Mississippi General Contractor License — Requirements, Fees & Exam

Mississippi licenses the contracting business, not individual employees. PSI exam, annual renewal — verified from Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC).

Source-verified

Requirements below are drawn from Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) (official site) and last verified August 5, 2026. Boards change fees and rules often — confirm before acting.

Requirements at a glance

Who holds the licence: AN INDIVIDUAL CAN HOLD A MISSISSIPPI CONTRACTOR LICENCE. The credential is issued to whoever applies, and MSBOC's Commercial Application lists 'Individual/Sole Proprietor' first among the types of business it will license ('TYPE OF BUSINESS (CHECK ONE): Individual/Sole Proprietor, Corporation, Limited Liability Company (LLC), Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), Limited Partnership, Other'), instructing the applicant to 'Print name of company or name of individual as you wish it to appear on the certificate of licensure.' The statutes say the same: Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-1(b) defines a 'Residential builder' as 'any corporation, partnership or individual' who builds above the threshold, and 31-3-1 defines 'Person' as 'Any person, firm, corporation, joint venture or partnership, association or other type of business entity.' Both MSBOC renewal forms carve sole proprietors out of the Secretary of State good-standing requirement, in slightly different words: the Commercial License Renewal Form reads '*This requirement does not apply to individuals/sole proprietors.' and the Residential License Renewal Form reads '*Requirement does not apply to individual/sole proprietor.' The Commercial Application likewise waives proof of the qualifying party's employment - 'Proof of employment not required if applying in an individual name.' A corporation, LLC or LLP must instead carry its exact registered name - 'If applying as a corporation, llc, or llp, you must state the exact name as registered with the Mississippi Secretary of State' - and the form's Corporation, LLC and LLP rows each add that they 'must be registered with the Mississippi Secretary of State and provide proof of good standing' and that 'MSBOC will only list names that match Mississippi Secretary of State records.' The form's Limited Partnership row carries no registration or good-standing instruction at all: it asks only that the applicant 'List name and type (limited, general) of partners.' Every licensee - individual or entity - must have a QUALIFYING PARTY who sits the exams; for a sole proprietor that person can be the owner himself, so no second individual is needed (Part 802 Rule 1.1(2)(l): 'The qualifying party shall be the owner, or a responsible managing employee, or a responsible managing officer, or a member of the executive staff who appears for and takes examination on behalf of the individual, co-partnership, or corporation seeking a license').
Qualifying party: MSBOC: 'The qualifying party is the individual who takes the required exam(s) ... must be an owner, officer, member of the executive staff, or a responsible managing employee.' MSBOC's Apply For A License page puts the owner first - 'a qualifying party is an owner, responsible managing officer, responsible managing employee, or a member of the executive staff or appears for and takes examinations on behalf of the individual, partnership, or corporation seeking a license' - so a sole proprietor may qualify his own licence. The qualifying party must be regularly employed by the certificate holder and actively engaged in the classification of work. Proof of employment is required at application and renewal. A qualifying party may serve no more than three (3) separate entities without appearing before the Board. On disassociation both parties must notify MSBOC immediately and another party must qualify within ninety (90) days.
Two separate application tracks: MSBOC publishes a COMMERCIAL application and a RESIDENTIAL application. On the commercial form the applicant may select a Major Classification, a Specialty Classification, or both.
