Louisiana · HVAC licensing · official-source guide
Louisiana licenses HVAC work statewide through the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration falls under the Mechanical classification, code 6, and its subclassification 6.1. A license is required once a mechanical project exceeds ten thousand dollars in labor and materials, and the qualifying party must pass a trade exam.
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Verify a licenseVerified against agency sources on 2026-09-14. Rules and fees change; confirm with the named authority before relying on this guide.
Louisiana regulates heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration contracting at the state level. The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors issues the license from its office at 600 North Street in Baton Rouge. There is no separate HVAC board, and no parish or city runs its own competing HVAC contractor exam. The board writes the classification list, approves applications, administers the trade exams, and hears complaints against licensees. HVAC work sits inside the Mechanical major classification, classification code 6. The Contractors Licensing Law defines a mechanical contractor as a person who constructs, installs, maintains, tests or repairs air conditioning, refrigeration, heating systems and plumbing for residential, commercial and industrial applications, along with ventilation systems, mechanical work controls, boilers and other pressure vessels, steam and hot water systems and piping, gas piping and fuel storage, and chilled water and condensing water systems and piping, for which the project value is ten thousand dollars or more. That wording is wide enough to catch rooftop units, chillers, split systems, walk-in coolers, duct systems and refrigeration racks. Applications run through the LSLBC contractor portal rather than through a parish permit office. The board can revoke, suspend or refuse to renew a license, issue cease and desist orders to stop work, assess fines, and debar a contractor from public projects. Every published fee, threshold and requirement on this page comes from the board or from the Contractors Licensing Law it enforces.
The board sorts work into major classifications, subclassifications, specialty classifications and credentials. Mechanical is a major classification, code 6, and it requires a trade exam. Holding the major classification lets a contractor bid and perform the subclassification work listed beneath it plus related mechanical work. Directly under Mechanical sits the subclassification most HVAC firms want: Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration, classification code 6.1. The board defines that subclassification as the installation, maintenance or repair of air conditioning, ventilation, refrigeration, coolers, freezers and ice rinks, and states that a license is required when the value exceeds ten thousand dollars. It also requires a trade exam. Two other subclassifications sit under Mechanical and matter to bigger shops. Industrial Pipe Work and Insulation, code 3.4, covers process piping, components and insulation in industrial plants, chemical facilities, food and dairy plants and refineries. Plumbing, code 7, is carried as a credential rather than a board trade exam. Labor Only, code L.1, is available under Mechanical for firms supplying labor without materials or project supervision, and it carries no trade exam. Choose the narrowest classification that covers what you actually sell. A licensee is not permitted to bid or perform any type of work outside the classification under which the license was issued, so a firm that adds refrigeration racks or industrial piping later has to add the matching classification, complete its requirements and pay the fees.
Sourceslslbc.gov 1lslbc.gov 2
Louisiana licensing turns on project value, counting labor and materials together. Mechanical work, including HVAC, crosses the licensing line at a much lower number than general construction. The board states that electrical, mechanical and plumbing projects require a license when the value exceeds ten thousand dollars. By contrast, a commercial license is required for commercial projects valued at fifty thousand dollars or more, and a residential license is required for residential construction or home improvement on a residential structure exceeding fifty thousand dollars. Home improvement projects with a value exceeding seven thousand five hundred dollars but not in excess of fifty thousand dollars must be bid or performed by a home improvement registrant or a licensed contractor. Mold remediation and residential swimming pools both start at seven thousand five hundred dollars. Asbestos, hazardous waste, lead based paint abatement and underground storage tank work require a license at a project value of one dollar or more. For an HVAC company the practical rule is the ten thousand dollar mechanical figure, not the fifty thousand dollar figure a general contractor quotes you. A single residential changeout on a larger home can pass ten thousand dollars. So can a small restaurant walk-in cooler. Splitting one job into smaller written contracts to stay under a threshold is the kind of conduct the board treats as assisting a person to circumvent the licensing law.
The license belongs to the company. The qualifying party is the person who satisfies the exam and credential requirements on the company behalf. An applicant designates a qualifying party for each classification it wants and for the Louisiana business and law requirement. That qualifying party must meet all application requirements and satisfy any examination or credential requirement attached to the classification. A principal of the business or a full time employee may serve. An employee designated as qualifying party completes a verification before testing attesting that the person works at least thirty two hours per week for the applicant and meets the Internal Revenue Service definition of an employee. A qualifying party may also qualify a subsidiary of the licensee. The rules cover what happens when that person leaves. If the qualifying party for a trade ends employment or ownership with the licensee, the license stays valid, and the licensee may continue existing work and bid new work in the licensed classifications, but may not begin that work until the qualifying party is replaced. The board must be notified in writing within thirty days of the termination, and a new qualifying party must qualify within sixty days. Missing that sixty day window can bring suspension, revocation, or removal of the classification. Applicants, principals and qualifying parties must be United States citizens or legal residents and must pass a background investigation covering fiduciary matters and criminal convictions.
