Your Louisiana HVAC license: the LSLBC Mechanical classification, the $10,000 line, and your first 30 days

Published November 3, 2026 · Law, board forms, city pages, code rules and utility pages checked November 3, 2026, including Acts 757 and 908 of 2026

• Free. The whole 30-day checklist is on this page. The printable version (PDF, Word or Google Docs) comes by email.
• Deepsel is our product: free estimate, invoice and scheduling software for contractors (scheduling, quotes, invoicing, card payments). The section before the FAQ says where it fits and where it doesn't.
• Not legal advice. Every rule here links to the statute, rule, board form, city page or federal page it comes from. Call the LSLBC (225-765-2301) before you bet a job on my reading.

Louisiana doesn't license HVAC technicians. It licenses HVAC companies, and only from $10,000 a job. The State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) issues the Mechanical classification, and its subclassification called Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work and Refrigeration, to a business that names a qualifying party who passed the trade exam. Your company needs one of them for HVAC work worth $10,000 or more, counting labor and all materials, on houses and commercial buildings alike.^1,6,7 Below that line the state's contractor board asks your HVAC company for nothing, apart from one open question on house jobs from $7,500 (below). New Orleans, Jefferson Parish and Shreveport still license or register HVAC contractors at any price, and anyone who opens a refrigerant circuit needs EPA Section 608 certification.^23,26,28,30

The money surprises people. The state sets no liability minimum and no bond for these classes: the board's checklist says certificates of insurance are "Not required for Commercial Applicants/Licensees," and its financial test is $50,000 of net worth when you apply.^2,8 The first real number you'll meet is New Orleans', where the Class A mechanical license wants $500,000 of general liability plus workers' comp.²⁶ And one question has no answer yet. Since August 1, 2026, the contractors law no longer says that trade licensees working within their classification are exempt from it, and the home improvement registration starts at $7,500 on a house. Whether your $8,500 change-out needs that registration (with its own $500,000 insurance rule) is for the board to say. I'll show you how to ask.^3,4

If you searched "louisiana hvac license" this fall, Google's summary told you the net worth was $10,000 and liability insurance "typically" $100,000. Neither figure is in today's law: the statute says $50,000 of net worth, and $100,000 was the old insurance floor for residential and home improvement licenses, raised to $500,000 on August 1.^2,4 This page covers what you hold, what it lets you take on, where it stops, and what to do in the next 30 days. The general rules for builders and remodelers are in Louisiana contractor license requirements, the electrician's side is in the Louisiana electrical contractor license, the plumber's side (and the plumbing board's move on January 1) is in the Louisiana plumbing license, and what a written contract must say is in the Louisiana contract template.

Who must hold what: the company, its qualifying party, and the city

The license belongs to the company. The board's rule says the license "belongs to the licensee," whether that's a corporation, an LLC, a partnership or one person, "regardless of the status of the qualifying party."⁶ An LLC or corporation must stay active and in good standing with the Louisiana Secretary of State as long as it's licensed. It must bid, contract and work "in the name as it appears on the current license," and the board "does not recognize DBA's."^2,8 To qualify, the business files a financial statement showing $50,000 of net worth, or an irrevocable letter of credit for that amount plus any negative net worth.^2,8

The qualifying party is the person who tested. The company names one for each classification and one for the "Louisiana business and law requirement." That person passes the trade exam and completes the board's business and law course.^2,8 The law lets "Any principal or full-time employee" qualify: a sole proprietor, a stockholder, officer, partner, member or manager, or an employee who works "at least 32 hours per week" and meets the IRS test for an employee.^2,6,8 I found no ownership share in the law or rules. Your qualifier can own the company or draw a paycheck from it.

If your qualifying party leaves. Tell the board in writing within 30 days and qualify a replacement within 60. In between, the rule lets you "continue existing work or bid on new work" in the classification, "but may not begin such work until the qualifying party is replaced." Miss the 60 days and the board can suspend the license or remove the classification.^2,6 If one person holds the exam for the whole company, put a second one through it before you need them.

One qualifier, how many companies? The statute says "A qualifying party may also be a qualifying party for any subsidiary of a licensee," and the board's checklist lets an employee qualify "the licensed company and related entities."^2,8 I found no rule that stops an owner from qualifying two unrelated companies. An employee can't, in practice, because the rule wants 32 hours a week of full-time work for the company being qualified. New Orleans counts the other way: "Only one Class 'A' Master" mechanical license holder "is allowed per company."²⁶

Being someone else's qualifier. If a company asks you to qualify its license, your exam result becomes its license, and the violations come back to you. "Permitting a license to be used for any purpose by any person other than the person to whom the license is issued" is a violation in itself.⁹ The board's published case list shows a Baton Rouge mechanical contractor settling such a charge in October 2025: it let another contractor use its license for work that contractor wasn't licensed to do.¹⁵ Owners describe how it starts: "Was already doing sub work before I quit my day job 'under someone else's license'" (r/HVAC, a Florida owner, January 2025). If you agree to it, be a principal or a real full-time employee, see every contract that goes out under the license, and get the arrangement in writing.

