration territory, so most working remodelers need it.
What is the difference between the home improvement registration and a residential license?
The registration covers improvement jobs over $7,500 up to $75,000 and does not require a trade exam. The residential license covers projects over $75,000, including new construction, and carries exams and financial requirements. They are separate credentials from the same board, and the registration does not grow into the license automatically.
Does Louisiana accept the NASCLA exam?
Yes, for commercial trade examination purposes, and Louisiana is a popular state to take it in. The Louisiana business and law exam still applies, since the board never waives it. A NASCLA score also positions you for licensure in more than a dozen other participating states.
Can I use my Texas or Mississippi license in Louisiana?
Texas has no state GC license to reciprocate, so Texas contractors apply fresh. Mississippi licensees can request reciprocity under the board agreement if they have three years of licensure and a clean record, which waives the trade exam but not business and law. All reciprocity requests go through written board review.
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