Sourceslslbc.gov
Louisiana screens contractors on money before it screens them on trade skill. Every applicant submits a financial statement on a form supplied by the board, current to within twelve months of the filing date, prepared and signed by an accountant, bookkeeper or certified public accountant and signed by the applicant attesting that the statement is true and correct. A current financial statement prepared by a certified public accountant may be attached in place of a signature on the board form. Residential and commercial licenses, their subclassifications, and all specialty classifications other than the labor only specialty must show a net worth of fifty thousand dollars or more. That includes the Mechanical classification and its HVAC subclassification. Home improvement, mold remediation and labor only specialties must show a net worth of twenty five thousand dollars or more. An applicant who cannot show the required net worth may satisfy the requirement by submitting an irrevocable letter of credit equal to the net worth requirement plus the amount of any negative net worth. The board keeps the financial statement confidential and exempt from the Louisiana Public Records Law, so a competitor cannot pull your balance sheet from the file. Plan the timing. A statement that has aged past twelve months by the time the board reviews the application is no longer current, and applications stay active only for one year after submission.
Sourceslslbc.gov 1lslbc.gov 2
Insurance obligations in Louisiana depend on which license you hold, not on the trade name over the door. The Contractors Licensing Law requires residential construction applicants and their subclassifications, mold remediation applicants and home improvement applicants to submit certificates showing workers compensation coverage in compliance with Title 23 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, plus liability insurance of at least five hundred thousand dollars, or equivalent liability protection through an authorized liability trust fund. Proof must come from an agent, broker or insurance company and must show the licensee name, the insurer, the broker name and address, the policy number, the beginning and ending coverage dates, and no exclusions for the scopes of work the contractor is licensed to perform. The board must be listed as a certificate holder. Coverage must run at least six months and must include every scope of work the applicant is licensed to perform. Licenses that depend on insurance requirements or certifications are not eligible for multiple year renewal, so an HVAC firm carrying an insurance dependent classification renews annually. Separately from licensing, the written contract rules require current certificates of insurance showing workers compensation coverage and the amount of liability coverage maintained for any licensee for which insurance is a requirement. Carry more than the floor if you want general contractor work. Owners and construction managers routinely set higher limits by contract than the board sets by statute.
Sourceslslbc.gov
Most HVAC applicants face two hurdles on paper. The Mechanical major classification carries a trade exam, and so does the Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration subclassification. The board also maintains a Louisiana business and law requirement, and an applicant designates a qualifying party for it in the same way it designates one for each trade classification. The board publishes its licensing requirements brochure listing a completed Business and Law course and a passing score on the trade exam, where applicable, among the items a commercial application must include. Exams are delivered through the board testing vendor, and the board directs candidates to the vendor site for exam content outlines, study reference lists and the Candidate Information Bulletin for each test. Scheduling rules are strict. An approved candidate is given a means to schedule the exam. A candidate who fails to appear at the scheduled date and time forfeits the examination fee and must pay a new fee before scheduling again. A candidate who fails an exam cannot retake it for thirty days, and may retake it only if all other eligibility requirements are complete. Anyone found to have used deceptive practices while taking or attempting to take a board exam is barred from serving as a qualifying party for three years. Trade exams do not have to be retaken at renewal when the same qualifier and the same classifications appear on the renewal.
Louisiana caps contractor licensing fees by statute, and the caps are low compared with the cost of the insurance and financial statement behind them. The law sets the basic license fee at not more than one hundred dollars and directs that the fee for additional classifications be a lesser amount set by the board. Fees for licenses shall not exceed an examination fee of fifty dollars, a license fee of one hundred dollars, a renewal fee of one hundred dollars, a delinquent fee of fifty dollars, and a home improvement fee of fifty dollars. The board may assess an additional surcharge of not more than four hundred dollars in connection with the application for and issuance of a license to a contractor not domiciled in Louisiana, to cover the added cost of investigating an out of state applicant. The board also assesses on each license renewal an additional fee of one hundred dollars per year dedicated to accredited construction management and construction technology programs at Louisiana public universities and community colleges, and each renewal form carries an optional election allowing the contractor to decline that dedication fee. All fees must be paid before a license is issued and before any change or addition to an existing license takes effect. Adding a classification later means applying, completing every requirement for that classification, and paying the required fees again.
Sourceslslbc.gov
Licenses and renewals expire on the anniversary of the date the license was originally issued. At renewal the licensee elects a one, two or three year term, and the board may issue on a multiple year basis up to a three year renewal term. Licenses that depend on insurance requirements or certifications are not eligible for multiple year renewal, and licenses or classifications based on certifications or credentials expire when the underlying credential expires. The board emails renewal notices from its own address to the email on file sixty days before expiration and again at fifteen days. A license cannot be renewed earlier than sixty days before expiration. After expiration there is a fifteen day grace window to file the renewal without a penalty. An application filed more than fifteen days after expiration is charged a delinquent fee not exceeding fifty dollars. A license not renewed within one year of expiration is no longer eligible for renewal, and the contractor must apply for a new license. Continuing education is narrower than many contractors expect. Residential building contractors must complete at least six hours of continuing education annually with a board approved provider and must keep the certificate of completion for five years. The board states there are no continuing education requirements for commercial, mold or home improvement contractors and registrants, so a commercial mechanical licensee has no annual hour count to clear.
Louisiana changed how it handles exam reciprocity in October 2024, and the new rule is simpler than the old web of state agreements. The board executive director notified state regulatory agencies that, going forward, if an applicant, licensee or registrant holds a classification requiring a test in any other state and has passed that test with no waivers, exemptions or grandfathering in effect, the LSLBC will accept that passing exam for reciprocity. The exam is accepted for the classification chosen by the board and equivalent in nature. The letter states that the change rendered any previous agreements null and void. Passing an exam elsewhere does not shortcut the rest of the file. All other requirements for licensure must still be met, including the investigation of all violations or pending violations in other jurisdictions. An out of state HVAC company still files the financial statement, designates a qualifying party, passes the background investigation and pays the fees. Expect the non domiciled surcharge described in the fee statute. The board publishes a reciprocity request form for applicants using this route. Separately, the rules give credit for military training and experience and create paths for service members, military spouses and dependents assigned to duty in Louisiana, including routes based on three years of work in a state that does not license the occupation, or two years plus a current private certification in good standing.
Sourceslslbc.gov 1lslbc.gov 2
Louisiana treats contracting without a license as a crime and as a civil violation at the same time. It is unlawful for any person to engage or continue in the business of contracting, or to act as a contractor, without holding an active license. Anyone found in violation is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, may be fined up to five hundred dollars per day of violation, or three months in prison, or both. A person without a board license who violates the section and causes harm or damage to another in excess of three hundred dollars may, on conviction, be fined not less than five hundred dollars and not more than five thousand dollars, or imprisoned with or without hard labor for not less than six months and not more than five years, or both. The district attorney where the violation occurs has sole authority to prosecute. The board runs a separate civil track. After notice and a hearing, any person violating the chapter is liable to the board for a fine of up to ten percent of the total contract or the value of the work bid or being performed. Where a value cannot be determined, the fine may reach ten thousand dollars, plus administrative costs and attorney fees. The commercial sting is quieter. A contractor who fails to obtain a required license cannot file a statement of claim, lien or privilege for money allegedly owed under that contract.
Sourceslslbc.gov
The state license travels. Mechanical, plumbing and electrical contractors licensed under the Contractors Licensing Law are excluded from local, municipal or parish regulatory authority examination procedures and may bid and perform work within any local jurisdiction upon paying all appropriate fees. The stated purpose of that provision is to preempt local examination authority for statewide licensed mechanical contractors bidding across multiple jurisdictions, and the preemption reaches the employees of those contractors as well, so a parish cannot require your installers to sit a local certification test as a condition of working for you. That does not make local permits optional. Parishes and municipalities still charge permit fees for inspection purposes and still require occupational licenses for the purpose of determining tax liability. A local building department is barred from issuing a building permit to any person who does not hold an active license in the appropriate classification for the scope of work, and board staff may inspect the monthly permit lists of every local building permit official in the state to find unlicensed work. Local governments may set requirements not less stringent than the state minimum standards where the governing authority finds the state standards do not meet local needs. Practical effect for a New Orleans, Baton Rouge or Shreveport HVAC shop: one state license, one exam, then permit fees, occupational tax registration and inspections in each jurisdiction you work.
Sourceslslbc.gov
Louisiana ties advertising claims to the license file. It is unlawful for any contractor, licensed or unlicensed, to publish, transmit, distribute or otherwise publicly circulate a misleading or false claim related to a person license or classification in any medium, including digital platforms. That covers your website, your paid search copy, your truck wrap and your directory profiles. Calling yourself a licensed mechanical contractor when the classification on file is something narrower is the exact conduct the statute names. The board also requires a person licensed or registered by it to bid, contract, conduct all business transactions and perform work in the name as it appears on the current license and the official board records, so a trade name that does not match the license is a problem in advertising and in contracts. Every agreement to perform contracting services that requires licensure must include the complete agreement between the parties, the full names, addresses and license number of the contractor, a description of the work, the total amount agreed to be paid, the signature of all parties, and current certificates of insurance. All parties get a copy at signing, and no work may begin before every party signs. Failure to give a residential, home improvement or mold customer, in writing, the contractor name, license number, classification and insurance certificates on request is separately listed as grounds for discipline.