The people. I found no state journeyman or apprentice HVAC license in the contractors law or the board's rules. The state licenses the business, and the law exempts "Any employee of any licensee."³ It also bars cities and parishes from making the employees of statewide-licensed mechanical contractors pass a local "examination or certification" to work for them.² The people-level credentials you will meet are federal (EPA Section 608), the plumbing board's gas fitter licenses, and the cities' own: New Orleans issues Class A master and Class B journeyman mechanical licenses, Shreveport registers air conditioning and heating contractors, and Jefferson Parish wants a parish-licensed mechanical contractor on its filings.^{17,23,26,28,30}

What the Louisiana Mechanical license and the HVAC subclassification cover

The line is the project's value, and the law counts "the entire cost of the labor, materials, rentals, and all direct and indirect project expenses ... regardless of who pays the costs."¹ A $6,500 labor quote on a system the customer bought online for $4,000 is a $10,500 job. Splitting one change-out into two contracts doesn't help: divided parts "will be treated as one contract."⁹ The statute says "$10,000 or more"; the board's pages say a license is required "when the value exceeds $10,000." At exactly $10,000, go with the statute.^1,7

There's no residential HVAC license. The board files Mechanical under its "Commercial" license type, which is why your license may say commercial, but the statute defines a mechanical contractor's work as heating, cooling and refrigeration "for all residential, commercial, and industrial applications."^1,8 Houses are in.

Sources for the table: the statute's definitions,¹ net worth and insurance,² the board's classification rule and pages,^6,7 and its checklist and financial statement form.⁸

A few lines people get wrong:

• Gas piping isn't yours to run, even with Mechanical. Through December 31, 2026, "No person shall engage in performing the work of a gas fitter" without a license from the State Plumbing Board. The connector is the exception. Gas fitting doesn't include "Piping connection, disconnection, or reconnection from the outlet side of the appliance shutoff valve to the appliance inlet," and the law says Mechanical and HVAC-subclass licensees aren't gas fitters for doing that.¹⁷ Swapping a furnace onto the existing shutoff is yours; a new valve, a new drop or an upsized line is gas fitting.
• Boilers and hydronic heat. Mechanical lists "hydronic and steam systems" and "pressure vessels"; the HVAC subclass doesn't.⁶ If you hold only the subclass and quote a $15,000 boiler, ask the board first. The plumbing law leaves out "All piping used for heating or cooling where it is not directly connected with a potable water supply system," so a heating loop isn't plumbing. The fill line from the house water is.¹⁷
• The circuit and the disconnect. Neither of your classifications lists line-voltage wiring. Electrical is its own classification from $10,000, and below that the big cities license electricians themselves (next section).^6,27,28 One Louisiana code change helps you: the state's amendment to the 2020 electrical code says "Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection shall not be required on HVAC equipment."²¹
• Thermostats and controls. The statute puts "mechanical work controls" in the mechanical contractor's work, and the board's Electrical Controls subclass also names "HVAC controls."^1,6 A thermostat on your own system is yours. A building automation job over $10,000 that is mostly controls belongs to whoever holds the classification for the majority of the work.⁹
• Ductwork and sheet metal. Duct work is in the subclass's name, and Louisiana has no separate sheet metal license in the board's list (its "Roofing and Sheet Metal, Siding" class is roofing).⁶
• Refrigeration. Coolers, freezers and ice rinks are in the subclass's own definition, so commercial refrigeration is your work.⁶
• Condensate. I found no Louisiana amendment about condensate in the state's mechanical code, so route it to an approved spot as the 2021 mechanical code says.²¹ A new connection into the house's drainage system is pipe for "removing liquid waste," which is the plumbing law's own definition of plumbing. That's my reading; call a plumber for that piece.¹⁷

The federal rules: EPA 608, A2L refrigerants and lead paint

Section 608. EPA's rule says "technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants into the atmosphere must be certified." Certification comes in Type I (small appliances), Type II (high- and very high-pressure appliances), Type III (low pressure) and Universal, and the credentials "do not expire."²³ It also controls buying: the supply house must verify that you "either 1) is a certified technician, or 2) employs a certified technician," and your office manager can buy on the account with a copy of a tech's card and a list of who's authorized.²³ The A2L refrigerants count. The exempt list in the federal rule is carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water, ammonia and some hydrocarbons in named uses; R-454B and R-32 aren't on it.²³ Helpers are exempt only while "closely and continually supervised by a certified technician."²³

A2L refrigerants and Louisiana's code. Since January 1, 2025, new residential and light commercial AC and heat pump systems ("mini-splits, unitary systems") must use refrigerant with a global warming potential of 700 or less, which in practice means the A2L refrigerants R-454B and R-32. EPA set "No installation compliance date" for systems whose components were all made or imported before 2025, and its May 26, 2026 rule says that older inventory may "continue to be installed."²⁴ Louisiana's code already allows A2L. The state's amendment to the 2021 International Mechanical Code says "High probability systems used for human comfort shall use Group A1 or A2L refrigerant," and for A2L lines in copper tube, "Joints ... shall be brazed or approved flare."²¹ The code commission says the 2024 editions of the international codes "will become effective January 1, 2027," so check with each permit office which edition it's inspecting to after New Year.²² One more date for commercial readers: new variable refrigerant flow systems above 700 may be installed only until January 1, 2027, and only with components made before 2026.²⁴

Lead-safe rules. EPA runs the lead renovation rule itself in Louisiana, and it covers "all firms, even sole proprietorships."²⁵ The minor-repair exemption names your trade: "minor heating, ventilation or air conditioning work" that disturbs "6 square feet or less of painted surface per room" inside, or 20 outside.²⁵ Cutting new supply and return openings through plaster in a 1950s house passes that quickly, and then you need a certified firm and a certified renovator on the job.

