Louisiana Contractor License Classifications

How the Classification System Works

The LSLBC doesn't issue a single "contractor license" that covers everything. Instead, the board organizes construction work into a hierarchy: license types, major classifications, subclassifications, and specialty credentials. Your license specifies exactly which types of work you're authorized to bid on and perform.

Getting the classification wrong isn't just inconvenient — bidding or performing work outside your approved classification is a violation subject to fines and stop-work orders.

License Types

At the top level, the LSLBC issues four license types:

• Commercial — commercial buildings, industrial facilities, multi-family (5+ attached units), public works. Triggered at $50,000 or more in total contract value.
• Residential Construction — new single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes up to three stories. For new construction, it is triggered above $50,000, and it authorizes residential home improvements over $50,000.
• Home Improvement Registration — renovations on existing residential structures, $7,500 to $49,999. No trade exam required.
• Mold Remediation — mold removal projects $7,500 and above. Requires 24 hours of specialized training instead of a trade exam.

Major Classifications (Commercial)

Commercial licenses include several major classifications, each with its own trade exam:

• Building Construction — the broadest commercial classification, covering general commercial building
• Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction
• Heavy Construction — dams, utilities, pipelines, earthwork
• Municipal and Public Works Construction

The Building Construction classification accepts the NASCLA accredited exam, which transfers to reciprocal states. This is the classification most general contractors pursue when they want flexibility across project types.

Subclassifications

Under each major classification, the LSLBC lists subclassifications for specialized scopes: drywall, concrete, steel erection, masonry, flooring, painting, insulation, and many more. Subclassifications let you take on specific trade work within a commercial or residential scope without holding the full major classification.

Subclassification licensees working on commercial projects are subject to the same $50,000 threshold trigger. For other specialty trades — drywall, masonry, roofing, flooring — licensure is required for commercial projects valued at $50,000 or more.

Specialty Trade Licenses

Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing contractors fall under specialty trade licensing with a lower trigger: $10,000 in total contract value (labor and materials) on any commercial or residential project.

Electrical: Covers all electrical installation, maintenance, and repair work. Accepts NASCLA exam transcripts.

Mechanical: Covers HVAC, refrigeration, and related systems.

Plumbing: As of Act 908 (2026), the independent State Plumbing Board of Louisiana was abolished and all plumbing regulation transferred to the LSLBC, effective January 1, 2027. The act created a Plumbing Contractors Subcommittee within the LSLBC and reduced individual journeyman plumbing experience requirements from 7,000–8,000 hours to 2,500 verified hours. It also introduced a formal distinction between an individual plumber's license (for employees) and a plumbing contractor's license (for business entities contracting directly with clients).

The 2026 Roofing Subclassification

Act 422 created the Residential Roofing subclassification effective January 1, 2026. Any residential roof work valued at $7,500 or more now requires either the full Residential Construction license or this specific subclassification. Roofers who previously operated under HIC registrations or without a state license must now upgrade if their jobs reach that threshold — unlicensed roofing is classified as a criminal misdemeanor.

Credentials vs. Licenses

A few specialized activities require credentials from other state agencies rather than LSLBC licenses. Landscaping, for example, requires a credential from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. The LSLBC classification page lists which scopes it governs and which fall under other agencies.

Choosing Your Classification

Select the narrowest classification that covers all the work you intend to perform. Holding a broader classification than necessary doesn't hurt, but applying for the wrong one — or attempting to split contracts to avoid a classification trigger — creates enforcement risk.

Our Louisiana General Contractor License Guide includes a classification decision flowchart that maps your target project types to the correct LSLBC categories.

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