Electrician Classes in Louisiana (Top Schools)

The Louisiana Workforce Commission expects that by 2024 there will be 8% more jobs available for electricians.

This good job outlook has attracted many young individuals to have a career in the electrical industry.

If you’re one of them, here’s how you can become a licensed electrician in Louisiana.

Potential Salary

Louisiana electricians are some of the highest-paid professionals in the state.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here’s their salary information as of May 2021:

Mean Wage:

• Annually – $55,360
• Hourly – $26.62

How to Become a Licensed Electrician in Louisiana

Louisiana has no state-wide regulations for apprentices, journeymen, and *master electricians.

Instead, the state leaves it to the local or parish level to oversee the licensure of these electricians.

So you should check with the city or parish you want to work at for their specific requirements.

To give you an idea, let’s take the licensing procedures of New Orleans as an example.

Note (*):
In Louisiana, a master electrician is an electrician with a state electrical contractor’s license.
So don’t get confused if localities and parishes use the two terms interchangeably.

Obtaining a New Orleans Electrician License

The City of New Orleans Permits and Licenses issues the following licenses:

• Class A master electrician
• Class C maintenance electrician
• Class D journeyman electrician
• Class E electrician trainee

Below, let’s learn the requirements for each license.

Electrician Trainee

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Completed trade license application form
• Letter from local union or employer on company letterhead addressed to the Chief Electrical Inspector requesting Helper’s License
• Copy of driver’s license or any state-issued ID
• 2 current passport photos
• License fee – $30 per year

Maintenance and Journeyman Electrician

• Must be at least 18 years old
• 5 years of work experience, including 4 years of working as a licensed electrician trainee
• Completed trade license application form
• Letter of Passing from the International Construction Code (ICC)
• Copy of driver’s license or any state-issued ID
• 2 current passport photos
• License fee – $60 per year

Master Electrician

• Must be at least 18 years old
• 5 years of work experience as a maintenance or journeyman electrician
• Completed trade license application form
• Letter of Passing from the ICC
  • If you’ve taken the state contractor’s exam, present your current LA state license or qualifying party letter
• Current proof of insurance
  • General liability insurance – $500,000 minimum
  • Worker’s compensation insurance or notarized waiver, whichever’s applicable
• LA General Sales Tax number card or letter from the LA Department of Revenue and Taxation
• Proof of current Orleans Parish Occupational License
• Proof of Federal ID Number
• Copy of driver’s license or any state-issued ID
• 2 current passport photos
• License fee
  • Active – $125 per year
  • Inactive – $30 per year

For complete information about these licenses, check out New Orleans’s Services page.

How to Become an Independent Electrical Contractor in Louisiana

You’ll need a state contractor license if you’ll perform electrical work valued at more than $50,000 on a single job.

This license will be issued by the LA Licensing Board for Contractors.

There are two types of electrical contractor licenses you can get: residential or commercial.

A residential license enables you to work on residential projects valued at $7,500.

Meanwhile, a commercial license enables you to work on commercial property projects valued at $10,000 minimum.

To apply for either electrical contractor license type, you must submit the following:

• Completed contractor license application form
• Current financial statement showing a net worth of $10,000
• Designate a qualifying party
• Successfully pass the business and law and trade exams

Additional requirement for residential license applicants:

• Proof of general liability insurance – $100,000 minimum

As a newly licensed electrical contractor, you will renew the license after one year.

Afterward, you can choose how often you want to renew it: annually, biennially, or triennially.

To qualify for renewal, you need to complete 6 hours of approved continued education.

Electrical Training Programs and Schools in Louisiana

Becoming an electrician will mean undergoing electrical education and training from a technical school or apprenticeship program.

In a technical school, you’ll earn a degree or certificate that will prove your competency to work in entry-level electrician positions.

Some of the areas you’ll learn in school will include electrical basics and tools, NEC, circuits and systems, safety, and more.

Meanwhile, an apprenticeship program will focus more on you receiving real-world on-the-job training.

To apply for an apprenticeship program, contact the local JATC or non-union chapters.

Regardless of where you trained, both will give you a chance to land an internship that can potentially turn into a permanent job.

You may also consider applying for these companies upon completion of your training:

• Doyle Electric, Inc.
• Copeland Electric
• Trinity Electric
• Fitzgerald Electrical LLC
• Leger Electric LLC
• Blanchard Electric, Inc.
• Anytime Electric LLC
• Kintzing Electrical Contractors, Inc.

The table below lists some of the top schools and associations offering approved electrical programs.

Electrician Schools by City

• Baton Rouge
• Lafayette
• New Orleans