Supervision: helpers, techs and who may work alone

The state sets no HVAC apprentice registration and no ratio of helpers to licensed techs, because it licenses no individual HVAC trade. Anyone you employ works under the company's license.³ Three things still limit who does what:

• Refrigerant. An uncertified helper may hook up gauges or recover refrigerant only under close, continual supervision by a 608-certified tech.²³
• Gas. Unlicensed people doing gas work must register with the State Plumbing Board as apprentices and work under the "direct, on-the-job supervision" of a licensed gas fitter or plumber.¹⁸
• New Orleans. The city's code says a Class B journeyman mechanic "must be employed by and work under the supervision of a Class 'A' Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor," and the Class B license takes an ICC journeyman exam.²⁶ State law excludes employees of statewide-licensed mechanical contractors from local "examination or certification authority as a condition to performing work" for them.² The city's page doesn't mention that, so ask Safety and Permits how it treats your techs before you send them into Orleans Parish without Class B cards.

Where your license stops

Gas lines for furnaces, ranges and generators

Natural gas pipe takes a gas fitter license through December 31, 2026, at any job size.¹⁷ There's a shortcut worth knowing: the plumbing board lets an applicant who holds "a current Mechanical (Statewide) Work License issued by the State Licensing Board for Contractors" sit the master natural gas fitter exam without first holding the journeyman gas license.¹⁸ On January 1, 2027, Act 908 repeals the plumbing board's law and moves plumbing to the LSLBC. It keeps the definitions of gas fitting and the connector exception for Mechanical and HVAC licensees, but its grandfather clause names only apprentice, journeyman and master plumbers, and the LSLBC's November 1 memo says "Additional transition information will be provided as rules and procedures are finalized."^5,16 Act 908 leaves the Mechanical definition and its $10,000 line as they are. If you hold a gas license, renew it by December 31 ($50 for a natural gas fitter, $190 for an active master) and ask the board what it becomes. The LSLBC's second open discussion on the plumbing transition is Tuesday, November 24, 2026, at 9:30 am in its board room at 600 North Street, Baton Rouge, and it asks for input on anything "that may be unclear."^18,19 Propane is a separate agency: installing LP gas systems or appliances takes a permit or registration from the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Commission, the registration is open to "mechanical contractors who hold a current occupational license," and it requires $100,000 of liability insurance.²⁰

The circuit to the condenser or the mini-split

New Orleans issues electrical permits only to holders of its Class A electrical license, for "any electrical apparatus or equipment, except for the replacement of light bulbs and fuses."²⁷ Jefferson Parish wants a parish-licensed electrician's filing for electrical work, and Baton Rouge permits "Any new electrical circuits including replacements and extensions of existing circuits."^28,29 Run a new circuit for a mini-split and you need an electrician in all three. Reconnecting a new condenser to the existing disconnect and whip is the gray part: ask each permit office whether your mechanical permit covers it. More in the Louisiana electrical contractor license.

Water lines for boilers and humidifiers

Plumbing needs a licensed plumber at any price through 2026, and from January 1, 2027 Act 908 requires a plumbing contractor license for "any construction, modification, repair, or maintenance of any portion of a plumbing system."^16,17 The boiler fill valve, a humidifier's water feed and a backflow device on it are the plumber's (my reading of the plumbing definition). The Louisiana plumbing license page covers the January change.

Building work and the prime contract

On a job that needs a license, "the licensee shall hold the classification for the majority of work performed."⁹ You can be the prime on a $40,000 rooftop unit replacement that is mostly mechanical. You can't be the prime on a $90,000 office build-out where HVAC is a fifth of the work. New houses take a Residential Construction license for the builder, and the builder's subcontractor exemption doesn't cover "electrical, mechanical, plumbing" scopes, so your company still needs its own classification as the builder's HVAC sub.^3,8

The open question: house jobs of $7,500 or more

Here is the part I can't fully settle. The home improvement registration covers "repair, modernization, conversion, improvement" of an existing house from $7,500 to under $50,000.¹ Your Mechanical license starts at $10,000. The contractors law says it "shall not apply" to "Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing licensees who are acting exclusively within the scope of their classification." Act 757 of 2026 is easy to read as repealing that line: its Section 2 says "R.S. 37:2157(A)(19) is hereby repealed," and (19) is where the exemption sat. Read with its struck and underlined coding, though, Section 1 strikes the text of the old (18) and only the number "(19)," so the exemption moves up to become (18), and Section 2 repeals an empty number. The bill's digest describes no removal of the exemption.^3,4 On my reading it survives, renumbered. The board's law book updated August 1 still prints the old numbering, and neither of its two memos on Act 757 mentions it.^3,5 Here's how the house-job lines fall on that reading:

• Under $7,500 on a house: no state license or registration.
• $7,500 to under $10,000: under the Mechanical line, inside the home improvement line. Which rule applies isn't settled by the text.
• $10,000 to under $50,000: your Mechanical or HVAC classification applies. The exemption should keep work inside your classification out of the home improvement registration, but the board hasn't said how it reads Act 757.
• $50,000 and up on an existing house: the board's license page says improvements to an existing house over $50,000 take a Residential license, which raises the same question.⁸

It matters for money as well as paperwork, because the $500,000 liability rule Act 757 wrote is for "Residential construction and its subclassifications, mold remediation, and home improvement applicants," and Mechanical isn't named.^2,4 If you need a registration, the $500,000 comes with it. Baton Rouge's residential permit page already says "Residential work exceeding $7,500 must be performed by a registered home improvement contractor or licensed residential contractor," with no word about trade licensees.²⁹ I don't know whether its permit counter applies that to HVAC change-outs. If you do house work, email the LSLBC before you sign a house job of $7,500 or more, ask both questions, and keep the answer.

