Montana to Louisiana: residential contractor license reciprocity
Louisiana has no reciprocity agreement with Montana. A Montana residential contractor applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Trade examination waived on a verified out-of-state license or the NASCLA examination (every state)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
Louisiana does not run named-state contractor reciprocity. On 23 October 2024 the Board notified state regulatory agencies that it would instead accept the passing trade examination behind any other state's license, that the exam is matched to whichever Louisiana classification the Board considers equivalent, and that the change 'renders any previous agreements null and void', so the route below is open to an applicant from any state and no state has an advantage over another. The applicant sends the Board's Reciprocity Request form to the licensing board that issued the origin license, which fills in and seals the verification section with the license number, status, disciplinary history, classifications held, and for each classification the person who passed the trade exam, the date, the exam developer and the score; the applicant then uploads the completed form with the online application. A qualifying party who instead holds a passing NASCLA Accredited Examination result reaches the same place by having NASCLA send the transcript to the Board directly, and the Board's application accepts that credit for the Residential Construction classification as well as for Building Construction. Neither route waives anything else: the Louisiana Business and Law course, the $50,000 net-worth financial statement, insurance, the background investigation and all fees still apply, and the trade exam is waived only if the origin exam was genuinely passed, with no waiver, exemption or grandfathering behind it.
The Louisiana Business and Law requirement is an online course of about 30 to 45 minutes rather than a proctored pass-or-fail examination, and the Board's own guidance says it is required of everyone coming in on another state's exam or on NASCLA. An applicant who cannot have the origin board certify the exam simply sits the Louisiana Residential Construction trade examination through PSI. The Board also exempts from residential testing anyone who already holds a Board-issued Building Construction license (La. R.S. 37:2156.1(E)(4)). One wrinkle to watch: the Board's classification rule still prints a $75,000 figure for residential construction, while La. R.S. 37:2150.1(24) and the Board's own Types of Licenses page both use $50,000. Ask the Board on 225.765.2301 which figure applies to your contract before you bid.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Out-of-state hours
- Do not count
What you must already have
- Your Montana license must be active and in good standing.La. R.S. 37:2153(F)(5) requires written certification from the licensing state. The verification is completed by a state licensing board, so a city or parish contractor card from the origin state does not satisfy it.
- Your Montana license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
- You must have passed a licensing exam in Montana that the destination considers comparable.The Board's online application asks whether the applicant is 'requesting to receive credit from an exam taken with NASCLA (National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies) for one of the following classifications: Building Construction, Residential Construction, or Electrical', so the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors is accepted at this residential level as well as at the commercial one. The transcript must be released to the Board directly from the NASCLA Examination Database; a copy from the candidate is not accepted. NASCLA is an examination credential, not a license and not an agreement between states, so it is available to an applicant from any state, and it never waives the Louisiana Business and Law course or any other licensing requirement.
- The applicant and every qualifying party must be a United States citizen or a legal resident of the United States, and each qualifying party must be a sole proprietor, partner, member or manager of an LLC, stockholder, officer or incorporator of a corporation, or a full-time employee of the applicant as the IRS defines full time. Louisiana sets no minimum trade experience or apprenticeship hours for a contractor license.
What you'll do to get licensed in Louisiana
- 1Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Louisiana Business and Law: an online course of roughly 30 to 45 minutes taken through the LSLBC Contractor Portal after the qualifying party is approved. The Board states it is not a pass or fail examination, and that it is required of every applicant seeking reciprocity from another state or using NASCLA for exam credit. It is never waived, and an exam or administrative fee is charged for it as well as for each classification..
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Louisiana Residential Construction trade examination, administered by PSI Services LLC since 5 August 2025 and scheduled after the Board issues the qualifying party an eligibility letter. It is required only where the trade exam is not waived by a verified out-of-state examination or by NASCLA credit. A candidate who fails may not retake the same examination for 30 days, and a review may be requested after two failed attempts. The Board and PSI publish the content outline and candidate bulletin only inside the PSI scheduling portal, so the question count, time limit, passing score and PSI fee are not available in advance; PSI Candidate Services on 855-340-3713 can confirm them..
- 3Application fee. Pay the application fee. Application fee paid with the online application. The Board does not publish a fee schedule on its website; La. R.S. 37:2156(C) caps the license fee at $100 and the examination fee at $50, and the annual fee is set by the Board at its July meeting. Fees are nonrefundable, and an applicant receiving SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, disability insurance or public housing, or earning under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, may claim a one-time waiver of the initial licensing fees. Ask the Board on 225.765.2301 for the current amounts..
- 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee. An exam or administrative fee is charged for each classification and for Business and Law. La. R.S. 37:2156(C) caps the examination fee at $50; PSI also charges for the scheduled examination. Neither amount is published on the Board's site, so confirm both with the Board and with PSI before scheduling..
- 5License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee. License fee, capped at $100 by La. R.S. 37:2156(C). A license issued to a contractor not domiciled in Louisiana may also carry a surcharge of up to $400 to cover the cost of investigating an out-of-state applicant. Licenses expire on the anniversary of issue; a residential license depends on current insurance and so cannot be renewed on a multi-year term..
- 6Financial responsibility. Show financial responsibility of at least $50,000. LSLBC Financial Statement form showing a net worth of at least $50,000 for a residential license, current within twelve months of the application and prepared and signed by a certified public accountant, accountant or bookkeeper as well as by the applicant. A CPA-prepared statement may be attached instead of the Board's form. An applicant short of the figure may make it up with an irrevocable letter of credit for the shortfall plus any negative net worth. A Home Improvement registration needs $25,000 instead..
