STATE LICENSE
ConditionalLouisiana State Licensing Board for Contr…
The home improvement definition bars structural work — outside walls, skeleton, bearing columns, interior load-bearing walls, floor slabs, roofing systems — and the residential-contractor definition captures anyone bidding or performing home improvement of $7,500 or more. LSLBC's own brochure states the result plainly: residential work of $50,000 or more, or requiring any structural work, must be bid and performed by a licensed Residential Building Contractor.
New construction is different for subs. R.S. 37:2157(A)(17) exempts a subcontractor working directly for a Residential Construction licensee (outside electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and a few hazardous scopes), and LSLBC notes there are no licensing requirements for labor-only subs on new residential projects. Commercial framing of $50,000+ needs Carpentry, Steel Erection and Installation, or Building Construction — or the no-exam Labor Only classification for crews supplying labor only.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Louisiana runs on parishes, not counties, and every parish or municipal permit desk is bound by R.S. 37:2160(B): it may not issue a building permit to anyone without an active LSLBC license in the classification that matches the scope, and it must collect a board-form exemption affidavit from owner-builders (§ 2160(C)). LSLBC staff may audit local permit lists monthly (§ 2160(A)). Beyond the state license, a contractor owes only local occupational license taxes, inspection permit fees, and any local competency license for mechanical, plumbing, or electrical contractors (R.S. 37:2156(N), electrical added by Act 757 of 2026); state law preempts local examination authority over LSLBC licensees (§ 2160(D)). In New Orleans, permits run through the Department of Safety & Permits, and a building-permit application must include a copy of the contractor's current Certificate of Registration and license number. Baton Rouge is a consolidated city-parish: the City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge Permits & Inspections Division handles building, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical permits — except inside the City of St. George, which took over its own permitting on October 16, 2024. Jefferson, Caddo (Shreveport), and Lafayette permit offices apply the same state gate.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Louisiana county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
Load-bearing walls, outside walls, and the structural skeleton are carved out of home improvement — at $7,500+ that work needs the Residential Construction license.
Act 757 of 2026 added that the exempt residential subcontractor must contract directly with the residential license holder.
LSLBC states there are no licensing requirements for labor-only subcontractors on new residential construction; labor-only subs must contract with a licensed contractor, never the owner.
A practical sequence for a new framing contractor in Louisiana. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Performing structural residential work of $7,500+ without the residential license is unlicensed contracting.
Unlicensed work that causes more than $300 in harm or damage carries a heavier range.
Up to 10% of the contract or work value, plus costs and attorney fees.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
| County · City | Permit office | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Caddo Parish Shreveport | City of Shreveport — Permits & Inspections Division ↗ Unincorporated: Caddo Parish Commission — Public Works, Engineering ↗ | My Government Online ↗ |
| Calcasieu Parish Lake Charles | City of Lake Charles — Permit Center ↗ Unincorporated: Calcasieu Parish Police Jury — Division of Planning and Development ↗ | MGO Connect ↗ |
| East Baton Rouge Parish Baton Rouge (consolidated gov.) | City of Baton Rouge / Parish of East Baton Rouge — Permits & Inspections Division ↗ | MyGovernmentOnline (MGO Connect) ↗ |
| Lafayette Parish Lafayette (consolidated gov.) | Lafayette Consolidated Government — Development & Planning, Permitting Division ↗ | MGO Connect ↗ |
| Orleans Parish New Orleans (consolidated gov.) | City of New Orleans — Department of Safety and Permits (One Stop Shop) ↗ | One Stop App ↗ |
| Terrebonne Parish Houma (consolidated gov.) | Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government — Planning & Zoning, Permits Division ↗ | MGO Connect ↗ |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Current LSLBC fee amounts — the board resets fees each July under LAC 46:XXIX.131; this record uses the statutory caps in R.S. 37:2156(C) · PSI trade-exam vendor fees (paid to PSI; not published on lslbc.gov) · LSLBC rule text (LAC 46:XXIX.301, promulgated November 2023) still describes residential construction and home improvement at $75,000; the statute, as amended by Act 178 of 2024, controls at $50,000 · Local registration or competency-license requirements in Jefferson Parish, Caddo Parish/Shreveport, and Lafayette Consolidated Government were not reviewed on those governments' sites
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.