Louisiana HVAC permits, inspections and the gas utilities

Parishes and cities enforce the state code and issue the permits; the state doesn't inspect your change-out.²¹ On work that needs your classification, a building department "shall not issue a building permit to any person who does not hold an active license in the appropriate classification for the scope of work."¹¹ The big ones:

• New Orleans. "A mechanical permit is required if you plan to install, repair, replace, or alter any mechanical or gas-fired apparatus or equipment, such as air conditioning systems, electric or gas heaters, electric or gas furnaces or heaters, or gas lines." The HVAC permit "requires a Class A City of New Orleans Mechanical A/C license to apply."²⁷ Statewide licensees get the Class A with "a copy of the State License (Statewide) qualifying party letter" instead of the ICC exam, plus general liability "not less than $500,000" and workers' comp naming the city. It costs $110 a year and renews on the license holder's birthday.²⁶ On new construction and substantial renovations, Manual J, S and D calculations must be done before the install, "verified by affidavit" on the permit.²⁷
• Jefferson Parish. "Replacement or installation of air conditioning, heating equipment requires filing by Jefferson Parish licensed mechanical contractor," before work starts, and "A licensed mechanical contractor is required to install or replace any A/C condenser."²⁸ State law spares statewide licensees from local exams "upon paying all appropriate fees," so ask the parish how it registers a state Mechanical licensee.²
• Baton Rouge. Permits for "Replacement of heating and air conditioner components (condenser, air handler, ductwork, furnace but excludes window units.)" and for "Gas line work." No permit for portable heating, cooling or ventilation units.²⁹ I found no separate Baton Rouge mechanical license on the city's pages.
• Shreveport. "Any unregistered person or contractor wishing to perform air conditioning / heating, electrical, and/or plumbing within the City of Shreveport must have a contractor's registration," at any job size, and the city points HVAC contractors over $10,000 to the state license.³⁰
• Lafayette. The LCG Permitting Division is the "one stop shop" for permits and licensing in the city and the unincorporated parish.³¹ Call before your first job there.

So a like-for-like condenser or furnace swap needs a permit or filing in all three big jurisdictions. From January 1, 2027, a $10 state fee also applies to some locally issued permits under Act 881.⁵ For the close-out on a change-out, the HVAC installation checklist has a commissioning sheet you can leave with the inspector's paperwork.

The homeowner exemption

The contractors law exempts owners doing or supervising work on their own home, with an affidavit for the permit, and the gas fitter license doesn't apply to "work performed by persons on their own residences."^3,17 Baton Rouge forwards the owner's notarized affidavit to the LSLBC.²⁹ The exemption covers the owner, never the contractor the owner pays.

Gas utilities: no service until the inspector signs off

The gas map changed in 2025. CenterPoint's Louisiana gas utilities became Delta Utilities, and on July 1, 2025 Entergy sold its gas business in New Orleans and East Baton Rouge Parish (about 109,000 and 95,000 customers) to Delta too.³² For a new gas appliance or generator, Delta has the customer "engage a licensed contractor to provide load data," get the permit, and then completes service after it receives "gas approval from the jurisdictional authority."³² Atmos Energy books service lines and meter sets through its Builder Portal or Builder Services (866-332-8667) and asks for the BTU load, the equipment list and a confirmed riser.³³ A furnace that needs a bigger meter is three calls: the utility for the load review, the permit office, and the inspector whose release the utility waits for.

Can I take this job? A table for a Louisiana Mechanical or HVAC licensee

The verdicts assume your company holds the Mechanical classification or the HVAC subclassification with a qualifying party on file, and that "permit" means the local one.

Sources for the table: the statute, rules and classification pages,^1,2,6,7,9 Acts 757 and 908,^4,16 the plumbing and gas fitting law,¹⁷ LP gas,²⁰ the code,²¹ EPA,^23,24,25 and the city and parish pages.^{26,27,28,29,30}

What happens if you cross the line

• Board fine. Up to "ten percent of the total contract or the value of the work bid or being performed," plus administrative costs and attorney fees, and up to $10,000 where no value applies.¹³ On a $14,000 change-out without the classification, that's up to $1,400 before costs.
• Criminal. Contracting without a license is a misdemeanor: up to "five hundred dollars per day of violation, or three months in prison, or both." Causing more than $300 of harm while unlicensed raises it to $500 to $5,000 and six months to five years.¹²
• Getting paid. A contractor "who fails to obtain a license" can't file a statement of claim or a lien for the money.¹⁰ Louisiana's First Circuit held that "Any contract made in violation of the Contractors Licensing Law is null and void" and limited an unlicensed contractor to "actual costs of their materials, services, and labor ... with no allowance for profit or overhead."¹⁴
• Permits. "Failure to obtain a permit to perform work or beginning work prior to the issuance of a permit" is its own violation of the contractors law, on top of the city's penalties.⁹
• Your subs. "Entering into a contract with an unlicensed contractor" is a violation for you.⁹ The board's case list names HVAC companies fined for exactly that in 2025, and HVAC companies in Westlake, Shreveport and New Orleans cited in 2026 for "Bidding or conducting work without the proper license." It prints every company's name and town.¹⁵
• Insurance. No state rule says what your insurer pays on work outside your classification. That's in the policy. Ask your agent in writing whether it covers gas work, electrical hookups and jobs over $10,000, and keep the reply.

Your first 30 days: the checklist

Everything is here. The printable version has the same items with blanks for your license, permit, policy and EPA card numbers and your renewal dates. Get it three ways: make your own copy in Google Docs (lands in your Drive), download the Word version (.docx), or download the PDF. Pick a format, enter your email and I'll send the links. Copies don't update, so its footer gives the date I checked the rules.

