Your Louisiana plumbing license is in the middle of a big change. Right now the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA) licenses individual plumbers. Act 908 of the 2026 Regular Session abolishes that board on January 1, 2027 and moves plumber licensing to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC). If you hold an apprentice, journeyman, or master license on December 31, 2026, the law says you hold the equivalent LSLBC license on January 1, 2027.
Who licenses plumbers in Louisiana
Through December 31, 2026, two boards share the job:
- State Plumbing Board of Louisiana. Licenses the person: apprentice, residential plumber limited, journeyman, master, natural gas fitter, master natural gas fitter, plus medical gas and WSPS endorsements. See the Board’s license page.
- Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Licenses the business. Its plumbing classification page says a license is required when the value of the work exceeds $10,000.
The plumbing board moved into the LSLBC offices at 600 North Street in Baton Rouge on September 1, 2026, as part of the transition. Some Board pages still show the old Cloverland Avenue address, so call before you mail anything.
Requirements change, so confirm with the Board before you apply. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice.
What changes on January 1, 2027
Act 908 started as House Bill 953. Here’s what the enrolled act says:
- The State Plumbing Board is abolished. LSLBC becomes its successor and takes over its staff, records, and funds. The plumbing law at La. R.S. 37:1361 et seq. is repealed.
- A Plumbing Contractors Subcommittee inside LSLBC writes the plumbing rules, issues licenses, sets continuing education, and handles enforcement.
- Existing licenses carry over. Anyone licensed by the plumbing board as an apprentice, journeyman, or master on or before December 31, 2026 holds the equivalent LSLBC license on January 1, 2027.
- Journeyman: 2,500 hours of verified apprentice work, plus a written exam and a practical.
- Master: licensed journeyman, then 1,000 more hours of verified work, plus a written exam.
- Apprentices register with the board and verify their employment twice a year. A journeyman can supervise no more than three apprentices.
- New contractor classes: master plumbing contractor (any structure, qualified only by a master plumber) and residential plumbing contractor (residential buildings up to three floors, qualified by a journeyman or master).
- Repealed grades: residential plumber limited, medical gas installer, medical gas verifier, and water supply protection specialist.
Some things are still open. The carry-over section names only apprentice, journeyman, and master. It doesn’t mention residential plumber limited, gas fitter, or medical gas holders. If you hold one of those, ask the Board in writing what happens to it.
LSLBC has not published the new plumbing rules yet. Its legislative changes memo says more details will come as rules are finalized. It set public meetings on the transfer for August 5, October 27, and November 24, 2026. So 2027 fees, exam vendor, CE hours, and reciprocity rules are not published yet. Confirm with the Board.
License types
These are the current plumbing board licenses, good through December 31, 2026. “Indentured” means you’re in a Louisiana Workforce Commission approved apprenticeship. “Unindentured” means you’re not.
- Apprentice. A registration, not a license. You must work for a master company.
- Residential Plumber Limited. 3,000 hours indentured or 4,000 unindentured.
- Journeyman Plumber. 7,000 hours indentured or 8,000 unindentured, under direct supervision.
- Master Plumber. A current journeyman license, or a current Professional Engineer license.
- Journeyman Natural Gas Fitter. 3,000 hours indentured or 4,000 unindentured. A journeyman plumber can also qualify after a two-year training period under a gas fitter or master.
- Master Natural Gas Fitter. A current gas fitter license, an LSLBC mechanical license, or a PE license.
- Endorsements. Medical gas installer, medical gas verifier, and WSPS. These recertify every three years.
How to become a plumber in Louisiana
- Register as an apprentice. Get hired by a master company and file the apprentice registration.
- Log your hours. Under the current rules that’s 7,000 or 8,000 hours for journeyman. Under Act 908 it drops to 2,500 hours starting in 2027.
- Pass the journeyman exam. Written plus practical.
- Go for master. Today that takes a journeyman license. Under Act 908 you also need 1,000 more hours.
- Running the business? Add an LSLBC contractor license.
Timing matters. The 2026 exam calendar shows no journeyman or residential dates after October, and no 2027 dates are posted yet. If you’re not licensed by December 31, 2026, you’ll likely be applying under the new LSLBC rules.
Exams
The plumbing board runs its own exams in Baton Rouge and Shreveport, per its exam schedule. No outside vendor is named.
- Residential Plumber Limited. 80 questions, 3 hours, on the 2021 IRC. Plus a 1-hour, three-part practical.
- Journeyman Plumber. 80 questions, 3 hours, on the 2021 IPC and IRC. Plus a 1-hour practical.
