STATE LICENSE
ConditionalLouisiana State Licensing Board for Contr…
LSLBC rules define Residential Swimming Pools as the construction, installation, maintenance, or repair of pools, whirlpools, hot tubs, and accessories for residences, with a license required when the value exceeds $7,500. It is a subclassification of Residential Construction, so it carries the residential package: trade exam, $50,000 net worth, workers' comp, and — from August 1, 2026 — $500,000 in liability insurance. Only Building Construction, Swimming Pools, or Residential Swimming Pools licensees may build or repair residential pools above $7,500; a Residential Construction licensee may sign the contract but must sub the pool to one of them.
Commercial pools, fountains, and water features of $50,000+ need the Swimming Pools subclassification of Building Construction. Pool equipment wiring of $10,000+ needs the Electrical classification. Below $7,500 on a residential pool, LSLBC requires nothing.
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.
The Residential Swimming Pools classification expressly covers maintenance and repair, not just construction — over $7,500, service work needs it too.
A Residential Construction licensee may contract for a pool but must hire a contractor holding a pool classification to build or repair it.
LAC 46:XXIX.503 triggers the pool license when the project 'exceeds $7,500' — one dollar different from the statute's general '$7,500 or more' home improvement line.
A practical sequence for a new pool service 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.
Building or repairing residential pools over $7,500 without a pool classification can draw board discipline and is unlicensed contracting.
Engaging in contracting without the required license is a misdemeanor.
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: Whether recurring residential pool-service contracts are aggregated toward the $7,500 project value (LSLBC guidance on service agreements not found) · Louisiana Department of Health rules for public or commercial pool operators (not reviewed) · Whether the 6-hour annual residential CE rule applies to holders of only the Residential Swimming Pools subclassification · 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) · 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.