Order matters more than people expect. One owner found that "To get insurnace i need registered LLC in my state. So basically, they're looking for an established entity" (r/HVAC, September 2024). Entity first, then the license record, then insurance in the licensed name.

1. Look yourself up. On the LSLBC contractor search, save the company's license number, classifications (Mechanical, or the HVAC subclass), qualifying party and expiration date. Check that the name matches your Secretary of State record letter for letter.⁸
2. Keep the entity in good standing with the Louisiana Secretary of State for as long as you're licensed, and use only the licensed name on trucks, ads, quotes and invoices. The board doesn't recognize DBAs.^2,8
3. Plan for your qualifying party leaving. Write down who would sit the exam next. If the qualifier leaves: notify the board within 30 days, qualify a replacement within 60, start no new work in the classification until then. Report changes to owners, officers, address, phone or email within 30 days.^2,6
4. Workers' comp and liability. "An employer shall secure compensation to his employees." The state sets no liability minimum for your classification, but New Orleans requires $500,000 for its Class A, GCs will ask for their own minimums, and a home improvement registration (if the board says you need one) requires $500,000 plus workers' comp with the LSLBC as certificate holder. No state bond applies.^2,8,26,34
5. Ask the LSLBC in writing whether your house jobs from $7,500 to under $50,000 need a home improvement registration, and whether it reads Act 757 as keeping the trade exemption as R.S. 37:2157(A)(18). Keep the answer.^3,4
6. EPA 608 cards for everyone who touches refrigerant. Copy each card, note its type, and give the supply house the list of people allowed to buy. Helpers work only under a certified tech.²³
7. Register where you'll work. New Orleans: Class A mechanical license ($110 a year, renews on the holder's birthday, $500,000 liability and workers' comp naming the city) and an Orleans Parish occupational license. Jefferson Parish: ask how it registers a state Mechanical licensee for filings; zoning clearance, then an occupational license from the Sheriff's Office. East Baton Rouge: an occupational license a month before you open. Shreveport: contractor's registration. Lafayette: the Permitting Division.^{26,27,28,29,30,31}
8. Decide on gas. Get a gas fitter license or line up a licensed gas fitter to sub to. The plumbing board accepts "a current Mechanical (Statewide) Work License" as a route into its master natural gas fitter exam; ask it whether your qualifying party can use the company's license. Renew any gas license by December 31, 2026. Propane jobs need an LP Gas Commission registration with $100,000 of liability.^18,20
9. Line up the trades you sub to, and look each one up. An electrician with the local license for circuits and disconnects, a plumber for fill lines and drain connections, a gas fitter, and a roofer for new penetrations. Contracting with an unlicensed contractor is a violation for you.⁹
10. Put the license number on every contract. A contract for licensed work must show "The full names, addresses, and the license number of the contractor," a description of the work, the price, and everyone's signatures, and "No work shall begin prior to the signing."¹⁰ I found no state rule on truck lettering for LSLBC licensees, so the number on the truck and in ads is your choice.^1,6 The HVAC invoice template has a spot for it.
11. Gas utilities. Delta Utilities (former CenterPoint areas, plus New Orleans and East Baton Rouge Parish): save the appliance and generator steps. Atmos: set up a Builder Portal account through Builder Services. Ask each how a meter upgrade is booked and how the inspector's release reaches them.^32,33
12. Know the code dates. 2021 mechanical, residential and fuel gas codes with Louisiana's A2L amendments now; the 2024 editions from January 1, 2027; a $10 state fee on some local permits from the same day.^5,21,22
13. Pre-1978 houses: EPA firm certification and a certified renovator before you disturb more than 6 square feet of paint in a room.²⁵
14. Records and calendar. Keep five years of contracts, subcontracts and your subs' licenses; the board can ask for them on five business days' notice. Your LSLBC license renews on the anniversary of its issue date (one-, two- or three-year terms, 15 days' grace), with no continuing education for commercial classifications. Add insurance expirations and the New Orleans birthday renewal.^2,6,8

More for new HVAC contractors

• HVAC pricing guide: what to charge for a service call, your labor rate and the first jobs, with a free rate sheet.
• HVAC tune-up checklist: the visit in order, the target readings and what to charge, with a free report card.
• Opening a supply house account: what to bring, cash or credit, and how dealer programs work, with a free checklist.
• Quoting your first system replacement: the price, the scope and what the quote must include, with a free proposal template.
• Starting an HVAC business while still employed: side work, your boss's customers, non-competes and when to go.
• Register every install: maker deadlines, your labor warranty and what a callback costs, with a free close-out sheet.
• Your first slow season: the customer list and the one reminder that fills a calendar, with a free log.

Where Deepsel fits

Deepsel is the field service software I build, and it doesn't know Louisiana licensing law. It won't track your qualifying party, your New Orleans Class A renewal or your EPA cards, and it doesn't pull permits or book meter upgrades. What it does: the shop-wide terms text you set once is copied onto every quote and shows on the customer's quote page, and the invoice footer is copied onto every invoice, so your licensed name, address and LSLBC number go on every quote and invoice without retyping. You can attach checklists to a quote for the office and techs to fill in (permit number, inspection date, refrigerant charge), each answer stamped with who and when; they stay internal and never show on the customer's page. Equipment records hold the brand, model, serial, year, filter size, tonnage, refrigerant, location and a nameplate photo for each unit. Quotes can carry options (repair or replace, two system tiers), the customer approves and signs on screen, and an optional card deposit is credited on the final invoice. Free covers 30 estimates and 30 invoices a month for your whole team, with scheduling and dispatch, quotes, invoicing, card payments, and customer and equipment records; Pro is $29 a month with unlimited estimates and invoices (pricing).