Financial responsibility (commercial only): Reviewed or audited financial statement prepared and signed by a CPA within the prior 12 months: net worth of at least $50,000 for a major classification, at least $20,000 for all other applicants. A Compilation is not accepted and the requirement 'cannot be waived or substituted.' Not required while on inactive status.
Insurance: Commercial: certificate of general liability insurance showing at least $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate, with MSBOC named as certificate holder. Residential: proof of general liability coverage with MSBOC as certificate holder, but MSBOC states there is 'no minimum coverage requirement for residential license holders.' Both: workers' compensation certificate if the applicant has 5 or more employees.
References: Minimum of three (3) reference letters; one must come from the applicant's bank or financial institution. Required even if the applicant has previously passed an exam.
Application window: Applicants have 180 days to complete the application process; after 180 days incomplete applications are destroyed. Fees are non-refundable; payment by check or money order only.
Reciprocity: Reciprocity waives a TRADE exam only - it does not waive any other application requirement, Board review, or the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam. A $50 fee applies per exam waived. Agreements listed by MSBOC include Alabama (several boards), Arkansas, California CSLB, Florida CILB, Georgia, Louisiana (MSBOC notes the formal agreement has ENDED but it will still recognise passing Louisiana exam scores), North Carolina (Electrical and General), Ohio OCILB, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Inactive status: A licensee not actively building may request INACTIVE status in writing with a $25 processing fee. Annual renewal fees are still due while inactive, but the licensee may not submit bids, enter contracts, pull permits or perform work. Financial and insurance requirements are suspended while inactive.
Local building permits: A building official of any municipality or county must refuse to issue a permit for work that would classify the applicant as a residential builder or remodeler unless the applicant shows evidence of being licensed or exempt, and must report suspected violators to the Board (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-17). Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-18 requires 'All residential contractors, in order to obtain a building permit in the State of Mississippi,' to 'possess a permit from the Department of Revenue issued under Section 27-65-27' - but the same section carves out most in-state contractors: 'This section shall not apply to a residential contractor having a permanent place of business in the State of Mississippi or licensed under Section 31-3-1.' For that section only, 'residential contractor' is defined without regard to the 73-59-1 dollar thresholds - 'a person or entity contracting or offering to contract with an owner or possessor of residential real estate to construct a residence or appurtenant structure thereon, or to repair or renovate any portion of a residence or appurtenant structure thereon, regardless of the cost of the project' - and 'A residential contractor is not a person building, repairing or renovating his or her own residence.' Separately from 73-59-18, MSBOC's own commercial application requires a Mississippi sales tax or use tax number (31-3-13(a): 'No certificate of responsibility or any renewal thereof shall be issued until the applicant furnishes to the board his Mississippi state sales tax number or Mississippi state use tax number and his state income tax identification numbers.').
Public bidding: No contract for a public or private project may be issued or awarded to a contractor who did not hold a current certificate of responsibility at the time the bid was submitted; any contract awarded in violation is null and void (Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-15). Bidding without a certificate number on the exterior of the bid envelope is a misdemeanour punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to six months' imprisonment (31-3-21).

