Who licenses what in Louisiana
| Work | License (LSLBC unless noted) | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement on an existing home (repair, remodel, addition, demolition) | Home improvement registration | $7,500 or more |
| Building or improving a residential structure (single-family, duplex, up to three floors) | Residential license | over $50,000 |
| Residential swimming pools | Residential Swimming Pools classification | over $7,500 |
| Commercial projects | Commercial license | $50,000 or more |
| Commercial electrical, mechanical, plumbing | Commercial license in that classification | over $10,000 |
| Mold remediation | Mold Remediation license | $7,500 or more |
| Plumbing and natural gas fitting | State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (moving to LSLBC under Act 908 of 2026) | any |
| Electrical and mechanical work in New Orleans | City of New Orleans Class "A" electrician; City-licensed mechanical contractor | any permit work |
Thresholds are quoted from the LSLBC's Types of Licenses page, which counts labor and materials together. The home improvement definition covers "the reconstruction, alteration, renovation, repair, modernization, conversion, improvement, removal, or demolition, or the construction of an addition to any preexisting residential structure".
How to look a contractor up, step by step
- Ask for the LSLBC license or registration number. On a $60,000 remodel the firm needs a Residential license, not just a home improvement registration.
- Search the LSLBC contractor search. It also searches by license number, by qualifying party and by type of contractor.
- Check the plumber on the State Plumbing Board roster. From 1 January 2027 plumbing licensing is fully under the LSLBC (plumbing board notice).
- In New Orleans, confirm the electrician's Class "A" license with the City's Department of Safety and Permits, and search the electrician's name in the One Stop App to see their other permits, as the New Orleans electrical permit guide explains. Plumbing permits there are applied for by an Orleans Parish licensed master plumber (New Orleans plumbing permit).
- If something goes wrong, the LSLBC takes complaints against contractors on its consumer complaint form.
Our permit data in Louisiana
| Place | Permits | Period | Largest kinds of work |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | 27,739 | Oct 2024 – Sep 2026 | electrical 9,668; plumbing 7,492; HVAC 3,333 |
| Baton Rouge | 10,556 | Oct 2024 – Sep 2026 | electrical 2,516; roofing 1,899; plumbing 1,747 |
These are permit counts, not contractor lists, and we have not matched Louisiana contractors to LSLBC records. To look up an address, see the New Orleans and Baton Rouge permit-search guides.
Red flags on a Louisiana job
- A home improvement job of $7,500 or more from a firm with no LSLBC registration.
- A residential job over $50,000 from a firm that holds only a home improvement registration.
- A roofer or remodeler who arrives after a storm with no Louisiana registration number.
- A New Orleans electrician without a City Class "A" license, or one who asks you to pull the permit.
- A plumber not on the plumbing board's roster.
How we know this
Thresholds and license types are quoted from the LSLBC's Types of Licenses page, the contractor search options from the LSLBC home page, and the plumbing transfer under Act 908 from the State Plumbing Board's home page, all read 25 October 2026. New Orleans electrical, mechanical and plumbing rules are from the City of New Orleans and Sewerage and Water Board pages cited in our New Orleans permit guides, read 24 October 2026. Counts come from each city's public permit file, read 19 October 2026.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 19, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- When does a Louisiana contractor need a license?
For home improvement on an existing house the threshold is $7,500 (registration), and residential construction or home improvement over $50,000 needs a Residential license, both from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC). Commercial work needs a license from $50,000, and commercial electrical, mechanical and plumbing work over $10,000.
- Where do I look up a Louisiana contractor?
The LSLBC's public search at arlspublic.lslbc.louisiana.gov, by contractor name, license number, qualifying party, type of contractor, city or parish.
- How do I check a Louisiana plumber?
Use the State Plumbing Board's roster at public.spbla.com to "Find a licensed Louisiana Plumber, Natural Gas Fitter" and others. Under Act 908 of 2026, plumbing licensing moves to the LSLBC, fully in effect on 1 January 2027.
- Who can pull an electrical permit in New Orleans?
Only an electrician holding a City of New Orleans Class "A" license. Mechanical work (air conditioning, furnaces, gas lines) needs a mechanical permit pulled by "the appropriate City-licensed contractor".
- Does mold remediation need a license in Louisiana?
Yes, for projects of $7,500 or more. The qualifying party must have 24 hours of training in mold remediation and basic mold assessment.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
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- Types of Licenses — Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (2026-10-25)
- Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors — home (contractor search links) (2026-10-25)
- Search by Contractor Name — LSLBC (2026-10-25)
- State Plumbing Board of Louisiana — home (2026-10-25)
- Rosters: Find a Licensed Plumber — State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (2026-10-25)
- Electrical Permit — City of New Orleans (2026-10-24)
- Guide to Building Permits — City of New Orleans (2026-10-24)
- One Stop App — City of New Orleans (2026-10-24)
- Plumbing Information — Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (2026-10-24)