- 7Insurance. Carry the required insurance. General liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage, emailed to the Board by the insurance agent at application and at every renewal, with LSLBC named as certificate holder; the Board will not accept a certificate from the contractor and allows no exemption from workers' compensation. Two published minimums are in circulation for the liability policy: the Board's application checklist, FAQ and public brochure all say $100,000, while La. R.S. 37:2156.1(F)(1) in the law and rules book effective 1 August 2026 says $500,000. Ask the Board on 225.765.2301 which figure applies before binding cover..
- 8Business license. Obtain a business license. A corporation, LLC or limited partnership, including an out-of-state one, must be registered with the Louisiana Secretary of State and show a status of Active and In Good Standing, with its charter number on the application, and must stay registered for as long as it holds the license. The license is issued in the exact legal name; Louisiana does not recognize a DBA, trade name or fictitious name..
- 9Background check. Complete a background check. The applicant, each principal and each qualifying party complete an application and pass a background investigation covering financial matters such as bankruptcy, judgments, insolvency and liens, and any criminal conviction, guilty plea or plea of nolo contendere (La. R.S. 37:2156.1(C)). A bankruptcy within the past ten years, an outstanding lien or judgment, a felony or non-traffic misdemeanour conviction, a debarment or an unresolved child support delinquency each triggers an upload of supporting records..
- 10Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Six hours of continuing education a year from a board-approved provider, kept as a certificate for five years. It is a condition of holding the residential license rather than of getting it, and it is treated as met if the same contractor also holds a current commercial license in Building Construction, Highway, Street and Bridge Construction, Heavy Construction or Municipal and Public Works Construction..
- 11Other. Completed and sealed LSLBC Reciprocity Request form returned by the origin state's licensing board, or a NASCLA transcript released to the Board directly from the NASCLA Examination Database, uploaded with the online application; plus articles of incorporation, articles of organization or the partnership agreement for any business entity. The application stays active for one year, after which unmet requirements mean a fresh application and fees..
What you'll need to buy or arrange
Exam preparation
Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.
- Law / code exam
- Trade exam · if applicable
- Exam fee
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance
Business registration
If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.
- Business license
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Louisiana licenses residential contractors
Louisiana residential contractor · “Residential Building Contractor (Residential Construction classification)”
Statewide license
Issued by Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC)
Louisiana licenses homebuilders statewide through the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, which calls the credential a Residential Building Contractor license and carries it on the license as the Residential Construction classification. It is required for the construction of a residential structure of not more than three floors, and for home improvement work on an existing residence, once the project value including labor and materials exceeds $50,000; below that, home improvement work between $7,500 and $50,000 needs a Home Improvement registration instead, which is a consumer-protection filing with a $25,000 net-worth test and insurance but no examination, and residential swimming pool work above $7,500 needs the Residential Swimming Pools subclassification. The license belongs to the business rather than the person: an individual, corporation, LLC or partnership applies, and it designates a qualifying party, a sole proprietor, partner, member, manager, stockholder, officer or full-time employee, who personally sits the trade examination and completes the Louisiana Business and Law course, so a builder moving to Louisiana applies as or for the entity that will sign contracts. Every applicant files a financial statement showing at least $50,000 net worth, prepared by an accountant, and residential licensees must also carry general liability insurance and workers' compensation and take six hours of continuing education a year. Louisiana sets no minimum experience or apprenticeship for a contractor license, so out-of-state years do not shorten any step, and La. R.S. 37:2160(D) preempts any municipal or parish examination authority, which makes the state license the only competency credential a builder needs.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Louisiana residential contractor exam if I'm licensed in Montana?
- The trade exam is waived, but Louisiana requires a law or code exam.
- Do my Montana work hours count in Louisiana?
- No. Louisiana does not credit out-of-state hours on this path.
- Does it work the other way, from Louisiana to Montana?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Louisiana to Montana, the mechanism is no credit.
Sources
- LSLBC notice to State Regulatory Agencies, 23 October 2024 - Louisiana Examination Reciprocity · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Other · verified September 17, 2026
- LSLBC Online Application Instructions, revised 21 November 2025 · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Form · verified September 17, 2026
- License Application Questions (complete list of questions on the online application) - LSLBC · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- Checklist of Items Required for Initial License and to Maintain License - LSLBC · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- Continuing Education - Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- Exams / Classifications (classification list) - LSLBC · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- FAQ - Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
- LSLBC Financial Statement form, revised 10 September 2025 · La. R.S. 37:2156.1(B) · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Form · verified September 17, 2026
- Contractors Licensing Law - La. R.S. 37 Chapter 24 and Rules & Regulations, effective 1 August 2026 · La. R.S. 37:2150.1, 2153(F)(5), 2156(C)-(D), 2156.1(B), (D), (E), (F), 2160(D); LAC 46:XXIX.111, .301, .2244 · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
- Licensing Requirements for Contractors in Louisiana (LSLBC public brochure) · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Other · verified September 17, 2026
- LSLBC Next Steps in the Application & Qualifying Party Process · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Form · verified September 17, 2026
- Reciprocity - Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- LSLBC Reciprocity Request (For Licensure in Louisiana), revised 9 September 2025 · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Form · verified September 17, 2026
- Test Registration and Scheduling (PSI) - LSLBC · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- Types of Licenses - Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
- NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors · National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies · Other · verified September 17, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.