Legal basis

Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) administers general contractor licensing in Mississippi. Every figure below is verified against the board’s own official pages and dated. Who must personally hold a credential — the contractor, the business, or the individual worker — is set out under Requirements.

What it’s called

Certificate of Responsibility (COR); MSBOC commercial licence; commercial contractor license; residential builder license; residential remodeler license; Mississippi contractor license; certificate of licensure

License types & fees

Type	Experience	Exam	Fee	Scope Limit
Commercial Certificate of Responsibility - Major Classification	Applicant must show experience in the classification(s) requested and list at least 3 jobs completed in that classification; the application also requires the years of construction experience of each principal. Three reference letters, one of which must be from the applicant's bank. Reviewed or audited financial statement prepared and signed by a CPA within the prior 12 months showing net worth of at least $50,000 for a major classification (a Compilation is not accepted; 'cannot be waived or substituted'). General liability insurance of $300,000 per occurrence / $600,000 aggregate with MSBOC listed as certificate holder; workers' compensation certificate if 5 or more employees. MSBOC publishes NO minimum number of years of experience.	Mississippi Law and Business Management exam (required of all applicants) plus the trade exam for the classification. All exams are administered by PSI and are OPEN BOOK. Passing score is at least 70% (Miss. Admin. Code Title 30, Part 802, Rule 1.1(9)). A general building contractor may take the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building instead of the Mississippi Building Construction exam.	$400 application, which includes one trade classification; add $100 for each additional trade classification (MSBOC Commercial Application, which prints 'Revised 2/2026' on page 1). Renewal: $400 ($450 if the licence has already expired) per MSBOC's posted Fee Schedule, its live Commercial License Renewal Form, and Rule 3.4 of the filed Part 803 (Miss. Admin. Code Title 30, Part 803 ch. 3); Rule 3.4 of the filed Part 802 (Part 802 ch. 3) prices the same line at $200.00 - see fees, which sets out every official printing with attribution, the filed Part 802's internal conflict with its own Rule 1.1(2)(g), and the statutory $200 + $200 reconstruction.	Required of any prime contractor, subcontractor or sub-subcontractor of any tier for erection, building, construction, reconstruction, demolition, repair, maintenance or related work on any public or private project where the contract is $50,000 or more (Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-1, exclusion (a) for work under $50,000). MSBOC FAQ #1: 'All contractors and subcontractors performing work on commercial jobs over $50,000, including equipment installation, are required to have a commercial license issued by MSBOC.' Major classifications are Building Construction; Highway, Street and Bridge Construction; Heavy Construction; Municipal and Public Works; Electrical Work; Mechanical Work. Holding a major classification entitles the holder to perform every specialty classification listed under that major category. MSBOC's commercial application states 'MSBOC only offers an unlimited license' - there is NO published dollar ceiling above the $50,000 entry threshold.
Commercial Certificate of Responsibility - Specialty Classification	Same as the major classification except the CPA-reviewed financial statement must show net worth of at least $20,000 rather than $50,000.	The Mississippi Law and Business Management exam is required of all applicants. A trade exam is required only for specialty classifications marked '(Test Required)'.	$400 application including one classification; $100 for each additional classification.	Same $50,000 entry threshold as a major classification, but limited to one defined trade rather than a whole major category. Per MSBOC: 'Applicants who do not desire a major classification may choose an unlimited number of specialty classifications.' The specialty classification LIMITED SPECIALTY SERVICES covers 'any scope of work that exceeds $50,000 not specifically defined under any other classification. No examination or credential is required.' Two classifications are stand-alone and not covered by any major classification: FIRE SPRINKLER WORK (effective 7/10/14) and SOLAR AND WIND CONSTRUCTION (effective 9/14/16).
Fire Sprinkler Work (stand-alone commercial classification)	All commercial application requirements, plus the qualifying party must hold NICET Level III certification or higher. MSBOC also directs applicants to contact the MS State Fire Marshal for possible additional requirements.	Mississippi Law and Business Management exam plus the applicable trade exam.	$400 commercial application including one classification; $100 per additional classification.	A commercial licence is required for fire protection system work on a PUBLIC project of $5,000 or more, and on a PRIVATE project of $10,000 or more (Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-1, exclusions (g) and (h)). Effective 7/10/14 Fire Sprinkler Work is a stand-alone classification not covered under any major classification. Statutory carve-out at 31-3-1(i) for a Mississippi contractor who has been in the business of installing fire protection sprinkler systems on or before July 1, 2000.
