It is exempt, i.e. not part of any ecclesiastical province but directly dependent on the Holy See and its missionary Dicastery for Evangelization.

The vicariate has been vacant since 1975, entrusted to a series of temporary Apostolic administrators.

The vicariate covers 80,425 km² in the northern Laotian civic provinces of Luang Prabang, Xaignabouli, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Louang Namtha and Bokeo.

As of 2014, it pastorally cares for 2,693 Catholics (0.2% of 1,692,000 total) in 8 parishes with one priest and five seminarians.

Since the Communist takeover of Laos in 1975 the Catholic Church in the vicariate of Luang Prabang has been strongly suppressed.