Types of Licenses
TYPES OF LICENSES
The statutes of the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) provide for four basic license types.
Commercial
A Commercial license is required for:
- Commercial projects with a value of $50,000 or more (including labor and materials) when the property is to be used for commercial purposes. Commercial purpose is any construction project except residential structures with no more than four incorporated or attached dwelling units.
- Subcontractors/Specialty Trades for commercial projects with a value of $50,000 or more.
- Electrical/Mechanical/Plumbing projects exceeding $10,000 including labor and materials.
- Asbestos, Hazardous Waste, Lead Based Paint Abatement/Removal, and Underground Storage Tanks projects with a value of $1 or more.
Residential
A Residential license is required for:
- Residential Construction exceeding $50,000 (including labor and materials) of any residential structure. Residential structure is defined as a building or structure that is used primarily for occupancy by a person as a residence. Such structures or buildings include but are not limited to single family dwellings, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes which are not more than three floors in height and structures that are part of or adjacent to the building or structures to be used as a residence.
- Home Improvements projects on existing residential structures exceeding $50,000.
- A licensed Residential Construction contractor may bid on or contract to build or repair residential swimming pools but must use a subcontractor holding a license with the Residential Swimming Pools classification if they do not hold this classification. This is required for residential swimming pools projects where the cost of labor and materials exceeds $7,500.
Home Improvement
A Home Improvement registration is required for the following home improvement contracting activities of $7,500 or more but is less than $50,000, including labor and materials:
“Home improvement contracting” means the reconstruction, alteration, renovation, repair, modernization, conversion, improvement, removal, or demolition, or the construction of an addition to any preexisting residential structure which building is used or designed to be used as a residence or dwelling unit, or to structures which are adjacent to such residence or building where the project value is $7,500 or more but is less than $50,000. Does not include the performance of any structural work that is integral to the structural integrity of any new or existing structure including but not limited to footings, foundation, outside walls, skeleton, bearing columns and interior load bearing walls, and floor slabs. Does not include services rendered gratuitously. Does include roofing work within the dollar limits, excluding structural modifications or repairs.
Exceptions:
- Home improvement contracting projects which exceed $50,000, including labor and materials, require a Residential license with the Residential Construction classification.
Exemptions:
- Those with an active Residential License with Residential Construction and/or Commercial License with Building Construction are exempt from the Home Improvement Registration.
Mold Remediation
A Mold Remediation license is required for remediation projects with a value of $7,500 or more. To obtain a mold license, the qualifying party must have twenty-four hours of training in mold remediation and basic mold assessment. A list of the approved Mold Remediation Training Providers and the courses they offer is available at http://www.lslbc.louisiana.gov/mold-remediation-training-providers/.
For a complete list of all classifications, subclassifications, and specialty licenses offered by the LSLBC, click on this link: Examinations/Classifications List