Register as an SPBLA apprentice, log your hours, pass the board's own exam, and add an LSLBC contractor license if your business bids $10,000 or more: here is the Louisiana plumbing license path, fees, and the 2027 Act 908 transfer.
Getting a Louisiana plumbing license starts with registering as an apprentice with the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA), then logging supervised hours toward the Residential Plumber Limited, Journeyman, or Master Plumber exam. A business that bids or contracts plumbing work of $10,000 or more needs a separate license from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC), on top of the individual's SPBLA credential, and 2026 is the year the two systems begin to merge.
This guide walks the path in order: who needs which license, the hours and exams, the application steps, the fees, and what changes for a business. It also covers the biggest change in Louisiana plumbing in decades: Act 908 abolishes the SPBLA on January 1, 2027 and moves plumber licensing into the LSLBC. For the state's full contractor picture, see the Louisiana contractor license guide, and for every state, see how to get a contractor license.
At a glance
Issuer: the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA) licenses individual plumbers; the LSLBC licenses the business.
Business threshold: a plumbing contractor license is required at $10,000 or more in project value (R.S. 37:2150.1).
Journeyman hours: 7,000 indentured or 8,000 unindentured, with an 80-question exam and a 70% passing score.
Fees: $135 journeyman exam application; $50 license fee after you pass.
2027 change: Act 908 abolishes the SPBLA on January 1, 2027 and folds plumber licensing into the LSLBC.
Who Needs a Louisiana Plumbing License
Two systems matter, and until January 1, 2027 they stay separate. The SPBLA licenses every individual plumber (Apprentice, Residential Plumber Limited, Journeyman, and Master) and natural gas fitters, under R.S. 37:1361 et seq. and LAC 46:LV. Anyone performing plumbing work must first register as an apprentice if they are not already licensed.
The business side is different. Under R.S. 37:2150.1, a plumbing contractor is anyone who installs, maintains, or repairs potable or nonpotable water or sewer systems, including service lines, where the project value is $10,000 or more; that business needs its own LSLBC license. The LSLBC's general thresholds sit alongside it: $50,000 or more for commercial work or new residential construction, and $7,500 or more for repairs or improvements to an existing residence or for mold remediation.
To verify any Louisiana plumber, the board's free license roster searches by name, license number, company, or parish. The LSLBC runs a separate lookup for contractor licenses.
Louisiana Plumbing License Types
Every figure below is the board's own, confirmed against the board's current license pages.
| License | Hours to Qualify | Exam | Application Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice registration | None; work for a licensed master's company | None | $20 |
| Residential Plumber Limited | 3,000 indentured or 4,000 unindentured | 80 questions, 3 hours, plus 1 hour practical; 70% | $135 |
| Journeyman Plumber | 7,000 indentured or 8,000 unindentured | 80 questions, 3 hours, plus 1 hour practical; 70% | $135 |
| Master Plumber | Current journeyman license or Louisiana PE license | Three written parts, 7 hours; 70% each | $110 |
- Application fees include the board's $10 processing charge.
- A Residential Plumber Limited may install, alter, repair, and maintain residential systems in one- and two-family dwellings, up to a duplex, without journeyman supervision.
- Natural gas fitters sit on a parallel ladder at the same board: a Journeyman Natural Gas Fitter needs 3,000 indentured or 4,000 unindentured hours, or two years already licensed as a journeyman plumber, then an 80-question, 3-hour exam on the 2021 International Fuel Gas Code plus a 30-minute practical, for a $135 application and a $50 license fee. A Master Natural Gas Fitter needs a current natural gas fitter, Mechanical (Statewide), or Louisiana PE license, then a two-part exam, for a $110 application and a $190 active or $40 inactive license fee.
Experience and Education: Logging Your Hours
An indentured apprentice is enrolled in a Louisiana Workforce Commission approved program and employed by an entity with a licensed master; an unindentured apprentice works for such an entity without a program, and needs more on-the-job hours for every exam. Both routes count only hours logged as a registered apprentice, so there is no way to sit a Louisiana plumbing exam without first registering, even informally.
