Quick answer: Louisiana is a dollar-threshold state. Most trades only need a state license once the project value (labor plus materials) crosses a set amount, enforced by the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) under La. R.S. 37:2150–2165. A Commercial license is required at $50,000 or more; a Residential license once the undertaking exceeds $75,000; and a Home Improvement Registration for residential work over $7,500 up to $75,000. Electrical and mechanical (HVAC) work needs an LSLBC license once it exceeds $10,000. Individual plumbers are licensed separately by the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana. Painters, carpenters, landscapers, handymen and cleaners need no state license below the thresholds.
The table below shows which of the common trades need a Louisiana state license and which do not.
Which trades need a license in Louisiana?
| Trade | State license required? | Licensing body |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Yes | Individual plumbers are licensed by the separate State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (journeyman, master, residential). Plumbing contracting also falls under the LSLBC once the undertaking exceeds $10,000. |
| Electrician | Yes | State license required through the LSLBC (Electrical classification) once the cost of the undertaking exceeds $10,000, per La. R.S. 37:2150.1(5). |
| HVAC | Yes | State license required through the LSLBC (Mechanical classification, which covers HVAC and refrigeration) once the cost exceeds $10,000, per La. R.S. 37:2150.1(10). |
| General Contractor | Yes | State license required through the LSLBC: Commercial at $50,000 or more, or Residential once the undertaking exceeds $75,000. A Home Improvement Registration covers residential jobs of $7,500 up to $75,000. |
| Roofer | Yes | Roofing is an LSLBC classification. A license is required once a project reaches the commercial ($50,000) or residential ($75,000) threshold; smaller residential roofing falls under Home Improvement Registration above $7,500. |
| Painter | It depends | No dedicated state painting license. Painting only requires an LSLBC credential when part of a project that crosses a threshold ($50,000 commercial, $75,000 residential, or $7,500+ home improvement). |
| Carpenter | It depends | No dedicated state carpentry license. Carpentry only needs an LSLBC credential when the overall project crosses a threshold; standalone small jobs need no state license. |
| Landscaper | It depends | General landscaping and lawn care need no LSLBC license below the thresholds. Separate LDAF rules apply to horticulture, arborist and irrigation work, and larger landscape-construction jobs can trigger LSLBC licensing. |
| Handyman | It depends | No state license for small residential jobs. A Home Improvement Registration is required once residential work exceeds $7,500 (up to $75,000); above $75,000 a Residential license is needed. Handymen still cannot perform licensed electrical, mechanical or plumbing scopes. |
| Cleaner | No | No state occupational or contractor license for residential or commercial cleaning. Note that mold remediation is separately licensed by the LSLBC once the cost exceeds $7,500. |
"Yes" means a state license is generally required; "It depends" means the trade is licensed by the LSLBC only once the project value crosses a dollar threshold. Local parishes and municipalities may still require an occupational license (business tax) regardless of state rules.
How Louisiana licenses construction trades
Louisiana regulates contracting primarily through the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) under La. R.S. 37:2150–2165. Unlike states that license every tradesperson, Louisiana is a dollar-threshold system: a state license is triggered by the value of the project, not the trade itself. The project value always includes the entire cost of labor, materials, rentals and all direct and indirect expenses, counted regardless of who pays for them or whether materials are donated.
The three core credentials are a Commercial license (required for commercial projects of $50,000 or more), a Residential license (required once a residential undertaking exceeds $75,000), and a Home Improvement Registration (required for residential work that exceeds $7,500 but is not greater than $75,000). A contractor cannot split or divide a job into phases to slip under a threshold — the principal contract is the agreement to perform the entire scope of work.
The dollar thresholds that trigger a license
The key numbers under La. R.S. 37:2150.1 are:
- Commercial: $50,000 or more (labor and materials).
- Residential: a Residential Building Contractor license once the undertaking exceeds $75,000.
- Home Improvement Registration: residential work exceeding $7,500 but not greater than $75,000. Contractors who already hold a valid commercial or residential license are exempt from this registration.
- Electrical, Mechanical (HVAC) and Plumbing: an LSLBC license once the cost of the undertaking exceeds $10,000.
- Hazardous materials: a license is required for work of $1 or more.
- Mold remediation: a license is required once the cost exceeds $7,500.
Below the applicable threshold, no LSLBC license is required — though a licensed trade's scope (for example, electrical or plumbing work) can still trigger other rules.