Residential Builder	Must show experience in the classification requested and list at least 3 completed jobs in that classification. Three reference letters, one from the applicant's bank (required even if the applicant has previously passed an exam). Certificate of general liability insurance with MSBOC as certificate holder (NO minimum coverage amount for residential); workers' compensation certificate if 5 or more employees; proof of employment of the qualifying party; proof of good standing with the MS Secretary of State.	Mississippi Law and Business Management exam (all applicants) plus the Residential Building trade exam. Administered by PSI, open book.	$50 application, which includes one trade classification; add $100 for each additional (example table: 1 class = $50, 2 = $150, 3 = $250). Renewal $100 annually; $110 if the licence has already expired.	'Residential builder' means any corporation, partnership or individual who constructs a building for sale for use by another as a residence, or who for compensation undertakes the construction or superintending of the construction of any building not more than three (3) floors in height to be used by another as a residence, WHEN THE TOTAL COST OF THE UNDERTAKING EXCEEDS $50,000 (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-1(b)). Board classification scope: construction, remodeling, repair or improvement of any residential building to be occupied by 50 or fewer families and not more than 3 floors in height, OR any commercial structure provided the prescribed job is not more than 7,500 square feet; includes remodeling and roofing within those limits; does NOT include any industrial or process piping work. The 7,500 sq ft commercial authority is statutory (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-19).
Residential Remodeler	Same residential application requirements as Residential Builder.	Mississippi Law and Business Management exam plus the residential remodeling trade exam.	$50 application including one trade classification, +$100 per additional; $100 annual renewal ($110 if expired).	'Remodeler' means any corporation, partnership or individual who for compensation undertakes the construction or superintending of the construction of improvements to an EXISTING residence WHEN THE TOTAL COST OF THE IMPROVEMENTS EXCEEDS $10,000 (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-1(c)). Board classification scope: remodeling, repair or improvement of any residential building not more than 3 floors in height; scope includes roofing within the stated limits.
Residential Roofer	Same residential application requirements as Residential Builder.	Mississippi Law and Business Management exam plus the residential roofing trade exam.	$50 application including one trade classification, +$100 per additional; $100 annual renewal ($110 if expired).	MSBOC FAQ #1: 'residential roofing over $10,000' requires a licence. Board classification scope: installation, repair or improvement to residential rooftop structures including roof coverings and roof drainage. 'The holder of this classification is limited to residential roofing work only.' (Roofing is also included inside the Residential Builder and Residential Remodeler scopes.)
Residential Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, HVAC and Solar subcontractors - NO DOLLAR THRESHOLD	Standard residential application requirements.	Mississippi Law and Business Management exam plus the trade exam(s): Residential Electrical; Residential Plumbing; Residential HVAC; Residential Mechanical requires BOTH the Residential HVAC and Residential Plumbing exams; Residential Solar requires the Solar exam.	$50 application including one trade classification, +$100 per additional; $100 annual renewal ($110 if expired).	Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-3(1)(d) requires a licence of 'Any subcontractor, of any tier, performing the following work or within the following trade, on any residential construction or residential improvement project, NO MATTER THE DOLLAR AMOUNT of the construction or improvements: (i) Electrical; (ii) Plumbing; (iii) Mechanical; and/or (iv) Heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning'. RESIDENTIAL MECHANICAL covers residential HVAC AND residential plumbing work. Residential solar likewise has no threshold - 73-59-1(i) and 73-59-3(1)(e); the holder 'is limited to residential solar work only' and 'must also hold the required classification to make electrical or mechanical connections.'
Construction Manager / Residential Construction Manager	Residential route: the standard residential application requirements. Commercial route: the standard commercial requirements including the CPA-reviewed financial statement and $300,000/$600,000 general liability coverage.	Residential Construction Manager requires the Residential Building exam plus the Law and Business Management exam. Commercial Construction Management is marked '(Test Required)'.	Residential: $50 application / $100 renewal. Commercial: $400 application / renewal per the fees field.	'Construction manager' means any person or entity, other than a residential builder, remodeler or owner, who has a contract with the owner of the property for residential construction or improvement, no matter if that owner himself is the general contractor or a holder of a building permit (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-1(h)); such persons must be licensed (73-59-3(1)(c)). On the commercial side, anyone contracting as a construction manager of any tier must hold either the SPECIALTY classification of Construction Management or the MAJOR classification of Building Construction (Rule 1.1(4)).

