A.(1) No natural person shall engage in doing the work of a tradesman plumber unless he possesses a tradesman plumber limited license or renewal thereof issued by the board. At the direction of a master plumber, a tradesman plumber may independently repair existing plumbing in one- and two-family dwellings, without the supervision of a journeyman plumber.

            (2) No natural person shall engage in doing the work of a journeyman plumber unless the person possesses a license or renewal thereof issued by the board. A journeyman plumber may engage in the art of plumbing only when the journeyman plumber is under the employment of a master plumber licensed by this board. Any journeyman plumber that repaired plumbing independently and without the supervision of a master plumber prior to January 1, 2024, may continue to operate in such a manner for a period of five years and shall within that five-year period pass the master plumber examination to obtain a master plumber license. Apprentices may engage in the art of plumbing only when they are under the direct, constant, on-the-job supervision of a licensed journeyman plumber. Direct, constant, on-the-job supervision means that a licensed journeyman plumber will supervise apprentices as governed by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

            B. No natural person shall engage in the work of a master plumber unless he possesses a master plumber’s license or renewal thereof issued by the board. A master plumber shall not engage in the work of a journeyman plumber unless he currently possesses or previously possessed a journeyman plumber’s license issued by the board. A person issued a master plumber’s license shall designate to the board, as required by the regulations of the board, an employing entity, which may be a corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. A licensed master plumber shall notify the board of any change of employment status with an employing entity. A master plumber shall designate no more than one employing entity at any time.

            C. No employing entity shall hold itself out as engaging in the business or art of plumbing unless it employs a master plumber. For purposes of this Section, employment of a master plumber means employment on a regular paid basis for actual services performed supervising journeyman plumbers.

            D. The board shall adopt regulations to implement this Section.

            E. This Section shall preempt municipal or other local regulatory examination authority over master plumbers, notwithstanding any contrary provision of any home rule charter. Municipal or other local regulatory authorities may assess and collect locally adopted fees and charges relative to plumbing work as defined in La. Rev. Stat. 37:1377 performed in their respective jurisdictions, but only to persons licensed under La. Rev. Stat. 37:1368.

            F. No natural person shall engage in doing the work of a medical gas piping installer unless he possesses a license or renewal thereof issued by the board.

            G. No natural person shall engage in the work of a water supply protection specialist unless he possesses a license or renewal thereof issued by the board as a journeyman plumber or master plumber and also possesses a special endorsement issued by the board pertaining to his work as a water supply protection specialist.

            H. No natural person shall engage in doing the work of a medical gas and vacuum systems verifier unless he possesses a license or renewal thereof issued by the board. Inspection and verification work performed by such person shall be conducted in person and at the physical site of the medical gas and vacuum systems subject to his verification.

            I.(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, any person or firm who is not licensed by the State Plumbing Board, but who is properly licensed for municipal and public works utility construction pursuant to the requirements of the State Licensing Board for Contractors, may perform main-line utility construction on private property or undedicated rights-of-way or servitudes, limited to the following:

            (a) Gravity sanitary sewer collection lines six inches and larger, including manholes, main lines, wyes, and tees.

            (b) Sewer force mains four inches and larger.

            (c) Water mains four inches and larger, including fire hydrants, valves, and fittings.

            (2) The provisions of this Subsection shall not pertain to gas mains within the boundary lines of any private property, nor shall they pertain to any service lines.

            J.(1) No person shall engage in performing the work of a gas fitter or master gas fitter unless he possesses a license or renewal thereof issued by the board.

            (2) The provisions of this Subsection shall not apply to work performed by persons on their own residences.

            Acts 1990, No. 752, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; Acts 1993, No. 43, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1994; Acts 1995, No. 824, §1; Acts 1999, No. 1020, §1, eff. July 9, 1999; Acts 2003, No. 815, §1; Acts 2008, No. 743, §7, eff. July 1, 2008; Acts 2014, No. 561, §1; Acts 2016, No. 297, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2017; Acts 2016, No. 515, §1; Acts 2023, No. 152, §1.