Louisiana — electrical code & licensing
Partially verified
The code
| Edition in force | 2020 NEC (NFPA 70), as part of the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code (LSUCC) |
| Edition structure | One statewide edition |
| Effective date | 2023-01-01 |
| Date as recorded | 2023-01-01 (see notes) |
| Adopted by | Adopted under the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council (former La. R.S. 40:1730.28); the Council framework was repealed by Act 881 of 2026 and replaced by the Louisiana Uniform Construction Code Commission (R.S. 37:3727 et seq.) - see notes |
| Adoption source | https://www.lasfm.org/plan-review/plan-review-codes-rules-laws/ |
| State amendments | Amendments exist but the official document wasn't captured |
Licensing
| Model | State licensing of electrical CONTRACTORS only (Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors): Electrical is a major classification with subclassifications, and a state license is required for commercial electrical work of $10,000 or more (LSLBC FAQ). Louisiana issues no state journeyman/master electrician license; individual electrician credentialing, where it exists, is local (e.g., parish/municipal journeyman licenses). |
| Authority | Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) |
| Licensing source | https://lslbc.gov/exams-classifications/ |
| License classes | https://lslbc.gov/exams-classifications/ |
Permits & inspections
Permits and inspections are local under the uniform code; the Office of State Fire Marshal enforces the LSUCC (including the 2020 NEC) within its plan-review jurisdiction, per its official codes page.
Things to watch for
- This record is partially verified. Still open: Authority in transition: Act 881 of 2026 repealed the LSUCCC framework and created a successor Commission; its phase-in dates are unitemized, and the amendments document's URL is not captured.
How this record was verified
| Adoption | Partially verified |
| Amendments | Partially verified |
| Licensing | Verified |
| Permits & inspections | Verified |
On the adoption watch
authority change
Act 881 of 2026 repealed the former LSUCCC framework and created a successor Louisiana Uniform Construction Code Commission. Phase-in dates were not itemized; the Fire Marshal still lists the 2020 NEC in force. Authority changed before any edition change.
Working notes
AUTHORITY IN TRANSITION - recorded, not normalized: the Legislature's official code tables (legis.la.gov) show R.S. 40:1730.21 through 40:1730.40.2 'Repealed by Acts 2026, No. 881, Sec. 5'; Act 881 of 2026 (HB 1186) creates the successor Louisiana Uniform Construction Code Commission and a new inspector-licensing law (R.S. 37:3727-3750). Act 881's phase-in dates were not itemized this pass and the Commission has not changed the code edition; the 2020 NEC remains the edition the State Fire Marshal lists in force. PARTIAL because: (1) the 2023-01-01 effective date rests on the former Council's adoption rulemaking cycle (LAC 55:VI), whose Register text was not opened firsthand this pass - the edition itself is verified on the OSFM page; (2) Louisiana's LSUCC amendments are published with the code by OSFM, but the amendments document URL was not captured verbatim, so amendments_url is blank.
Reference only. Compiled from the cited official sources as of the date shown; adoptions and rules change. Confirm with the authority having jurisdiction before designing or permitting work.