Who does NOT need this license — exemptions

COMMERCIAL (Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-1, definition of ‘contractor’). ‘Contractor’ excludes any owner of a dwelling or other structure to be constructed, altered, repaired or improved and NOT for sale, lease, public use or assembly, and any person permitted by the Mississippi State Oil and Gas Board acting under that permit. The chapter further does not apply to: (a) any contract or undertaking on a public or private project, at any tier, where the contract or undertaking is LESS THAN $50,000; (b) highway construction, highway bridges, overpasses and other projects incidental to highway construction designated as federal aid projects involving federal funds; (c) a residential project to be occupied by fifty (50) or fewer families and not more than three (3) stories in height; (d) a residential subdivision where the contractor is developing single-family or multi-family lots; (e) a NEW COMMERCIAL construction project not exceeding 7,500 square feet and not more than two (2) stories in height undertaken by an individual or entity licensed under 73-59-1 et seq.; (f) erection of a microwave tower built for telecommunication transmissions; (g) fire protection system work on a PUBLIC project of LESS THAN $5,000; (h) fire protection system work on a PRIVATE project of LESS THAN $10,000; (i) construction, reconstruction, repair or maintenance of technically specialized installations if performed by a Mississippi contractor who has been in the business of installing fire protection sprinkler systems on or before July 1, 2000; and (j) work on oil or gas wells, pipelines, processing plants, treatment facilities or other such structures, surface or subsurface. RESIDENTIAL (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-15, ‘Persons and matters exempt’). The residential chapter does not apply to: (a) agricultural buildings, buildings used for agricultural purposes, buildings constructed as a community effort, or tenant houses; (b) any person who undertakes construction or improvement on HIS OWN RESIDENCE, or who acts as his own general contractor on his own residence; (c) any person who undertakes residential construction or improvement, acts as general contractor for it, or acts under the supervision of the owner-occupant, WHERE THE OWNER IS RELATED TO THAT PERSON BY CONSANGUINITY OR DIRECT AFFINITY and the property will not be for sale, rent, public use or public assembly; (d) OWNERS OF PROPERTY who supervise, superintend, oversee, direct or in any manner assume charge of construction, alteration, repair, improvement, movement, demolition or maintenance on such property FOR USE BY SUCH OWNER and which will not be for sale, rent, public use or public assembly; (e) any contractor holding a valid licence or certificate of responsibility for general construction from the board; (f) any nonresident contractor holding a valid licence or certificate of responsibility for general construction; (g) any person who constructs TWO (2) SINGLE RESIDENCES OR LESS within a period of one (1) year in any county or municipality which does not require a building permit or any local certification, provided the person is not building the residences for sale. LIMIT ON THE OWNER-BUILDER AND FAMILY EXEMPTIONS: a person relying on exemption (b) or (c) ‘shall not make more than one (1) application for a permit to construct a single residence or shall not construct more than one (1) single residences within a period of one (1) year’; exceeding that creates a rebuttable presumption that the person intends to construct for sale, lease or rent (73-59-15(2)). DOLLAR-THRESHOLD EXEMPTIONS ARE THE OTHER HALF OF THE PICTURE: residential construction of $50,000 or less, and residential improvements/remodeling or roofing of $10,000 or less, fall outside the definitions of ‘residential builder’ and ‘remodeler’ - BUT residential ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, MECHANICAL and HVAC subcontractors of any tier, construction managers, and residential solar contractors must be licensed REGARDLESS of dollar amount (73-59-3(1)(c)-(e)). MSBOC also states that a Residential Builder may perform commercial work provided the job does not exceed 7,500 square feet, which is the mirror image of commercial exclusion (e).