Proof of hours is official payroll documentation, or four W-2s from full-time work for a licensed plumbing company. The board does not accept 1099s, because your hours must come as an employee of a licensed master's company, not as an independent contractor. Keep every pay stub; it is the single most common reason an application stalls.
Two credit routes shorten the wait for people arriving from elsewhere. A plumbing license from a state that requires at least 8,000 hours of on-the-job training qualifies you to sit for the Louisiana journeyman exam, though you still take the Louisiana test. A journeyman licensed in Texas or Arkansas for at least two years can apply directly for a Louisiana journeyman plumber and natural gas fitter license, for $100 total ($40 license fee plus $10 processing, each).
The Louisiana Plumbing Licensing Exams
Louisiana is unusual among the trades in this guide's series: the plumbing exams are written and administered by the board itself, in Baton Rouge and Shreveport, not by a third-party testing vendor like PSI or Prov. The Residential and Journeyman exams are a single written part, 80 questions over 3 hours on the current International Residential Code and, for journeyman, the International Plumbing Code too, plus a 1-hour practical covering a floor plan, screw pipe, and copper projects. You need 70% to pass each category.
The Master exam is three written parts, 70% on each: Part I is 3 hours and 80 questions on the IPC and IRC; Part II is 2 hours on the state Sanitary Code's sewage disposal provisions; Part III is 2 hours and 40 questions on the NASCLA Louisiana Master Plumbers and Master Natural Gas Fitters guide to business, law, and project management. Applications must be notarized, with proof of hours attached, no less than 30 days before the exam date, and a temporary permit is available for $75 while you wait to test.
How to Get a Louisiana Plumbing License, Step by Step
- Get hired by a licensed master plumber's company and register with the SPBLA as an apprentice, indentured or unindentured, for $20.
- Log supervised hours under a licensed journeyman or master, keeping every pay stub and W-2.
- Optional: test for Residential Plumber Limited at 3,000 or 4,000 hours.
- Test for Journeyman at 7,000 or 8,000 hours, filing the notarized application at least 30 days before the exam.
- Renew every year by December 31, with CPE completed first.
- Test for Master once you hold a current journeyman license, or a Louisiana PE license.
- Add the LSLBC contractor license if your business will bid or contract plumbing jobs of $10,000 or more.
Want the Application Done for You?
Filing the SPBLA application correctly, with notarized hours, years of payroll proof, and the right documentation attached before the 30-day exam deadline, is where applications stall, and a plumbing business adding an LSLBC contractor license on top faces its own paperwork. The Licensing Company's License Application Processing prepares and submits your Louisiana application: an eligibility audit before anything is filed, a document checklist (we chase the pieces with you), every state form prepared and reviewed line by line, submission the way the board requires, and the board's paperwork questions answered and resubmitted until the board decides.
It is a flat $999 per state application, paid up front. State fees, exam fees, background checks, and fingerprinting are paid to the state, not to us. We do not promise approval, since only the board decides, and we do not promise a timeline. Call 615-219-2110 or start at License Application Processing.
If you are not yet eligible on your own hours, a qualifying agent can qualify the company while you build toward your own license. See Hire a Qualifying Agent and what a qualifying agent is: a qualifying agent QUALIFIES the company as an owner or full time W-2 employee who supervises the work, not a stand-in for your own future license.
Louisiana Plumbing License Fees
| License | First License | Renewal by Dec 31 | CPE per Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice registration | Included | $20 ($35 after Dec 31, $50 after Mar 31) | None |
| Residential Plumber Limited | $40 | Annual, CPE due first | 3.5 hours |
| Journeyman Plumber | $50 | $50 ($65, then $80 late) | 3.5 hours |
| Master Plumber, active | $190 | $190 ($250, then $310 late) | 5 hours |
| Master Plumber, inactive | $40 | $40 ($55, then $70 late) | None |
- A $75 temporary permit lets a Residential or Journeyman candidate work while waiting to test.
- Every figure above is set by the SPBLA and subject to change; verify with the board before you apply.
Insurance, Net Worth, and the Business Side
The SPBLA itself does not require a bond or insurance filing from an individual plumber. The LSLBC does, for the business. Commercial and residential LSLBC applicants show a net worth of $50,000 or more; home improvement, mold, and labor-only applicants show $25,000. Residential construction and its subclassifications, mold remediation, and home improvement licensees carry $500,000 in general liability coverage plus workers' compensation, under Act 757, which raised the floor from $100,000 effective August 1, 2026.
There must be one designated Responsible Active Master Plumber for each plumbing company, who submits current certificates of the company's general liability insurance, vehicle insurance, and workers' compensation with the renewal. That role is what connects the individual license to running a business, covered in full below.
Commercial applicants, including most plumbing contractors bidding jobs above the general commercial threshold, are not required to file the residential-tier insurance certificate with the LSLBC; the $500,000 figure applies specifically to the residential, mold remediation, and home improvement classifications named in Act 757. Confirm which classification and insurance tier your company's work falls under before you file, since the wrong tier can delay a renewal.
2026 Exam Dates and Where You Test
Baton Rouge exams are at 11304 Cloverland Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70809; Shreveport exams are at 1602 Market Street, Shreveport, LA 71101.
| Exam | Baton Rouge 2026 | Shreveport 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Plumber Limited | 7 sessions, January to October | June 20 |
| Journeyman Plumber | 8 sessions, January to October | June 6 |
| Master Plumber | 4 sessions, February to November | July 11 |
- Residential Plumber Limited, Baton Rouge: January 24, March 7, March 21, May 23, August 15, August 29, October 24.
- Journeyman Plumber, Baton Rouge: January 10, January 31, March 14, May 9, May 16, August 22, October 10, October 17.
- Master Plumber, Baton Rouge: February 7, April 11, September 12, November 7.
How Long It Takes to Get Licensed
The experience requirement is the bulk of the timeline. Working full time, 7,000 indentured hours runs about 3.5 years and 8,000 unindentured hours runs about 4 years before you can sit the journeyman exam; the optional Residential Plumber Limited step comes sooner, at roughly 1.5 to 2 years. The Master exam has no separate hour count today, only a current journeyman license, so the remaining time is whatever it takes to prepare for a three-part written test.
After you apply, plan around the board's own calendar rather than a fixed processing window: applications must be notarized and filed at least 30 days before your chosen exam date, and renewals submitted through the licensee renewal portal take up to two weeks. From January 1, 2027, Act 908 shortens the apprentice-to-journeyman stretch to 2,500 hours and adds a 1,000-hour journeyman-to-master requirement; see the 2027 change below.
Renewals and Continuing Education
Every SPBLA license and registration expires December 31. If you will be working in 2027, renew by December 31, 2026, with CPE completed first. CPE under LAC 46:LV, Section 1001 is 3.5 hours for residential and journeyman plumbers and 5 hours for active masters, from a board-approved provider, in the prior calendar year. Anyone who misses the December 31 deadline must contact the board to complete a make-up course before renewing.
Apprentices renew at the same $20 registration fee each year and need no CPE.
2026 Update: Act 908 Moves Plumbing Licensing to the Contractors Board
Governor Jeff Landry signed Act 908 (House Bill 953) on June 12, 2026. It transfers plumbing licensing and regulatory authority from the SPBLA to the LSLBC effective January 1, 2027: an eleven-member Plumbing Contractors Subcommittee inside the LSLBC, two licensed plumbers added to the contractors board, repeal of R.S. 37:1361 through 1380, and shorter on-the-job hours (2,500 apprentice hours for journeyman, 1,000 journeyman hours for master). A Senate attempt to strip the subcommittee and the SPBLA's abolition from the bill was rejected in conference committee, so both survived into the signed Act.
