HVAC Technician License Requirements in Louisiana
- Training hours
- —
- Upfront cost
- $200
- Exam
- Business and Law Examination, Trade Examination — Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration
- Renewal cycle
- —
- Issuing board
- Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC)
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. No explicit minimum age is stated for the Mechanical contractor classification in LSLBC's Rules and Regulations (an 18-years-old requirement does appear, but only for the separate Mold Remediation license). Louisiana does not describe a fingerprint/criminal background check for this classification; instead applicants undergo a character/financial-responsibility review (a $10,000+ net-worth financial statement, and board review of any prior legal proceedings, debarment, or disqualification history). [2]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete the required training. Louisiana licenses HVAC only at the contractor level — there is no separate journeyman/technician license, and LSLBC does not set a fixed classroom-hour or apprenticeship-hour requirement for the Mechanical (HVAC) sub-classification. Instead, an applicant must submit a financial statement showing at least $10,000 net worth (current within 12 months), complete the Business and Law course, and pass the trade exam. A license (or, for smaller work, a Home Improvement Registration) is required once a project's Electrical/Mechanical/Plumbing scope exceeds $10,000 in value. [1]
- 3
Business and Law Examination
Pass the Business and Law Examination (fee: $50). Required for every LSLBC classification, including Mechanical/HVAC. La. R.S. 37:2169 caps the statutory examination fee at $50; this fee covers exam approval/registration through the Board, in addition to which PSI may charge its own per-sitting testing fee (not separately published by LSLBC). [2]
- 4
Trade Examination — Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration
Pass the Trade Examination — Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration (fee: $50). Required in addition to the Business and Law exam for this sub-classification. Same $50 statutory examination-fee cap under La. R.S. 37:2169; PSI's own testing-center fee is separate and not published by LSLBC. [3]
- 5
Submit your application
Submit your application to Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC). [2]
- 6
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) issues your Mechanical Contractor License — Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration Sub-Classification for Louisiana.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [2] | None specified |
| License fee [2] | $100 |
| Renewal fee [2] | $100 |
| Business and Law Examination [2] | $50 |
| Trade Examination — Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration [3] | $50 |
| Delinquent/late renewal fee (statutory cap) [2] | $50 |
La. R.S. 37:2169 sets statutory fee caps ("shall not exceed"): $50 examination fee, $100 license fee, $100 renewal fee, $50 delinquent fee. LSLBC does not itemize a separate 'application' fee apart from the license fee itself, so application is null.
Renewal & continuing education
Renewal cycle not specified.
At renewal, a licensee elects a 1-, 2-, or 3-year term, so there is no single fixed cycle length — recorded as null rather than guessing one term. No continuing-education hour requirement was found for the Mechanical/HVAC classification specifically in LSLBC's Rules and Regulations; a 24-hour CE requirement does appear, but only for the separate Mold Remediation license.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
La. R.S. 37:2164 (Reciprocity) allows an applicant holding a license in good standing in a comparable classification from another state recognized by LSLBC as a reciprocity state to have the trade portion of the exam waived upon written certification from that state's board. The Business and Law exam portion is still required. This is state-by-state reciprocity, not a multi-state compact.
13 state-approved training providers in Louisiana — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $100
- $50
- $50
Frequently asked questions
Does Louisiana license individual HVAC technicians, or only contractors?
Louisiana licenses HVAC work at the contractor level only, through the Mechanical Contractor license's Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration sub-classification. There is no separate state license tier for employees working under a licensed contractor.
When is an HVAC license required in Louisiana?
Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing work (which includes HVAC) requires a license once the project value exceeds $10,000. Below that, smaller home-improvement-scale work may fall under the Home Improvement Registration threshold instead.
What exams do I need to pass?
Two: the Business and Law exam (required for every LSLBC classification) and the Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work, and Refrigeration trade exam. Both are administered by PSI Services under contract with LSLBC.
Does Louisiana have reciprocity with other states?
Yes, on a state-by-state basis. If you hold a license in good standing from a state LSLBC recognizes as a reciprocity state, the trade portion of the exam is waived — but you still have to pass the Business and Law exam.
How long does a Mechanical Contractor license last before renewal?
You choose a 1-, 2-, or 3-year renewal term when you renew, so the cycle length varies by licensee rather than being fixed by the state.
Sources
- [1] lslbc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Licensing-Requirements-for-Contractors-in-Louisiana.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [2] lslbc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rules-Regulations-Effective-May-18-2022.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [3] lslbc.gov/exams-classifications/ — accessed 2026-07-12
- [4] lslbc.gov/renew-your-license/ — accessed 2026-07-12