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license to do HVAC work in Louisiana?

For the company, from $10,000 a job. The State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) requires the Mechanical classification, or its Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work and Refrigeration subclassification, for HVAC work worth $10,000 or more, counting labor and all materials no matter who buys them, on houses and commercial buildings alike. Under $10,000 the state requires no contractor license, but New Orleans, Jefferson Parish and Shreveport license or register HVAC contractors at any price, and every technician who opens a refrigerant circuit needs EPA Section 608 certification.

How do you get an HVAC license in Louisiana?

The business applies to the LSLBC online for the Mechanical classification or the HVAC subclassification. It names a qualifying party (an owner, officer, partner, member or manager, or a full-time W-2 employee working at least 32 hours a week), who passes the trade exam for that classification and completes the board's business and law course. The business files a financial statement showing $50,000 of net worth (or an irrevocable letter of credit), and an LLC or corporation must be active and in good standing with the Louisiana Secretary of State.

Can I own an HVAC company in Louisiana without a license?

Yes. Louisiana licenses the company, and the person who passed the exam (the qualifying party) can be a full-time employee rather than an owner. There's no ownership share in the law. The license belongs to the company, so if that employee leaves you have 30 days to tell the board and 60 days to qualify someone else, and you can't start new work in the classification until you do.

What's the difference between the Louisiana Mechanical license and the HVAC subclassification?

Mechanical is a major classification: heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, hydronic and steam systems, pressure vessels, gas piping, process piping and plumbing (plumbing also needs a master plumber). A Mechanical holder may do every subclassification under it. The Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work and Refrigeration subclassification covers 'the installation, maintenance or repair of air conditioning, ventilation, refrigeration, coolers, freezers, and ice rinks.' Its definition doesn't list boilers, hydronic heat or gas piping, so a subclass holder who quotes those jobs at $10,000 or more should ask the board first.

What insurance does a Louisiana HVAC contractor need?

The state sets no liability minimum and no bond for the Mechanical classification or the HVAC subclassification: the LSLBC's checklist says certificates of insurance are 'Not required for Commercial Applicants/Licensees.' Every employer must carry workers' compensation under R.S. 23:1168. New Orleans requires general liability of at least $500,000 plus workers' comp for its Class A mechanical license, and the LP Gas Commission requires $100,000 of liability for a propane registration. If the board decides your house jobs of $7,500 or more need a home improvement registration, that brings $500,000 of liability and workers' comp with it.

Do HVAC technicians need a license in Louisiana?

Not from the state. Louisiana has no state journeyman or apprentice HVAC license. Technicians who open a refrigerant circuit need EPA Section 608 certification, and anyone running natural gas pipe needs a gas fitter license from the State Plumbing Board through December 31, 2026. New Orleans issues Class B journeyman mechanic licenses and requires them to work under a Class A, while state law excludes employees of statewide-licensed mechanical contractors from local examination or certification as a condition of working for them. Ask the city before you rely on that.

Does Louisiana accept HVAC licenses from other states?

The LSLBC takes a Reciprocity Request from out-of-state companies licensed in states it has agreements with, filed with the commercial application. The other state's board completes the form. The company still applies for the Louisiana classification and completes the business and law course.

How do I look up a Louisiana HVAC license?

On the LSLBC contractor search at arlspublic.lslbc.louisiana.gov, by company name, license number, qualifying party or classification. Check every HVAC sub you hire: entering into a contract with an unlicensed contractor is a violation for you too. Gas fitters are on the State Plumbing Board's search at public.spbla.com.

