The National Emblem of the Lao People's Democratic Republic shows the national shrine Pha That Luang. A dam is pictured, which is a symbol of power generation at the reservoir Nam Ngum. An asphalt street is also pictured, as well as a stylized watered field.

In the lower part is a section of a gear wheel. The inscription on the left reads "Peace, Independence, Democracy" (Lao script: ສັນຕິພາບ ເອກະລາດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ) and on the right, "Unity and Prosperity" (Lao script: ເອກະພາບ ວັດຖະນາຖາວອນ).

An example of socialist heraldry, the coat of arms was originally adopted in 1975. It was modified in August 1991 to deemphasize Communism as a reaction to the fall of the Soviet Union, at which time the red star and hammer and sickle were replaced with the national shrine at Pha That Luang. A description of the coat of arms is specified in the Laotian constitution:

The National Emblem of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is a circle depicting in the bottom part one-half of a cog wheel and red ribbon with inscriptions [of the words] "Lao People's Democratic Republic", and [flanked by] crescent-shaped stalks of fully ripened rice at both sides and red ribbons bearing the inscription "Peace, Independence, Democracy, Unity, Prosperity". A picture of Pha That Luang Pagoda is located between the tips of the stalks of rice. A road, a paddy field, a forest and a hydroelectric dam are depicted in the middle of the circle.

— Constitution of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, § 90 ^[1]

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  Emblem during the monarchy, 1949–1975
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  1975–1991
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  Arms of the Laos Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry