Louisiana Electrical Contractor License: Requirements, Fees, and the LSLBC Exam

Louisiana Electrical Contractor License: Requirements and the Exam

Louisiana licenses electrical contractors, not individual electricians, at the state level. The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) issues a commercial license with the Electrical major classification, sometimes called "Electrical Statewide." A qualifying party passes the trade exam for the company. PSI gives the exam. Here is what it takes.

Who needs it

You need the Electrical classification for electrical work where the total project value, labor plus materials, is $10,000 or more. That includes residential projects: Louisiana has no separate residential electrical classification or exam, so electrical work on homes at $10,000 or more also falls under Electrical.

Two related cases:

• Low-voltage work that penetrates walls, ceilings, floors or the building envelope requires Electrical, not the Telecommunications classification.
• Connecting solar PV wiring on a project of $10,000 or more requires an Electrical license.

No state journeyman or master license

There is no statewide journeyman or master electrician license in Louisiana. Individual electricians are licensed locally, if at all. In New Orleans, for example, the Department of Safety and Permits issues a Class "D" Journeyman license ($60), which requires a passing report on the ICC national journeyman electrician exam and work under a Class "A" contractor, and a Class "A" Master Electrical Contractor license ($125), which takes ICC Electrical Contractor exam results or a copy of the Louisiana state license, plus general liability coverage of at least $500,000. Check with the parish or city where you work.

A statewide license does carry weight locally: a state-licensed electrical contractor is exempt from local, municipal and parish exam requirements and can work in any jurisdiction after paying local fees. Its employees are also exempt from local exams or certification as a condition of working for that contractor.

The company and the qualifying party

The company (applicant):

• A financial statement current within 12 months showing net worth of at least $50,000, or an irrevocable letter of credit instead.
• U.S. citizen or legal resident.
• A background investigation of the applicant, its principals and its qualifying parties.
• Business entities must be registered and active with the Louisiana Secretary of State.
• Insurance is not required for commercial license applicants, Electrical included.

The qualifying party (the person who tests) must be a sole proprietor, partner, LLC member or manager, officer or stockholder, or a full-time W-2 employee working at least 30 hours a week. The QP passes the trade exam, and one QP per license completes the Business and Law requirement.

LSLBC publishes no years-of-experience requirement for the Electrical classification. None appears in the statute, the rules, the FAQ or the application materials.

Business and Law is an online course

Every license applicant needs Louisiana Business and Law, but it is not a PSI test-center exam. It is an online course of about an hour with an exam on the course content at the end, taken from your home or office computer through LSLBC. The fee is $150. If an active QP on the license has already completed it, a new QP does not need to. LSLBC does not publish its question count or pass mark.

Applying

1. Apply with LSLBC at lslbc.gov/apply-for-a-license.
2. LSLBC approves the qualifying party and sends an Examination Approval Notice.
3. PSI emails an eligibility letter.
4. Schedule and pay for the trade exam with PSI.

Your exam eligibility is good for one year. If you do not pass within the year, you reapply with LSLBC.

Fees

Fee	Amount
PSI Electrical trade exam	$140, paid to PSI
Business and Law course	$150
Classification fee	$95 per classification per year
Processing fee	$40 per classification
Exam research/waiver fee (reciprocity, NASCLA or a previously passed exam)	$150

These figures come from LSLBC's add-a-classification form. LSLBC does not publish a full fee schedule for a new license, so confirm the total with the Board when you apply. Fees are nonrefundable.

The exam

Item	Electrical trade exam
Vendor	PSI
Scored questions	100, plus 1 to 10 unscored experimental questions
Time	240 minutes (4 hours)
Passing score	70% (70 of 100)
Book policy	Open book
References	NFPA 70, 2023 edition; 29 CFR 1926 (OSHA); Ugly's Electrical References (2011, 2014 or 2017 edition)
Retake	After 30 days

The exam tests the 2023 NEC, even though Louisiana still enforces the 2020 NEC. What is on the exam explains the edition gap and all 13 areas.

Pass rates

Neither LSLBC nor PSI publishes pass rates for the Electrical exam.

Renewal

• Licenses expire on the anniversary of issue, with a one-, two- or three-year renewal term.
• Renewal opens 60 days before expiration. There is a 15-day grace period, then a delinquent fee of up to $50.
• A license cannot be renewed more than one year after it expires; after that you reapply. You do not need to retake the trade exam if you reapply with the same QP and classifications.
• There is no continuing education requirement for commercial licensees, Electrical included.

Reciprocity

Since October 23, 2024, LSLBC accepts any passed out-of-state exam for an equivalent classification, with no waivers or grandfathering. A NASCLA exam can also earn credit for the trade exam. Either way, the $150 waiver fee applies and Business and Law is still required.

Getting ready

Try our free practice test on the 2023 NEC, or see the full Louisiana Electrical Contractor exam prep. For the test itself, see Louisiana Electrical Contractor exam day.