Sources

1. La. R.S. 37:2150.1, definitions: (4) project value ("the entire cost of the labor, materials, rentals, and all direct and indirect project expenses ... regardless of who pays the costs"), (8) electrical contractor ($10,000 or more), (12) home improvement and (13) home improvement contractor (from $7,500 to under $50,000, no structural work), (16) mechanical contractor (air conditioning, refrigeration, heating, plumbing "for all residential, commercial, and industrial applications," ventilation, "mechanical work controls," boilers, steam and hot water, "gas piping and fuel storage," $10,000 or more; master plumber license for plumbing work of $10,000 or more). LSLBC, "Contractors Licensing Law and Rules and Regulations," updated 8/1/2026, pp. 3-6, lslbc.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
2. La. R.S. 37:2156 ((F) work only within the classification and in the licensed name; (H) expiration on the anniversary of issue, one- to three-year terms, 15 days' grace; (N) local competency licenses for mechanical contractors), 37:2156.1 ((A) major classifications including Mechanical; (B)(2) $50,000 net worth or an irrevocable letter of credit; (E) qualifying party per classification, 30 days to notify and 60 to replace, "Any principal or full-time employee," subsidiaries; (F) workers' comp and $500,000 liability for "Residential construction and its subclassifications, mold remediation, and home improvement applicants"; (I) statewide mechanical contractors and their employees excluded from local examination and certification), 37:2156.2 (records). LSLBC law book updated 8/1/2026, pp. 11-16, lslbc.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
3. La. R.S. 37:2157(A): "The provisions of this Part shall not apply to": (12) "Any employee of any licensee," (13) owners of their personal residences, with an affidavit, (15) home improvement exemptions, (17) subcontractors of a residential construction license holder "except for electrical, mechanical, plumbing" and other scopes, (19) "Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing licensees who are acting exclusively within the scope of their classification" (still printed under its old number; Act 757 makes it (18)). LSLBC law book updated 8/1/2026, pp. 18-19, lslbc.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
4. Act 757 of 2026 (SB 326), enrolled: R.S. 37:2156.1(F)(1) liability raised to $500,000 for residential, mold remediation and home improvement applicants; Section 1 (enrolled page 15) strikes the text of the old (18) and the number "(19)," leaving this exemption unstruck as the new (18); Section 2, "R.S. 37:2157(A)(19) is hereby repealed." Read with its struck and underlined coding from the enrolled PDF, legis.la.gov; Résumé Digest ("Effective August 1, 2026"; amends 2157(A)(18), repeals (A)(19), and describes no removal of the trade exemption), legis.la.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
5. LSLBC memos: "Changes to Contractor Licensing Laws," July 13, 2026 (revised), lslbc.gov; "Changes to Contractor Licensing Laws," November 1, 2026 (Act 757 insurance; Act 908; Act 881: "Beginning January 1, 2027, a $10 Commission fee applies to designated categories of locally issued permits"), lslbc.gov. Neither mentions the repeal of R.S. 37:2157(A)(19). Read November 3, 2026.
6. LSLBC rules, LAC 46:XXIX: §105 (insurance certificates required of residential construction, home improvement and mold remediation licensees), §107 (changes reported within 30 days), §109 (qualifying employee "working at least 32 hours per week"; work "may not begin ... until the qualifying party is replaced"; 30 and 60 days), §125 (the license "belongs to the licensee"), §127 (licensed name), §129 (records five years), §301(B) (a major classification covers its subclassifications), §301(F)(14) Electrical, (15) Electrical Controls, Instrumentation and Calibration, (23) Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration, (32) Labor Only, (38) Mechanical, (53) Roofing and Sheet Metal, Siding, (57) Telecommunications, Low Voltage; §705 (bonds only where a bid requires them). LSLBC law book updated 8/1/2026, pp. 28-43, lslbc.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
7. LSLBC classification pages, release date August 8, 2025: "Mechanical," lslbc.gov; "Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration" ("A license is required when the value exceeds $10,000"), lslbc.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
8. LSLBC, "Checklist of Items Required for Initial License and to Maintain License" (Secretary of State good standing; qualifying party eligibility; business and law course; reciprocity request; certificates of insurance "Not required for Commercial Applicants/Licensees"), lslbc.gov; Financial Statement form, revised 09/10/2025 ($50,000 net worth for commercial applicants, $25,000 for home improvement), lslbc.gov; FAQ (no continuing education for commercial licensees; no DBAs; an occupational license "is NOT a contractor's license"), lslbc.gov; "Types of Licenses" (Commercial license for "Electrical/Mechanical/Plumbing projects exceeding $10,000"), lslbc.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
9. La. R.S. 37:2158(A): (1) work without "a license with the proper classification," (4) "the licensee shall hold the classification for the majority of work performed," (7) "Entering into a contract with an unlicensed contractor," (8)(a) "Permitting a license to be used for any purpose by any person other than the person to whom the license is issued," (18) permits; (B)(1) divided contracts treated as one. LSLBC law book updated 8/1/2026, pp. 19-21, lslbc.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
10. La. R.S. 37:2159 ((A) what every contract for licensed work includes, among them "The full names, addresses, and the license number of the contractor"; (B) "No work shall begin prior to the signing"; (D) no claim or lien for a contractor "who fails to obtain a license"). legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
11. La. R.S. 37:2160(B): a local building department "shall not issue a building permit to any person who does not hold an active license in the appropriate classification for the scope of work." LSLBC law book updated 8/1/2026, p. 24, lslbc.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
12. La. R.S. 37:2163(C): misdemeanor, up to $500 a day, three months, or both; $500 to $5,000 and six months to five years where an unlicensed person causes harm over $300. legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
13. La. R.S. 37:2164(A): fine "of up to ten percent of the total contract or the value of the work bid or being performed," up to $10,000 where no value applies, plus administrative costs and attorney fees. LSLBC law book updated 8/1/2026, p. 25, lslbc.gov; legis.la.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
14. Quaternary Resource Investigations, LLC v. Phillips, 2018 CA 1543 (La. App. 1 Cir. 11/19/20). law.justia.com, read November 3, 2026.
15. LSLBC, "Contractor Violations" (cases by company, town, date and violation, including a Baton Rouge mechanical contractor, October 16, 2025, for permitting its license to be used by another contractor, and HVAC companies cited in 2026 for bidding or conducting work without the proper license). lslbc.gov, read November 3, 2026.
