How to Get a Contractor License in Louisiana

Start With Your Business Entity, Not the LSLBC Application

The most common mistake is jumping straight to the LSLBC portal. For an entity application, the board requires a Secretary of State Charter Number, a federal EIN, and a CPA-prepared financial statement — documents you should prepare before submitting.

Register your LLC or corporation through the GeauxBIZ portal, which coordinates filings across the Secretary of State, Department of Revenue, and Louisiana Workforce Commission in a single workflow. The Articles of Organization filing fee is $125 (increased under Act 921). Once approved, you receive a Charter Number — a mandatory field on the LSLBC application.

Simultaneously, apply for a Federal Employer Identification Number through the IRS. You can operate as a sole proprietor under your SSN, but this blocks you from using corporate qualifying party structures and exposes you to unlimited personal liability.

Prepare Your Financial Statement Before Hiring a CPA

The LSLBC requires a CPA-prepared financial statement showing minimum net worth of $50,000 for commercial and residential licenses, or $25,000 for Home Improvement and Mold Remediation. Many older guides still reference a $10,000 threshold — that number is outdated.

Before you pay a CPA, gather your balance sheet components: business assets, equipment values, outstanding receivables, and liabilities. Net worth equals total assets minus total liabilities. If your entity is brand new and asset-light, you can bridge the shortfall with an Irrevocable Letter of Credit from your bank under R.S. 37:2156.1.

The financial statement must be notarized. For major classifications (commercial and residential), the LSLBC requires the statement to be prepared as a compilation or formal review by an independent CPA.

Submit Your LSLBC Application

With your Charter Number and EIN (for an entity application) and CPA-prepared financial statement ready, submit your application through the LSLBC Contractor Portal. You'll select your license type — Commercial, Residential Construction, Mold Remediation, or Home Improvement — and specify your desired classifications and subclassifications.

For an entity application, upload your Articles of Organization (or Incorporation and Bylaws for corporations) and your CPA financial statement. Pay the statutory application fees: $100 licensing fee, $50 examination fee, and $50 home improvement fee if applicable.

Designate and Verify Your Qualifying Party

Every applicant must designate a qualifying party — the individual who represents the business's technical competence. Under La. R.S. § 37:2156.1D(1), this can be a sole proprietor, active partner, LLC member or manager, corporate officer, or a full-time W-2 employee.

After the LSLBC processes your application, each designated qualifier receives login credentials from [email protected]. The qualifier logs in and completes the Qualifying Party Verification, submitting their SSN, date of birth, and background disclosures.

A criminal conviction doesn't mean automatic denial — the board evaluates offenses related to contracting, financial fraud, and false record-keeping. But outstanding child support delinquencies will bar someone from serving as a qualifying party until the delinquency is resolved.

Pass the Exams

Once the LSLBC approves your qualifier, it issues an Examination Approval Notice — your Authorization to Test. Two requirements follow:

Business and Law Course: Taken online through the LSLBC Contractor Portal (not at a testing center). It covers contracting laws, prompt payment acts, lien rules, and tax obligations. The 50-question exam requires a 70% passing score. If your qualifier already passed this for another active Louisiana license, it's waived.

Trade Exam: Scheduled through PSI Services at one of their Louisiana testing centers (Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Metairie, Monroe, Pineville, or Shreveport). Fees range from $120 to $175. For the commercial Building Construction classification, the NASCLA accredited exam satisfies the trade requirement and transfers to reciprocal states.

Secure Insurance

Act 757 (2026) raised the general liability minimum for residential construction, residential subclassifications, mold remediation, and home improvement contractors to $500,000 — up from $100,000. The policy must cover at least six continuous months and contain no exclusions for your licensed scopes of work.

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory under La. R.S. Title 23. Both certificates must name the LSLBC as certificate holder and be emailed directly by your broker to [email protected].

Commercial licensees are exempt from filing insurance with the LSLBC but must carry coverage for local permits and client requirements.

Register With Your Local Parish

Your state license doesn't cover local requirements. Before starting any project, register with the parish authority having jurisdiction and secure project-specific building permits.

The parish layer varies significantly. New Orleans requires One Stop App registration and a parish occupational license. East Baton Rouge requires a local contractor bond ($10,000 for general contractors) and an occupational license tax. West Baton Rouge charges double fees if you start work before obtaining a permit.

Every one of these steps has an order that matters — filing out of sequence wastes money and delays your license by weeks or months. Our Louisiana General Contractor License Guide maps the complete process with the exact chronological sequence and document prep worksheets.

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