Plumbers: a separate board
Individual plumbers in Louisiana are licensed by the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana, a separate agency from the LSLBC. The board issues Apprentice, Journeyman, Residential and Master plumber licenses and administers the required examinations, experience hours and continuing education under the Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 46, Part LV.
This is a two-track system: a person actually installing or repairing plumbing needs the appropriate State Plumbing Board license, while a company contracting for plumbing work over $10,000 also needs the LSLBC plumbing classification. Larger plumbing jobs can therefore involve both credentials.
Electrical and mechanical (HVAC) work
Electrical and Mechanical work are LSLBC classifications with their own lower threshold. An electrical contractor license is required once the cost of the undertaking exceeds $10,000 (La. R.S. 37:2150.1(5)), and the mechanical classification — which covers heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration — is triggered at the same $10,000 figure (La. R.S. 37:2150.1(10)). These thresholds are far lower than the $50,000 commercial and $75,000 residential figures, so even modest electrical or HVAC contracts commonly require a license.
Trades with no dedicated Louisiana license
Louisiana has no standalone state license for painting, carpentry, general landscaping, handyman work or cleaning. These trades only fall under the LSLBC when they form part of a project that crosses a dollar threshold — for example, a residential remodel over $7,500 (Home Improvement Registration) or over $75,000 (Residential license).
Being unlicensed does not mean unregulated. Parishes and cities routinely require a local occupational license (business tax), landscaping that involves horticulture, arborist or pesticide work is governed by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF), and no unlicensed trade may cross into reserved electrical, mechanical or plumbing scopes. Cleaning is the main trade with essentially no state credential — though mold remediation is separately licensed above $7,500.
How to get licensed in Louisiana
- Add up the full project value (labor, materials, rentals and all direct and indirect costs) and identify which threshold you cross: $10,000 for electrical/mechanical/plumbing, $50,000 commercial, or $7,500 / $75,000 for residential work.
- Determine the right credential: an LSLBC Commercial or Residential license, a Home Improvement Registration, or a State Plumbing Board license if you personally perform plumbing work.
- Meet the eligibility requirements for that credential, including required insurance (residential and home improvement applicants must show workers' compensation coverage and general liability of at least $100,000).
- Apply to the LSLBC (submitting the qualifying-party exam results and financial/insurance documentation) or, for individual plumbers, register and test through the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana.
- Keep the credential active by renewing on schedule (State Plumbing Board licenses renew annually by December 31 with continuing education) and confirm any local parish or municipal occupational-license requirements before starting work.
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Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to be a contractor in Louisiana?
It depends on the size of the job. Louisiana licenses contractors by project value through the LSLBC. You need a Commercial license for commercial work of $50,000 or more, a Residential license once a residential undertaking exceeds $75,000, and a Home Improvement Registration for residential work over $7,500 up to $75,000. Electrical, mechanical (HVAC) and plumbing work require a license once the cost exceeds $10,000.
What is the residential contractor threshold in Louisiana?
A Residential Building Contractor license is required once the cost of the undertaking exceeds $75,000, per La. R.S. 37:2150.1. For residential work above $7,500 but not greater than $75,000, a Home Improvement Registration is required instead. Contractors who already hold a valid commercial or residential license do not need the separate home improvement registration.
Who licenses plumbers in Louisiana?
Individual plumbers are licensed by the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana, a separate agency from the LSLBC, which issues Apprentice, Journeyman, Residential and Master licenses. A company that contracts for plumbing work exceeding $10,000 also needs the LSLBC plumbing classification, so larger jobs can require both credentials.
Do painters, handymen and cleaners need a license in Louisiana?
There is no standalone state license for painting, handyman work or cleaning. However, a handyman or painter performing residential work over $7,500 needs a Home Improvement Registration (and a Residential license above $75,000). Cleaning needs no state credential, though mold remediation is separately licensed by the LSLBC once the cost exceeds $7,500. Local parishes and cities may still require an occupational license.
Sources: Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC), LSLBC – Frequently Asked Questions, LSLBC – Types of Licenses, LSLBC – Contractors Licensing Law and Rules & Regulations (La. R.S. 37:2150–2165), State Plumbing Board of Louisiana – Licenses, Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 46 Part LV – Plumbing, 2025. Licensing rules change — always confirm current requirements with the relevant state board and your local city before you work.