Do Foundation Contractors Need a License in Louisiana? An LSLBC Guide
If a foundation company has just handed you a proposal in Shreveport, LA, it is fair to ask how to check that company out. In Louisiana the answer runs through the state contractor board, the LSLBC, and the rules changed in 2024. Here is what the law says, how it applies to foundation work, and what to ask before you sign.
Shreveport Foundation Services is a free quote service, not a foundation company. Independent local companies, which may pay to receive requests, reply to homeowners with quotes, and the company you choose does the work. Shreveport Foundation Services holds no contractor license and does not do the work. Nothing here is legal advice; for a firm answer on a specific job, ask the LSLBC or an attorney.
Do foundation contractors need a license in Louisiana?
Generally, yes, for jobs of any real size. Louisiana's contractor board (LSLBC) changed its thresholds on August 1, 2024. Home improvement registration now covers most projects of $7,500 to under $50,000, but structural work such as foundations, footings and floor slabs is excluded from 'home improvement', so foundation repair over $7,500 generally calls for an LSLBC-licensed contractor. Look the company up at lslbc.louisiana.gov and ask for the license number, proof of liability insurance and the permit.
The reason is a specific line in the 2024 law, covered below. The board's own guidance on how it applies to foundation repair was not found, so treat this as the most likely reading and confirm with the LSLBC.
What changed on August 1, 2024
Act 178 of the 2024 Regular Session (SB 392) took effect on August 1, 2024. It amended the contractor licensing law, including R.S. 37:2150.1, which holds the definitions. According to the legislature's digest:
- The license threshold for new residential construction dropped to $50,000.
- Home improvement contracting now means a project value of "$7,500 or more but less than $50,000."
- A "residential contractor" now includes anyone performing home improvements when the cost exceeds $7,500.
- Home improvement work of $7,500 to under $50,000 by a licensee must be in writing.
Many websites, including some contractor pages, still show the thresholds from before 2024. Check the date on anything you read.
Why foundation work is treated differently
The same act says home improvement contracting "shall not include the performance of any structural work that is integral to the structural integrity of any new or existing structure, including but not limited to footings, foundation, outside walls, skeleton, bearing columns and interior load bearing walls, and floor slabs."
So a company with only a home improvement registration appears not to be covered for structural foundation work. Repairs such as piers, slab lifting, or beam and sill replacement on a home over $7,500 generally point to an LSLBC residential license instead. That is an interpretation of the statute; confirm with the LSLBC.
| Type of job | What the rules generally point to (confirm with the LSLBC) |
|---|---|
| Non-structural work on an existing home, under $7,500 | Below the state home improvement threshold; local permits may still apply |
| Non-structural home improvement, $7,500 to under $50,000 | Home improvement registration or a license; work by a licensee must be in a written contract (ask for one either way) |
| Structural foundation repair over $7,500 (piers, slab lifting, beams, sills) | Generally an LSLBC residential license |
| Residential projects of $50,000 and up | LSLBC residential license |
| Raising a house over $7,500 (not leveling for settlement) | Limited to specific classifications; see below |
| Mold remediation of $7,500 or more | LSLBC lists a separate mold remediation license |
A plain-language summary of Act 178 and LSLBC pages as of November 2026, not a legal ruling.
House raising vs house leveling
This matters most for pier-and-beam homes. Under the board's rule LAC 46:XXIX-303, raising a residential structure over $7,500 may only be bid or performed by holders of certain classifications, such as Building Construction, House Moving, or the foundation classifications. "Raising" there means separating a structure from its foundation or lifting it to move it or change its elevation. The rule says it does not include lifting part of a structure to level it due to settlement. Residential license holders may contract for raising, leveling or shoring but must hand the raising itself to a properly classified contractor.
There is no residential-only "foundation repair" classification. The foundation classifications in LAC 46:XXIX-301 sit under the commercial headings. The published copies of these rules may not reflect every post-2024 update, so if your job involves lifting the whole house, ask the company which classification it holds and check it with the board.
How to check a contractor's license
Get the number
Ask for the LSLBC license number and the exact business name on it.
Look it up
Search lslbc.louisiana.gov. The name should match the name on your contract.