Anyone licensed by the SPBLA on or before December 31, 2026 holds the equivalent LSLBC license on January 1, 2027. Since September 1, 2026, the SPBLA office sits inside the LSLBC at 600 North Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. Until the transfer date, applications, exams, and renewals still run through the State Plumbing Board process described above.
Separately, Act 757, effective August 1, 2026, raised the minimum general liability insurance for residential construction, mold remediation, and home improvement licensees from $100,000 to $500,000, and voided assignment of benefits agreements under R.S. 37:2159.1. See the 2026 contractor license law changes roundup.
What Changes on January 1, 2027 Under Act 908
Act 908 rewrites the contractor licensing law (R.S. 37:2150 et seq.) to absorb plumbers:
- Fewer hours. A journeyman license will require 2,500 hours of verified work as an apprentice plus a written exam and a practical; a master license will require a journeyman license, 1,000 hours of verified work as a licensed journeyman, and a written exam. Today's 7,000-to-8,000-hour journeyman requirement ends.
- Grandfathering. Every apprentice, journeyman, and master licensed by the State Plumbing Board on or before December 31, 2026 holds the equivalent LSLBC license on January 1, 2027.
- Who governs. An eleven-member Plumbing Contractors Subcommittee appointed by the governor sits inside the LSLBC, and two licensed plumbers join the contractors board.
- Two plumbing contractor tiers. A master plumbing contractor may contract plumbing on any structure, and only a licensed master plumber can be its qualifying party. A residential plumbing contractor is limited to residences of three floors or fewer, and a licensed journeyman or master can be its qualifying party.
What Louisiana Requires of a Plumbing Business
A master plumber license makes you qualified. It does not, by itself, let a business bid and contract plumbing jobs; for that, the company needs an LSLBC contractor license, under R.S. 37:2150.1, triggered at $10,000 or more in project value.
The business names a qualifying party for each classification and for the Louisiana Business and Law requirement (R.S. 37:2156.1). LSLBC trade exams moved to PSI on August 5, 2025, and a plumbing contractor who holds a current SPBLA master plumber license is exempt from the trade exam, under R.S. 37:2156.1. Commercial and residential applicants show a net worth of $50,000 or more; home improvement, mold, and labor-only applicants show $25,000, and residential, mold, and home improvement licensees carry the $500,000 liability coverage described above.
Our guide to what the monetary limit on a contractor license means breaks down the thresholds, the Louisiana contractor license page covers the LSLBC application in full, and the general contractor license in Louisiana guide walks the building side.
The Qualifying Party Rule, and How a Qualifying Agent Fits
Any principal or full-time employee may be the qualifying party (R.S. 37:2156.1). An employee qualifying party certifies that they work at least 32 hours per week for the company and meet the IRS definition of an employee, and the employer certifies that in the application, under LAC 46:XXIX, Section 109. When a qualifying party leaves, the company has 60 days to designate a replacement under the same rule.
For a plumbing company that needs a master plumber to qualify its plumbing classification but does not have one on staff, the lawful answer is a qualifying agent: a licensed master plumber placed as a full-time W-2 employee who actually supervises the work and stands as the company's qualifying party. At The Licensing Company, founders Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski built the practice around that structure, because it is what every state board, Louisiana included, looks for: a real license holder with a real role, on payroll, with authority over the plumbing. From 2027 that matters more, since a master plumbing contractor's qualifying party must be a licensed master plumber.
If you run a plumbing business that needs a qualifier, see how to hire a qualifying agent. If you hold a Louisiana master plumber license, see what a qualifying agent is and becoming a qualifying agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a licensed plumber in Louisiana? Today, roughly 3.5 to 4 years of supervised, full-time hours to reach journeyman (7,000 indentured or 8,000 unindentured), then the master exam; the Residential Plumber Limited license comes sooner, at 3,000 to 4,000 hours.