- Master Plumber. Three written parts: the 2021 IPC and IRC (80 questions), sewage disposal under Title 51, Part XIII (25 questions), and the NASCLA Louisiana master plumbers guide (40 questions).
- Journeyman Natural Gas Fitter. 80 questions, 3 hours, on the 2021 IFGC. Plus a 30-minute practical.
Your application must be approved at least 30 days before an exam date. The 2027 exam setup is not published yet.
Renewal
Plumbing board licenses renew every year and expire December 31. The 2027 renewal form says if you’ll work in 2027, renew by December 31, 2026. Finish CE before you submit.
CE hours come from LAC Title 46, Part LV, §1001 and §1002:
- Residential or journeyman: 3.5 hours, taken in one day.
- Active master: 5 hours, in one day or two sessions within 30 days.
- Journeyman or residential plus gas fitter: 4.5 hours.
- Master plus gas fitter, or any plumber plus master gas fitter: 6 hours.
- Inactive master: no CE if you file the inactivity affidavit and don’t work in the trade. Working as a journeyman means 3.5 hours.
- Apprentices: no CE.
Miss the CE deadline and you must contact the Board for a make-up course. If you’re the responsible master or journeyman for a company, you also send certificates for general liability ($500,000), vehicle insurance, and workers’ comp, or the workers’ comp affidavit if you’re exempt.
The 2027 CE and renewal rules aren’t published yet.
Cost
Current plumbing board fees from its license page and the 2027 renewal form. Each includes a $10 processing charge.
- Apprentice registration: $20.
- Residential Plumber Limited: $135 application and exam, $40 initial license.
- Journeyman Plumber: $135 application and exam, $50 initial license.
- Master Plumber: $110 application and exam, $190 initial license (active) or $40 (inactive).
- Natural Gas Fitter: $135 application and exam, $50 initial license.
- Temporary work permit: $75.
- Renewals by December 31: $20 apprentice, $50 journeyman or gas fitter, $190 active master, $40 inactive master.
- Late renewal: journeyman goes to $65 after December 31 and $80 after March 31. Active master goes to $250, then $310.
2027 LSLBC fees are not published yet. Don’t trust any site quoting them.
Reciprocity
The plumbing board reciprocates at the journeyman level only, with Texas and Arkansas. That covers journeyman plumber and natural gas fitter. The reciprocation page has a separate application for each state. Master licenses are not reciprocated.
- Texas. Under a 2022 agreement, Texas journeymen in good standing can get Louisiana journeyman plumber and natural gas fitter licenses without another exam. The Texas board says Louisiana journeymen and gas fitters can get the Texas equivalent the same way.
- Hour check. The Board says your out-of-state license must reflect at least 8,000 hours for journeyman plumber, or 4,000 for gas fitter.
- Contractor exams. LSLBC’s 2024 reciprocity policy accepts an equivalent trade exam passed in any state with no waivers, and it voided older agreements. Tennessee lists Louisiana for its full mechanical exam waiver, but ask LSLBC how it applies to you.
Act 908 lets the subcommittee write rules for licenses and temporary permits for people with equivalent out-of-state licenses. Whether the Texas and Arkansas deals continue after 2027 is not published yet. See our plumbing license reciprocity guide for other states.
How to apply
- Get the right form. Exam applications are on the Board’s new license applications page.
- Renew online at licensee.spbla.com, or mail the form with a check to SPBLA.
- Call first. The plumbing board’s listed number is 225-756-3434. LSLBC is 225-765-2301.
FAQ
Will my Louisiana plumbing license still be good in 2027?
If you’re an apprentice, journeyman, or master licensed on or before December 31, 2026, Act 908 says you hold the equivalent LSLBC license on January 1, 2027. Renew by December 31, 2026 to stay current.
How many hours do I need for a journeyman license?
Right now, 7,000 hours indentured or 8,000 unindentured. Starting January 1, 2027, Act 908 sets it at 2,500 hours of verified apprentice work plus a written and practical exam.
What happens to the residential plumber limited license?
Act 908 repeals that grade, and the carry-over section doesn’t name it. The Board hasn’t published the answer yet, so ask it directly.
Can I use my Texas license in Louisiana?
Yes, at the journeyman level. A Texas journeyman in good standing can get a Louisiana journeyman or gas fitter license with no extra exam.
Next steps
Close to qualifying? Call the Board now about the 2027 switch. To compare Louisiana with other states, see our plumbing license by state page, the full plumbing license guide, plumbing license cost by state, and plumbing license renewal by state. Working near the border? Check the Texas plumbing license and Mississippi plumbing license pages too. Ready to run your own shop? Read how to start a plumbing business.
