Louisiana bathroom remodel: the classification decides — a homeowner bathroom remodel is Home Improvement work in the $7,500–$75,000 band (registration, no exam, $100,000 GL + workers' compensation, § 2159 written contract with license number and no work before all signatures); above $75,000 (or new residential construction) the Residential Construction license applies with its exams, $50,000 net worth and 6 hours of annual CE. Unlicensed contractors cannot file liens. Every claim sourced and dated.
License thresholds by classification (rule default $50,000; residential family lower) — Rule §301.F verbatim: 'A license is required when the project cost exceeds $50,000 except where otherwise noted.' Otherwise noted: Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing — 'A license is required when the value exceeds $10,000' (rules §301.14, §301.38, §301.47; Hazardous Materials work > $1 with LDEQ credentialing, §301.21); Residential Construction — 'the construction of a residential structure … when the cost of the undertaking exceeds $75,000' (§301.50); Home Improvement — 'A license is required when the value exceeds $7,500. Home improvement is limited to a value of $75,000' (§301.26); Residential Swimming Pools > $7,500 (§301.51); Mold Remediation > $7,500 with 24 hours of board-approved training (§301.39); Solar Energy Equipment ≥ $10,000 (§ 2156.3). FAQ: thresholds include labor AND materials; 'A Commercial license does not allow you to build a single residential home.' S-LA-BLUE-BOOK
$100,000 liability + workers' compensation for the residential family — § 2156.1E verbatim: 'Residential construction and its subclassifications, mold remediation, and home improvement applicants shall be required to submit certificates evidencing workers' compensation coverage in compliance with Title 23 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, and liability insurance in a minimum amount of one hundred thousand dollars or liability protection provided by a liability trust fund as authorized by R.S. 22:46(9)(d) in a minimum amount of one hundred thousand dollars.' The FAQ adds: certificates are submitted with each new application and EVERY renewal, coverage must be continuous ('absolutely no exceptions to the WC requirement'), and a lapse can trigger a cease-and-desist order and suspension. Commercial licences carry no state GL minimum. S-LA-BLUE-BOOK
Written contract required; no work before all signatures; lien denial — § 2159(A): every agreement requiring licensure or registration must include the complete agreement (with a clear description of incorporated documents), the full names, addresses and the LICENSE NUMBER of the contractor, a description of the work, the total price (or an approximation of the owner's cost under a cost-plus or time-and-materials contract), the signature of all parties, and current insurance certificates (workers' compensation and liability). § 2159(B): 'At the time of signing, all parties shall be furnished with a copy of the signed contract. No work shall begin prior to the signing of the contract by all parties.' § 2159(D): 'No contractor who fails to obtain a license … shall be entitled to file a statement of claim or a statement of lien or privilege' for sums owed under a contract requiring a license. S-LA-BLUE-BOOK
Anniversary expiration; 1/2/3-year terms; 15-day grace; $50 delinquent fee — § 2156.H(1) verbatim: 'Licenses and renewals issued pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter shall expire on the anniversary of the date on which the license was originally issued. Licensees shall elect upon renewal one-, two-, or three-year license renewal terms … Licenses dependent on insurance requirements or certifications shall not be eligible for multiple-year renewal.' After expiration, 15 days to renew without penalty; after 15 days 'a delinquent fee not exceeding the sum of fifty dollars'; a license not renewed within one year of expiration is no longer renewable (§ 2156.J). FAQ: the initial license is valid for one year; renewal notices ~60 and ~15 days before expiration; residential/mold/HI renewals require current insurance certificates. S-LA-BLUE-BOOK
Amounts are statutory caps (§ 2156.C) — the board's current actual fees and all parish/municipal permit fees (LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED) are not published here.