Louisiana Contractor Licensing & Classifications
Louisiana licenses contractors through a single state board and sets several dollar thresholds by type of work. This chapter covers the board, the commercial and residential triggers, the E/M/P and registration thresholds, the major classifications, and the trade exam.
The LSLBC and La. R.S. 37:2150 et seq.
Contractors in Louisiana are licensed by the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC), whose authority comes from the Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 37, Chapter 24 (R.S. 37:2150 and following), with key definitions at R.S. 37:2150.1. The LSLBC sets qualification standards, administers the examinations, issues commercial and residential credentials, and enforces the licensing law statewide.
The dollar thresholds that trigger a credential
A commercial contractor license is required for commercial work of $50,000 or more. The electrical, mechanical, and plumbing (E/M/P) subclassifications carry a lower $10,000 threshold. On the residential side, a residential license is required for new residential construction of $50,000 or more — this figure is $50,000, and older material citing $75,000 is out of date. Home improvement and mold remediation are handled through registration at $7,500 or more. Matching the credential to both the type of work and its dollar value is the core of Louisiana licensing.
Major classifications and the trade exam
The LSLBC organizes commercial licenses into major classifications such as Building Construction; Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction; Heavy Construction; Municipal and Public Works Construction; and the specialty E/M/P classifications. For the Building Construction classification, the trade/technical requirement is satisfied by the NASCLA Accredited Commercial General Building Contractor examination, while the Louisiana Business and Law examination remains required. Passing NASCLA alone does not license a contractor in Louisiana.