Check insurance
Ask for a certificate of liability insurance in the company's name.
Confirm the permit
Ask who pulls the permit and get the number before work starts.
LSLBC pages give different figures for the liability insurance a home improvement registrant must carry, so ask the board if the exact minimum matters to you.
Permits around Shreveport and Bossier City
Structural repairs generally need a permit from your city or parish; your contractor should pull it. Who issues it depends on where you live:
| Where the house is | Who handles permits |
|---|---|
| Shreveport and Caddo Parish (except Greenwood, LA), including Keithville, LA | City of Shreveport Permits & Inspections (Metropolitan Planning Commission) |
| Greenwood, LA | Town of Greenwood |
| Bossier City, LA | Bossier City Permits & Inspections |
| Benton, LA and unincorporated Bossier Parish | Code Inspections Plus |
| Haughton, LA; Minden, LA; Stonewall, LA | Each town's own office |
The Benton and Stonewall arrangements come from third-party directories, so confirm with the town. No local office page reviewed spells out a foundation-specific permit rule, so ask. This Old House lists a typical foundation permit at $75–$150 nationally.
Your right to cancel
Louisiana's home solicitation laws (R.S. 9:3538 and 9:2711.1) give a 3-business-day right to cancel many in-home sales of $25 or more, but it may not apply when you contacted the company yourself or to emergency repairs already under way. Ask whether a cancel right applies and get it in writing. A related statute, R.S. 9:2711.1, excludes some sales the homeowner started by contacting the seller at the seller's place of business, so a cancel right is not a given when you made the first contact.
Louisiana consumer protection
The Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (R.S. 51:1405) makes unfair or deceptive acts in trade unlawful. Complaints go to the Louisiana Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section. The Attorney General's office has long given homeowners the same advice for repair work:
- Verify the contractor's LSLBC license.
- Get at least three bids.
- Avoid large down payments.
- Get a written contract with the contractor's name, address, insurer and license number.
A license is not a second opinion. A license shows a company met the board's requirements. It does not tell you whether eight piers or two shims is the right fix. For large pier or leveling jobs, conflicting quotes or a home sale, an independent LAPELS-licensed professional engineer can assess the house first. This Old House lists $300–$1,000. See foundation inspections.
Questions to ask every foundation company
- What is your LSLBC license number and classification, and is it in the company's name?
- Can I have a certificate of liability insurance?
- Will you pull the permit, and when will I get the number?
- Can I get a written scope listing the method, the number of piers or shims, and what is excluded?
- What does the warranty cover, does it transfer to a buyer, and can I have it in writing?
- Does a right to cancel apply to this contract?
Proposals for slab foundation repair and pier-and-beam work vary widely, and the Shreveport foundation repair cost guide shows typical national ranges. When you request free quotes, run each reply through the checks above. The quote process page explains what happens next.
Frequently asked questions
Do foundation repair companies need a license in Louisiana?
For most jobs, yes. Since August 1, 2024, Act 178 excludes structural work such as foundations, footings and floor slabs from home improvement contracting, so foundation repair over $7,500 generally calls for an LSLBC-licensed residential contractor. Look the company up at lslbc.louisiana.gov and confirm with the board if you are unsure.
Is a home improvement registration enough for foundation work?
It appears not for structural work. Home improvement registration covers most projects of $7,500 to under $50,000, but Act 178 says home improvement contracting does not include structural work integral to a building, naming foundations and floor slabs. The LSLBC's own guidance on this point was not found, so ask the board.
Do I need a permit for foundation repair in Shreveport?
Structural repairs generally need a permit from your city or parish, and your contractor should pull it. In Shreveport and most of Caddo Parish that is the City of Shreveport's Permits and Inspections office; Greenwood and Bossier City run their own. Ask for the permit number before work starts.
Do I always get three days to cancel a foundation contract in Louisiana?
Not always. Louisiana's home solicitation laws (R.S. 9:3538 and 9:2711.1) give a 3-business-day right to cancel many in-home sales of $25 or more, but it may not apply when you contacted the company yourself or to emergency repairs already under way. Ask the company whether a cancel right applies and get the answer in writing.