Yahoo ran a piece on plumbing license fraud, and Travis Hargrave of Hargrave’s Plumbing in Lafayette was one of the plumbers it talked to. The article, “‘They just borrow a license:’ Plumbers explain how plumbing license fraud can endanger homes and lives,” was written by Gabriel Morgan and published March 17, 2026.
Travis did more than comment. Yahoo reports that he recently reported a fraudulent plumber to the state licensing board, and the way that one came to light explains the whole problem.
How Travis Found One
“One of my guys took classes with the ‘plumber’ and knew he wasn’t licensed,” Travis told Yahoo. “When he questioned him, the reply was ‘I just borrow my buddy’s.'”
That is the scheme in a sentence. A plumbing license belongs to a person who qualified for it and answers for the work done under it. When someone else’s number goes on the job, the person holding the license is not the person in your house, and nobody who actually touched your pipes is accountable for them.
Why It Happens
Warren Stroud, owner of Plumbing Outfitters in Austin, Texas, told Yahoo that license fraud is more common than most people realize, and that unlicensed operators undercut honest shops by skipping insurance, training, and code compliance.
Sometimes the license holder is in on it. “Do Masters rent out? Yes, they do. Rarely, but yes,” Travis said. He also described contractor companies that run a plumbing side business with no plumber of their own. “They just borrow a license,” he said, “in hopes of a flooded house becoming a full home restoration job.”
That last line is worth reading twice. The leak call is not the job. It is the way in.
What It Means for the Homeowner
The article lays out the fallout. The license is what pulls the permit, so unlicensed work is often unpermitted work, and unpermitted work can be illegal, not up to code, and uninsured. It tends to surface at the worst moment, in a home inspection when you go to sell, and it can hold up the sale. Homeowners often end up paying twice: once for the bad job and again to have it done right.
Gas is where it turns dangerous. Yahoo pointed to the New York City gas explosions of 2014 and 2015, which led to the city’s Local Law 150.
Red Flags to Watch For
- The plumber cannot tell you clearly who holds the license.
- The name on the license does not match the name of the business.
- The license holder has left the company, and the company is still working under that number.
- The quote is well under everyone else’s. “If you get a quote that seems low, you may want to proceed with caution,” Travis said. “Low price may mean no insurance or cut corners.”
How to Check a Plumber in Louisiana
Louisiana licenses plumbers at the state level, through the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana. Before anyone starts work, ask for the license number and the name of the person it belongs to. Check both with the board, and make sure that person is actually part of the company at your door. John Akhoian, founder of Rooter Hero Plumbing & Air, gave Yahoo the same advice from California: look the license up in the state’s own database before you hire.
For the record, Hargrave’s Plumbing’s license numbers are LMNGF #9436 and LMP #5401. They are printed on every post on this site. Ask for them on any job, whether it is gas piping, leak detection, or an emergency call.
Thanks to Yahoo
Thanks to Gabriel Morgan and the Yahoo team for taking on a subject most homeowners never hear about until it lands in their house. The full article is at Yahoo.
Want a Licensed Plumber on the Job? Call Hargrave’s
If you are not sure who did the work in your house, or you want someone licensed on the job from the start, we can help. Our team works across Acadiana, and our license numbers are yours for the asking. Get in touch and we will send someone out.