16. Act 908 of 2026 (HB 953), enrolled: R.S. 37:2150.1 new definitions of gas fitter and gas fitting with the exclusion for Mechanical and HVAC-subclass licensees, "Mechanical contractor" renumbered with its $10,000 line unchanged; 2156.1 plumbing contractor license for "any construction, modification, repair, or maintenance of any portion of a plumbing system"; Section 2 repeal of R.S. 37:1361-1380; Section 4 grandfather clause for apprentice, journeyman and master plumbers; Section 7, effective January 1, 2027. Read with its coding from the enrolled PDF, legis.la.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
17. State Plumbing Board law (repealed January 1, 2027): La. R.S. 37:1366(J) (gas fitters licensed by the board), 37:1367(A) (plumber licenses required) and (J) ("No person shall engage in performing the work of a gas fitter or master gas fitter unless he possesses a license"; not for "work performed by persons on their own residences"), 37:1377(D) (plumbing, "removing liquid waste"; excluding "All piping used for heating or cooling where it is not directly connected with a potable water supply system") and (K) (gas fitting; (3)(a) the appliance connector; (3)(b) Mechanical and HVAC-subclass licensees). 2025 Louisiana Laws on justia.com (also 1367, 1366). Read November 3, 2026.
18. State Plumbing Board of Louisiana, "License Types" (apprentices register and work under direct supervision; journeyman natural gas fitter; master natural gas fitter exam open to holders of "a current Mechanical (Statewide) Work License"), spbla.com; 2027 Renewal Form ("IF YOU WILL BE WORKING IN THE YEAR 2027, YOU MUST RENEW BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2026"; active master natural gas fitter $190, natural gas fitter $50), spbla.com. Read November 3, 2026.
19. LSLBC, open discussions on the plumbing transition, October 27 and November 24, 2026, 9:30 am, 600 North Street, Baton Rouge, lslbc.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
20. La. R.S. 40:1847(A): permit or registration from the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Commission to install LP gas systems or appliances; registration for "mechanical contractors who hold a current occupational license"; $100,000 liability insurance. legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.
21. Louisiana Uniform Construction Code Council, "Uniform Construction Code Law and Rules and Regulations," May 20, 2026: R.S. 40:1730.23(A) (municipalities and parishes enforce the state codes through building code enforcement officers or certified third-party providers); LAC 17:I.107 (International Residential Code, 2021, without Parts I and VIII, with mechanical amendments listing UL/CSA 60335-2-40), §109 (International Mechanical Code, 2021, with A2L amendments to 1104.3.1 and 1108), §113 (International Fuel Gas Code, 2021), §115 (National Electrical Code, 2020, amending 210.8(F): "Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection shall not be required on HVAC equipment"). lsuccc.la, read November 3, 2026.
22. LUCCC, "State of Louisiana Uniform Construction Code," revised 08/06/2026 ("ICC code editions will become effective January 1, 2027"), lsuccc.la; "2023 NEC & 2024 I-Code Adoption" (Notice of Intent, Louisiana Register, August 20, 2026), lsuccc.la. Read November 3, 2026.
23. EPA, "Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements," epa.gov; "Questions and Answers about the Refrigerant Sales Restriction," epa.gov; 40 CFR 82.161(a)(1), law.cornell.edu; 40 CFR 82.154(a)(1) (exempt substitutes), law.cornell.edu. Read November 3, 2026.
24. EPA, "Technology Transitions HFC Restrictions by Sector" (residential and light commercial AC and heat pump systems, 700 GWP, January 1, 2025, no installation compliance date for pre-2025 components; variable refrigerant flow systems, January 1, 2027), epa.gov; "Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Reconsideration of Certain Regulatory Requirements," 91 FR 31284, May 26, 2026, effective July 27, 2026, federalregister.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
25. EPA, "Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program" (Louisiana not an authorized state; "all firms, even sole proprietorships"), epa.gov; 40 CFR 745.83 (minor repair and maintenance, including "minor heating, ventilation or air conditioning work"), law.cornell.edu. Read November 3, 2026.
26. City of New Orleans: "Class 'A' Master Mechanical Contractor License (AC, Refrigeration, and Gasfitters)" (one per company; state qualifying party letter; $500,000 general liability and workers' comp; $110 a year; expires on the holder's birthday), last updated 10/29/2026, nola.gov; "Class 'B' Journeyman Mechanical Contractor License" (ICC exam; works under a Class A), last updated 7/29/2026, nola.gov; Trade License Application, nola.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
27. City of New Orleans: "Mechanical Permit" (permit required to install, repair, replace or alter mechanical or gas-fired equipment; HVAC permits only for Class A mechanical A/C license holders; Manual J, S and D by affidavit), last updated 10/27/2026, nola.gov; "Electrical Permit" (Class A electrical license holders only), nola.gov; "Occupational License," nola.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
28. Jefferson Parish: Building Regulatory Division ("A licensed mechanical contractor is required to install or replace any A/C condenser with the issuance of a mechanical filing"), jeffparish.gov; "When Do I Need / Not Need a Permit" and FAQ (air conditioning and heating filings by a Jefferson Parish licensed mechanical contractor; electrical filings by a parish-licensed electrician; permits before work), jeffparish.gov, jeffparish.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
29. City of Baton Rouge: "Understanding Permit Requirements" (HVAC component replacement, gas line work and new circuits need permits; portable units and low-voltage wiring under 25 volts exempt), brla.gov; "Residential" ("Residential work exceeding $7,500 must be performed by a registered home improvement contractor or licensed residential contractor"; homeowner affidavit), brla.gov; "Occupational License Tax," brla.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
30. City of Shreveport, "Contractor's Registration" (air conditioning and heating at any size; state license over $10,000). shreveportla.gov, read November 3, 2026.
31. Lafayette Consolidated Government, "Business Permits and Licenses." lafayettela.gov, read November 3, 2026.
32. Delta Utilities: completion of the CenterPoint Louisiana and Mississippi acquisition, deltautilities.com; completion of the Entergy New Orleans and East Baton Rouge Parish acquisition, deltautilities.com; "Generator and Appliance Installation," deltautilities.com; Entergy, "Entergy gas distribution business sale" (July 1, 2025), entergy.com. Read November 3, 2026.
33. Atmos Energy, "Residential and Commercial Builders" (Builder Portal; Builder Services 866-332-8667; BTU load, equipment and riser for meter sets). atmosenergy.com, read November 3, 2026.
34. La. R.S. 23:1168(A): "An employer shall secure compensation to his employees." legis.la.gov, read November 3, 2026.