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How to become a plumber in Louisiana

The license steps in Louisiana, from apprentice to master or contractor, taken from the official licensing pages – plus pay, apprenticeships and where to apply.

The short answer

Register as an apprentice with the State Plumbing Board, log 8,000 supervised hours (7,000 in an approved LWC apprenticeship) and pass the journeyman exam, then pass the master exam while holding a current journeyman license; a Residential Plumber Limited license is available after 4,000 hours (3,000 indentured).

The steps in Louisiana

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    Everyone doing plumbing or gas fitting work in Louisiana must first register as an apprentice with the State Plumbing Board, and apprentices may work only under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman.

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    A journeyman applicant must be a registered apprentice with 8,000 hours of supervised plumbing work (7,000 hours if enrolled in a Louisiana Workforce Commission approved apprenticeship) and pass the State Plumbing Board's written and practical exam.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    A master plumber applicant must hold a current Louisiana journeyman plumbing license and pass the State Plumbing Board's master exam; no minimum number of years as a journeyman is stated.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    Louisiana plumbing licenses are renewed every year before December 31, and license holders must take continuing professional education (CPE) by December 31 each year; the hour count is not stated on the board's CPE page.

Who licenses plumbers in Louisiana

State Plumbing Board of Louisiana. License types we found: Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Residential Plumber Limited, Apprentice.

Official application page

Licensed in another state?

The State Plumbing Board posts reciprocal journeyman plumber applications for Texas and Arkansas license holders.

Finding an apprenticeship

Most plumbers learn the trade through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training each year plus classroom instruction, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeships are paid jobs with progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and a portable, nationally recognized credential; programs are approved by the Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency. Search programs at apprenticeship.gov, or ask local plumbing contractors and union locals.

Pay and job outlook

$63,800

Median yearly pay for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025 (BLS).

7%

Projected job growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 42,000 openings a year (BLS).

4-5 years

Typical apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training a year (BLS).

National figures from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook; pay varies by state and city.

Already a plumber in Louisiana?

67 plumbing businesses are listed on Plumbers Pages so far. Add your business free, or see plumbers in Louisiana.

Sources

Requirements come from Louisiana’s official licensing pages and statutes, checked October 2026. Rules change – confirm with the licensing office before you apply.

  1. spbla.com/licenses/
  2. spbla.com/la-tx-reciprocation/
  3. legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=93229
  4. legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1452960
  5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
  6. U.S. Department of Labor – Apprenticeship.gov for career seekers

General information, not legal advice. All states · How we write our guides

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