Plumber License Requirements in Louisiana
- Training hours
- 8000 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $310
- Exam
- Journeyman Plumber Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 1 year
- Issuing board
- State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA)
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. No minimum age or criminal-history/background-check requirement for the Journeyman Plumber exam or license is stated on SPBLA's own licensing FAQ page; the stated prerequisites are apprentice registration plus the applicable hours of supervised on-the-job manual labor. [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 8000 hours of training. Louisiana requires apprentice registration with SPBLA before qualifying for the Journeyman exam, via two pathways: Indentured Apprentice (enrolled in a Louisiana Workforce Commission-approved apprenticeship program, requiring 7,000 hours of supervised manual labor -- typically reachable in about 3.5 years) or Unindentured Apprentice (working under a licensed Master company with no formal training program, requiring 8,000 hours -- typically about 4 years). hours=8000 reflects the unindentured (non-program) pathway, which does not require an approved apprenticeship program, hence approvedProgramRequired=false; the indentured pathway requires fewer hours (7,000) but does require program enrollment. [1]
- 3
Journeyman Plumber Examination
Pass the Journeyman Plumber Examination (fee: $125). One-part, 80-question, 3-hour written exam plus a 1-hour practical (hands-on) portion (Floor Plan Project, Screw Pipe Project, Copper Project). Written exam is based on the 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC) and the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC). A passing score on one part is valid for 1 year if the other part is not yet passed. The $125 exam fee is billed together with a $10 processing charge as a combined $135 application payment. If an applicant cancels less than 30 days before the exam or is a no-show, the fee is forfeited; withdrawing 30+ days out forfeits 50% for administrative cost. [1]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA) with the $135 application fee. [1]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA) issues your Journeyman Plumber License for Louisiana.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | $135 |
| License fee [1] | $50 |
| Renewal fee [1] | None specified |
| Journeyman Plumber Examination [1] | $125 |
The $135 application fee ($125 exam fee + $10 processing charge) is paid with the notarized exam application. Upon passing, a $50 Initial Journeyman License fee is due to receive the license. Journeyman licenses must then be renewed annually by December 31 with an approved-provider CPE certificate, but SPBLA's licensing FAQ does not state the specific renewal-fee dollar amount (only that 'delinquent fees' apply if the December 31 deadline is missed), so renewal is left null rather than guessed.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 1 year. 3.5 continuing education hours required per cycle.
Journeyman Plumber licenses renew annually, due by December 31 each year, requiring 3.5 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) from an SPBLA-approved provider prior to renewal.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
SPBLA states it 'only reciprocates with the State of Arkansas and Texas' for the Journeyman license. Separately, an applicant holding a valid plumbing license from any other state can use it to qualify to sit Louisiana's own Journeyman Plumber exam (submitting a copy of the out-of-state license for approval), but only licenses obtained with at least 8,000 hours of qualifying experience are approved for this pathway -- this still requires passing Louisiana's exam, unlike the direct Arkansas/Texas reciprocity. SPBLA explicitly does not reciprocate Master Plumber licenses. No interstate compact covers plumbing.
1 state-approved training provider in Louisiana — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $135
- $50
- $125
Frequently asked questions
What are the requirements to qualify for Louisiana's Journeyman Plumber exam?
Register as either an Indentured Apprentice (enrolled in an LWC-approved apprenticeship program, 7,000 hours of supervised manual labor) or an Unindentured Apprentice (working under a licensed Master company, 8,000 hours). Indentured apprentices are typically eligible in about 3.5 years; unindentured apprentices in about 4 years.
Who administers Louisiana's Journeyman Plumber exam, and what does it cost?
The State Plumbing Board of Louisiana administers it directly (no third-party vendor), holding exams quarterly in Baton Rouge and Shreveport. The exam is 80 questions/3 hours written plus a 1-hour practical portion, and costs $135 total ($125 exam fee + $10 processing).
What does it cost to receive the Journeyman license after passing the exam, and how often does it renew?
A $50 Initial Journeyman License fee is due after passing. The license then renews annually by December 31, requiring 3.5 hours of Continuing Professional Education from an SPBLA-approved provider.
Does Louisiana have reciprocity with other states for plumbers?
SPBLA directly reciprocates the Journeyman license only with Arkansas and Texas. Plumbers licensed elsewhere (with at least 8,000 qualifying hours) can use that out-of-state license to qualify to sit Louisiana's own Journeyman exam, but still must pass it -- Master Plumber licenses are not reciprocated at all.
Sources
- [1] spbla.com/licenses/ — accessed 2026-07-12