- Plumbing work valued at $10,000 or more, including labor and materials, also needs a commercial plumbing license from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors.
- To sit for the master exam you need a current journeyman plumber license, or a professional engineer license. The journeyman exam needs 8,000 hours of plumbing as a registered apprentice, or 7,000 hours in an approved apprenticeship program.
- Plan for a trade exam and a business and law exam.
- Every year by December 31. Active master plumbers need 5 hours of continuing professional education before renewing.
Do you need a state license in Louisiana?
Louisiana licenses plumbing work at the state level through the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Plumbing work valued at $10,000 or more, including labor and materials, also needs a commercial plumbing license from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors.
Louisiana license types for plumbing work
Louisiana splits the work into 5 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Master Plumber | Install, repair and maintain new and existing plumbing systems, and employ apprentices and journeyman plumbers |
| Journeyman Plumber | Install, repair and maintain plumbing under the supervision of a Louisiana master plumber |
| Residential Plumber | Repair existing plumbing in one and two family homes while employed by a master plumber |
| Apprentice registration | Required for anyone doing plumbing without a license, working for a master plumber's company under direct supervision |
| Plumbing classification (Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors) | Contractor license for plumbing jobs over $10,000 |
Steps to get licensed in Louisiana
- Register with the State Plumbing Board as an apprentice and work for a master plumber's company under direct supervision.
- Log 8,000 hours of plumbing (7,000 in an approved apprenticeship) and pass the journeyman plumber exam.
- Apply for the master plumber exam with the $110 fee and pass all three parts.
- Get an active master license for $190 and file general liability, workers compensation and vehicle insurance certificates with the board.
- For plumbing jobs of $10,000 or more, also get a commercial plumbing license from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors.
- Renew every year by December 31 after 5 hours of continuing education.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. To sit for the master exam you need a current journeyman plumber license, or a professional engineer license. The journeyman exam needs 8,000 hours of plumbing as a registered apprentice, or 7,000 hours in an approved apprenticeship program.
The license to apply for. Master Plumber license.
Louisiana plumbing exams
Trade exam. Yes. The master plumber exam has three written parts. Part one covers the 2021 International Plumbing Code and Residential Code, and part two covers the state sanitary code on sewage disposal.
Business and law exam. Part three of the master exam covers business, law and project management. The contractors board license also requires its online Business and Law course.
What it costs in Louisiana
The board lists 6 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Master plumber exam application | $110 |
| Active master plumber license | $190 |
| Inactive master plumber license | $40 |
| Journeyman exam application (exam fee plus processing) | $135 |
| Journeyman license | $50 |
| Apprentice registration | $20 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. Active master plumbers must keep certificates on file with the board showing general liability, workers compensation and service vehicle liability coverage.
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every year by December 31. Active master plumbers need 5 hours of continuing professional education before renewing.
Reciprocity. The board does not reciprocate master licenses. It has journeyman reciprocity with Texas and Arkansas.
Good to know in Louisiana
- Act 908 of the 2026 legislative session moves plumbing licensing from the State Plumbing Board to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, so expect changes during the transition.
- Each plumbing company needs one designated responsible active master plumber.
- Job site signs, service vehicles and ads must show the company name, address, phone and Louisiana master plumber number.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a plumber near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how plumbing companies run on Koira.