Sourceslslbc.gov
The board runs a free public license lookup, and homeowners and general contractors use it. The ARLS public search lets anyone query by contractor company name, by first or last name where the license is held by an individual, by license number, by city or town, by parish, by type of contractor, and by qualifying party, plus an advanced search that combines fields. Every screen carries the board name, its Baton Rouge address and its phone number. That record is the first thing a cautious buyer checks after reading your reviews, and it is the first thing an insurance carrier or a public owner checks before award. Make the public record match your marketing. The name on the license, the classifications listed and the qualifying party on file should line up with the name on your website, the services you advertise and the person you name as the responsible party. A missing classification shows up in the lookup as clearly as a missing license. The board also publishes a contractor violations page and takes consumer complaints online, so disciplinary history is visible alongside the license. Keep the file current for a second reason: failure to give the board written notice of any change to the information in the original application within thirty calendar days is listed as grounds for suspension or disciplinary action.
Sourceslslbc.gov 1arlspublic.lslbc.louisiana.gov 2lslbc.gov 3
The Louisiana license lets the company contract. Federal law separately governs the people touching refrigerant. EPA regulations at 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F, issued under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, require that technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants be certified, and that they pass an EPA approved test administered by an EPA approved certifying organization. The rule defines a technician as an individual who attaches or detaches hoses and gauges to measure pressure in an appliance, adds or removes refrigerant, or otherwise violates the integrity of a small appliance or motor vehicle air conditioner like appliance. Apprentices are exempt while closely and continually supervised by a certified technician. EPA issues four certification types: Type I for small appliances, Type II for high and very high pressure appliances, Type III for low pressure appliances, and Universal for all types. Section 608 technician certification credentials do not expire, and EPA does not issue the cards itself. A core test taken open book cannot be used toward Universal certification, which requires a proctored core test. Refrigerant sales are restricted to certified technicians, or to an employer of a certified technician who gives the wholesaler written evidence of employing at least one properly certified technician. So an HVAC firm needs the state license to sell the job and certified people to buy the refrigerant and run the work.
These are common details other guides publish about Louisiana, but we could not verify them from the agency source. Confirm them directly before relying on them.
Yes. The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors licenses mechanical contracting statewide, and heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration work falls under the Mechanical classification. The board states a license is required when the value of electrical, mechanical or plumbing work exceeds ten thousand dollars, counting labor and materials.
Mechanical is the major classification, code 6. The subclassification most HVAC firms hold is Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration, code 6.1, defined as the installation, maintenance or repair of air conditioning, ventilation, refrigeration, coolers, freezers and ice rinks. Both carry a trade exam.
Ten thousand dollars, including labor and materials. That is lower than the fifty thousand dollar figure that triggers a commercial or residential construction license, so HVAC contractors cross the licensing line on smaller jobs than general contractors do.
No. The exemption that lets subcontractors work under a residential construction license holder without their own license specifically excludes electrical, mechanical, plumbing, mold remediation, water wells, asbestos and hazardous materials scopes. Mechanical work needs its own license.
If you perform plumbing work with a project value of ten thousand dollars or more, yes. The statute says a mechanical contractor who performs plumbing work at that value must possess a master plumber license issued by the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana.
An individual called the qualifying party does. The applicant designates a qualifying party for each classification and for the Louisiana business and law requirement. A principal or a full time employee working at least thirty two hours per week may serve.
Commercial and residential licenses and their subclassifications, including Mechanical, require a net worth of fifty thousand dollars or more on a financial statement current within twelve months. Home improvement, mold remediation and labor only require twenty five thousand dollars.
Since October 2024, yes, in most cases. If you hold a classification requiring a test in another state and passed that test with no waivers, exemptions or grandfathering, the board accepts it for an equivalent classification. Every other licensure requirement still applies.
It expires on the anniversary of the original issue date. At renewal you elect a one, two or three year term. Licenses that depend on insurance or certifications cannot be renewed on a multiple year basis.
Not for commercial mechanical licensees. The board requires residential building contractors to complete at least six hours annually with an approved provider, and states there are no continuing education requirements for commercial, mold or home improvement contractors and registrants.
Contracting without an active license is a misdemeanor carrying a fine up to five hundred dollars per day of violation, three months in prison, or both. The board can separately fine up to ten percent of the contract value, and an unlicensed contractor cannot file a lien for what is owed.
Yes. Federal rules under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act require technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of refrigerant bearing equipment to pass an EPA approved test. Certification does not expire, and refrigerant can only be sold to certified technicians or their employers.
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