What is the SPBLA and where is it now? The State Plumbing Board of Louisiana, which licenses individual plumbers under R.S. 37:1361 et seq. Since September 1, 2026, its office sits inside the LSLBC at 600 North Street, Baton Rouge; on January 1, 2027, its duties pass to the LSLBC.
Does Louisiana use PSI for the plumbing exams? No. The individual plumbing exams are written and administered by the board itself, in Baton Rouge and Shreveport; the separate LSLBC contractor trade exams have run through PSI since August 5, 2025.
Can you get a Louisiana plumbing license online? No. Applications and renewals are filed online, but the residential, journeyman, and master exams, both written and practical, are given in person in Baton Rouge or Shreveport on the board's published 2026 dates.
Can I get a Louisiana plumbing license with no apprenticeship? Not without registering as an apprentice, since every exam counts hours logged as a registered apprentice. You need not join a formal program, but the unindentured route needs more hours: 4,000 for residential and 8,000 for journeyman.
How much does a Louisiana plumbing license cost? Board fees are modest: $20 to register as an apprentice, $135 to apply for the residential or journeyman exam, $40 or $50 for the first license, $110 for the master exam, and $190 for an active master license, all subject to change. If you would rather have the paperwork handled for you, see License Application Processing, a flat $999 per state application.
Can a journeyman plumber pull permits or run jobs in Louisiana? A journeyman works under a master. To stand behind a company and hold its plumbing classification, you need a master plumber license, and the business needs an LSLBC contractor license with a qualifying party.
Does Louisiana have plumbing license reciprocity? At the journeyman level: Texas and Arkansas journeymen with two years on their license, and plumbers from 8,000-hour states who still sit the Louisiana exam. There is no reciprocity for master licenses.
Does Louisiana license natural gas fitters too? Yes, on a parallel ladder at the same board: Journeyman and Master Natural Gas Fitter licenses, with their own hours, exams, and fees, described above.
Do I need a license to do plumbing on my own home? The plumbing law at R.S. 37:1377 excepts work done by an individual on his own personal residence, and the contractor law at R.S. 37:2157(A)(2) exempts an owner directing work on their own property for their own use and not for sale. Neither covers work for others; check with the board and your local building office.
Sources
All retrieved October 7, 2026, unless noted.
- SPBLA license types
- SPBLA home page
- SPBLA 2026 exam schedule
- SPBLA CPE for plumbers and natural gas fitters
- SPBLA apprentice application (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- SPBLA residential application (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- SPBLA journeyman application (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- SPBLA master application (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- SPBLA Texas reciprocal application (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- SPBLA Arkansas reciprocal application (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- SPBLA public roster (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- R.S. 37:1361 (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- R.S. 37:1377 (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- R.S. 37:2150.1
- R.S. 37:2156.1
- R.S. 37:2157 (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- LAC 46:XXIX, Section 109
- LAC 46:LV, Section 305 (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- LAC 46:LV, Section 1001 (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- Act 908 of 2026 (HB 953) (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- LSLBC plumbing classification
- LSLBC FAQ
- LSLBC test registration and scheduling
- LSLBC Act 757 insurance change notice
- LSLBC memorandum, July 13, 2026 (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- The Licensing Company, License Application Processing
Talk to The Licensing Company
If you are early in the trade, register as an apprentice and start logging clean, documented W-2 hours under a licensed master. If you already hold a Louisiana master plumber license, you hold a credential that businesses across the state need in order to qualify for plumbing work.
The Licensing Company helps both sides: contractors who need a licensed qualifier to hold their plumbing classification, and master plumbers who want their credential to work for them as a full time W-2 qualifying agent. We can also file your SPBLA or LSLBC application through License Application Processing, a flat $999 per state application, paid up front. Call 615-219-2110, visit hire a qualifying agent, or start with the contractor license pillar and our guide to getting a plumbing contractor license across states.
Fees, codes, and requirements are set by the SPBLA and the LSLBC and are subject to change; verify current requirements with the board before applying.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.