Fees

MSBOC Fee Schedule effective January 1, 2016: Commercial Application $400.00; Commercial License Renewal $400.00; Commercial Renewal Late Fee $50.00; Commercial Additional Classification $100.00; Commercial Name Change $50.00; Reciprocity/Verification of License $25.00; Residential Application $50.00; Residential License Renewal $100.00; Residential Renewal Late Fee $10.00; Request to transfer to Inactive status $25.00; Request to transfer to Active status $25.00; Request for Waiver of Exam $50.00; Request for Change in Qualifying Party $25.00; Duplicate License Fee $50.00 (each); Returned Check Fee $40.00. The live renewal forms - neither of which prints a revision date; ‘2026/04’ is MSBOC’s WordPress upload folder, not a revision - charge $400 commercial ($450 if already expired) and $100 residential ($110 if already expired), matching the posted schedule plus its late fees. COMMERCIAL FEES - WHAT TO PAY IS $400, AND ONE FILED RULE PRINTS A LOWER SCHEDULE. The Mississippi Secretary of State is the official registrar for the rules of all state agencies and the publisher of the Mississippi Administrative Code. Its register lists three parts for this board and records Part 802 ‘Commercial Construction’ and Part 803 ‘Residential Builders and Remodelers’ as both LAST AMENDED 12/6/2021, with an effective date of 9/8/2011. Both filed parts carry a ‘Rule 3.4 Fee Schedule’ of twenty-two lines, and the two filed tables differ on three of those lines - all three commercial. (1) The filed Part 802, Part 802 Chapter 3, Rule 3.4 states ‘Commercial Application (1 classification) $200.00*’, ‘Commercial License - Additional Classification $50.00**’ and ‘Commercial License Renewal $200.00*’. (2) The filed Part 803, Part 803 Chapter 3, Rule 3.4 states ‘Commercial Application (1 classification) $400.00*’, ‘Commercial License - Additional Classification $100.00**’ and ‘Commercial License Renewal $400.00*’. Neither filed part prints any legend explaining the * and ** marks on those lines. THE FILED PART 802 ALSO CONTRADICTS ITSELF: its own Rule 1.1(2)(g) directs that ‘A check in the amount of Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00) made payable to the State Board of Contractors should accompany the application’, while its Rule 3.4 table prices that same application at $200.00. The filed Part 803 has no equivalent internal conflict - its Rule 1.1(1)(h) sets ‘A check in the amount of Fifty Dollars ($50.00), representing the initial license fee’ and ‘A check in the amount of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) … shall accompany all requests for renewal of licenses’, matching its own table’s residential lines. Each filed amendment names the rule it changed: the Part 802 filing is captioned ‘Amendment to Rules and Regulations -Commercial Contractors -30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 802, R. 1.2(9).’, and the Part 803 filing is captioned ‘Amendment to Rules and Regulations-Residential Builders and Remodelers-30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 803, R. 1.4 & 3.4’. No document states which fee table governs, and this record declares neither superseded. MSBOC separately republishes Rule 3.4 inside its own two rule compilations, and those republished tables do not both match the filed text. The commercial compilation (‘MS Commercial Laws and Rules Revised 2022’) prints Commercial Application $400.00 and Commercial License - Additional Classification $100.00 - the posted 2016 amounts - but Commercial License Renewal $200.00, so it matches the filed Part 802 on the renewal line only. The residential compilation (‘MS Residential Laws and Rules Revised 2022’) prints $400.00 / $100.00 / $400.00, reproducing the filed Part 803 on all three. Between MSBOC’s two compilations the renewal line is the only one of twenty-two that differs. MSBOC’s posted Fee Schedule PDF, captioned ‘FEE SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2016’, states Commercial Application $400.00, Commercial License - Additional Classification $100.00 and Commercial License Renewal $400.00. MSBOC’s live Commercial License Renewal Form instructs the licensee to mail ‘a check or money order made payable to MSBOC in the amount of $400 before the expiration date indicated on your license… If your license has expired, the fee is $450.’ The $200.00 renewal figure therefore appears in exactly two documents - the filed Part 802 and MSBOC’s commercial compilation - while the filed Part 803, the residential compilation, the posted schedule and the live renewal form all state $400, and $400 is what the live form directs a renewing licensee to pay. Statutory components, for reference: Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-17 levies a $200 special privilege licence tax (payable on renewal as well as application - 31-3-13(a) provides that ‘Application for renewal of certificates of responsibility, together with the payment of a special privilege license tax as provided under this chapter, shall serve to extend the current certificate’) and authorises ‘an additional special privilege license tax not to exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for each additional classification’; and 31-3-14(1) adds a separate fee ’equal to Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) at the time of application or renewal of certificates of responsibility’ for the Construction Education Fund, from which residential builders licensed under 73-59-1 et seq. are exempt. $200 + $200 = $400. Both filed Rule 3.4 printings also list a ‘Request for Oral Examination $50.00’ line that the posted schedule omits; apart from that line and the three commercial lines above, every fee in these documents agrees. Residential statutory fee: 73-59-3(4) sets the initial licence fee at $50.00 and caps any board-set fee at $100.00.

Exam

Every applicant - commercial and residential - must pass the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam. A trade exam is additionally required for most classifications (MSBOC: ‘some specialty classifications do not require a trade exam, but all applicants are required to take the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam’). All exams are administered by PSI and are OPEN BOOK. MSBOC mails a PSI Candidate Information Bulletin after the application is received; the candidate cannot schedule until MSBOC notifies PSI of eligibility. The passing score is at least 70% (Rule 1.1(9)). An oral examination may be administered to an applicant unable to take a written exam. Alternatives: a general building contractor may take the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building instead of the Mississippi Building Construction exam, and a Master Electrical contractor may take the NASCLA Accredited Electrical Examination instead of the Mississippi Master Electrical exam.

Renewal & continuing education

Annual. Commercial: all original certificates of responsibility expire one (1) year from the date of issuance (Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-13(a)). Residential: the licence expires on the last day of the twelfth month following its issuance or renewal (73-59-3(5)). MSBOC’s Renew Your License page states: ‘Beginning in 2026 MSBOC will rely solely on email to send annual renewal notices to current licensees approximately 60 days before the expiration date listed on the certificate of licensure… It is the responsibility of the license holder to renew a license annually and to notify MSBOC of any change in address.’ That is board practice, not the statutory floor: 73-59-3(5) provides only that the board may notify the licensee by mail or e-mail within thirty (30) days prior to expiration. A commercial or residential licence may be renewed late for up to 180 days after the expiration date; a licence expired more than 180 days cannot be renewed and requires a new application. Residential licences only: two (2) credit hours of continuing education per year, per qualifying party, taught by a board-approved provider, required to maintain a residential licence (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-11; Residential Rule 1.4(4)). One CE credit equals a 50-minute credit hour. The requirement applies to all residential licences issued on or after July 1, 2015; a residential builder or remodeler who held a valid licence before July 1, 2015 is exempt, and the statute caps the requirement at no more than two hours per year. CE is not required while the licence is on INACTIVE status. Proof of each qualifier’s 2 hours must accompany the residential renewal. MSBOC publishes NO continuing-education requirement for commercial certificates of responsibility.

How to apply

Applications are handled by Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC). Start at the official application page .

Verify a license in Mississippi

Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) publishes a public license search , searchable by company name, DBA name, qualifying party name, license number, city, county, state, ZIP code, classification, license status, issue date range, expiration date range or keyword. It covers both MSBOC credential families in one search - Commercial certificates of responsibility and Residential licences. The Contractor Type filter offers All / Commercial / Residential; the Class filter lists every residential and commercial classification. Status values are Licensed - Active, Licensed - Inactive, Licensed - Expired, Revoked, Suspended, Unlicensed.

Records come from Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC)’s own system. LicensingAtlas does not hold license records and cannot confirm any individual’s status — the date on this page refers to the requirements described above, not to anyone’s credential.

Frequently asked questions

Who issues general contractor licenses in Mississippi?

Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) issues general contractor licenses in Mississippi. You apply through the board’s official application page (linked above).

How much does a general contractor license cost in Mississippi?

What exam do you need to pass for a general contractor license in Mississippi?

How often do you renew a general contractor license in Mississippi?

Is continuing education required to renew a general contractor license in Mississippi?

Residential licences only: two (2) credit hours of continuing education per year, per qualifying party, taught by a board-approved provider, required to maintain a residential licence (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-11; Residential Rule 1.4(4)). One CE credit equals a 50-minute credit hour. The requirement applies to all residential licences issued on or after July 1, 2015; a residential builder or remodeler who held a valid licence before July 1, 2015 is exempt, and the statute caps the requirement at no more than two hours per year. CE is not required while the licence is on INACTIVE status. Proof of each qualifier’s 2 hours must accompany the residential renewal. MSBOC publishes NO continuing-education requirement for commercial certificates of responsibility.

See every license and certification LicensingAtlas covers in Mississippi.

Sources & verification

Last verified against these sources: August 5, 2026.

We re-fetch every cited source on a weekly schedule: see what changed at the agencies, or every correction we have ever made.

LicensingAtlas states licensing and certification requirements categorically from official sources. It is a reference, not legal or career advice, and requirements change frequently — confirm details with the issuing board before you act.