Mississippi HVAC Contractor License — Requirements, Fees & Exam

Mississippi licenses the contractor (the business and its qualifying individual), not individual HVAC technicians. 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 July 24, 2026. Boards change fees and rules often — confirm before acting.

Requirements at a glance

Who must be licensed - two tiers, both through MSBOC: Mississippi licenses HVAC as a CONTRACTOR classification (the contracting business through a qualifying party), not each individual technician. There are two tiers. COMMERCIAL: it is unlawful to bid, contract, or engage in the business of a contractor without a current Certificate of Responsibility, and a Certificate of Responsibility is required for commercial/industrial work of $50,000 or more (Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-15, 31-3-21; a 'contractor' under 31-3-1 excludes any contract under $50,000). RESIDENTIAL: any subcontractor of any tier performing electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and/or heating, ventilation and air conditioning work on a residential construction or residential improvement project must be licensed by MSBOC 'no matter the dollar amount of the construction or improvements' (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-3(1)(d)). 'Residential construction' is a new-home build over $50,000 and 'residential improvement' is a remodel over $10,000 (73-59-1). A worker employed by a licensed contractor is not separately licensed by MSBOC.
Qualifying party: COMMERCIAL: the qualifying party must be an owner, responsible managing employee, responsible managing officer, or member of the executive staff who takes the examinations on the company's behalf; must be regularly employed by the certificate holder and actively engaged in the classification of work; and must have the necessary experience, knowledge and skills. If the qualifying party terminates employment, MSBOC must be notified immediately and another party must qualify within 90 days, or the Certificate of Responsibility is subject to suspension/revocation (Commercial Rules 1.1(l)). RESIDENTIAL: any owner, officer, or responsible managing employee may take the exam; there can be more than one qualifier. A U.S. Social Security number is required for each qualifying party.
Examinations (Law & Business Management + trade, 70% each, PSI, open book): All applicants take the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam. Applicants must also pass the trade exam required for their classification - the HVAC exam for the commercial 'Heat, Ventilation, A/C - HVAC' classification, and the Residential HVAC test for the residential HVAC classification. All exams are administered by PSI, are open book, and require a grade of at least 70% (Commercial Rules; Residential Rules 1.1(m); MSBOC testing page). A general building contractor may substitute the NASCLA Commercial General Building exam, and a Master Electrical contractor the NASCLA Master Electrical exam, but there is no NASCLA substitute for HVAC.
Commercial financial responsibility (net worth) and general liability insurance: COMMERCIAL applicants must furnish a reviewed financial statement completed within the prior 12 months, prepared and signed by a CPA, showing net worth: at least $50,000 for a major classification, and at least $20,000 for all other (specialty) applicants - so a commercial HVAC specialty applicant needs a net worth of at least $20,000 (Commercial Rules 1.1(i)). Commercial applicants must also carry general liability insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate, listing MSBOC as certificate holder (Commercial Rules 1.1(j); FAQ). Renewal applicants supply a balance sheet.
Residential general liability insurance (no minimum amount): RESIDENTIAL applicants for a license or renewal must provide a certificate of general liability insurance with MSBOC listed on the policy to be notified of cancellation. There is NO minimum coverage amount for residential license holders (FAQ; Residential Rules 1.1(k)). Liability insurance is not required for inactive licensees. Proof of workers' compensation insurance is required if applicable law requires it.
Continuing education - residential only: Each qualifying party for a RESIDENTIAL license must complete two (2) credit hours of continuing education per year, taught by a board-approved provider or instructor, to maintain the license (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-11; the requirement applies to all residential licenses issued on or after July 1, 2015). A residential builder or remodeler who held a valid license before July 1, 2015 is exempt from continuing education. COMMERCIAL Certificates of Responsibility carry NO continuing-education requirement.
Reciprocity and out-of-state recognition: MSBOC has reciprocity agreements with several states; reciprocity applies to the TRADE EXAM only - a qualifying party may receive credit for a comparable trade exam previously passed, but the applicant must still submit an application and meet all other MSBOC requirements, including the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam (FAQ; Commercial Rules 1.1(o), Residential Rules 1.1(o)). The waiver-of-exam request carries a fee the board's own sources state differently: the live MSBOC Schedule of Fees says $25 while Commercial Rule 1.1(7) says $50 - the live fee schedule's $25 is what the board currently charges. Mississippi also recognizes out-of-state licenses under the Military Family Freedom Act and the Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act, and trade exams may be waived for qualified applicants (Miss. Code Ann. 73-50-1; 33-1-39).
Renewal, late renewal, and inactive status: Licenses are valid for one year and must be renewed annually. A commercial or residential license may be processed as a late renewal for up to 180 days after the expiration date; a license expired more than 180 days cannot be renewed and requires a new application (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-3(5) for residential; Commercial Rules 1.1(m)). A license holder not actively building may request INACTIVE status by returning the license, submitting a written request, and paying a $25 fee; inactive licensees still pay annual renewal fees but cannot bid, contract, pull permits, or work. Reactivation is a $25-$50 request plus proof of general liability insurance (and, for commercial, financial information).

Legal basis

Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) administers HVAC 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

In Mississippi the HVAC credential is a CONTRACTOR classification issued by the State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) - held by the contracting business through a qualifying party - not an individual ‘HVAC technician license.’ On the commercial side the official name is the ‘Heat, Ventilation, A/C - HVAC’ classification (a specialty under the ‘Mechanical’ major classification), issued as part of a Certificate of Responsibility; on the residential side it is the ‘Residential HVAC’ classification (or ‘Residential Mechanical’ when combined with residential plumbing). Common informal names - ‘HVAC license,’ ‘AC license,’ ‘air conditioning license,’ ‘mechanical license’ or ‘mechanical contractor license’ - all map to these MSBOC classifications. A technician employed by a licensed contractor needs no individual MSBOC license. Separately, EPA Section 608 refrigerant-handling certification is a FEDERAL credential held by the individual technician - it is not a Mississippi license and does not substitute for an MSBOC classification.

License types & fees

Type	Experience	Exam	Fee
Commercial 'Heat, Ventilation, A/C - HVAC' specialty classification (Certificate of Responsibility, under the Mechanical major classification)	No fixed number of years is set by statute. The qualifying party - an owner, responsible managing employee, responsible managing officer, or member of the executive staff - must have the necessary experience, knowledge and skills to supervise or perform the classification of work, must be regularly employed by the certificate holder and actively engaged in that classification, and passes the exams on the company's behalf. When the qualifying party leaves, another must qualify within 90 days or the Certificate of Responsibility is subject to suspension or revocation (Commercial Rules 1.1(l)).	Two open-book exams administered by PSI, each requiring a grade of at least 70%: the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam (required of all applicants) plus the trade-specific HVAC exam ('Heat, Ventilation, A/C - HVAC' is a Test-Required classification). The NASCLA accredited-exam alternative exists only for the general Building Construction and Master Electrical classifications, not for HVAC.	Commercial Application $400 (per the MSBOC Schedule of Fees). The statutory base is a $200.00 special privilege license tax under Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-17, plus additional fees under 31-3-14. Annual renewal is $50 (late renewal $100). Adding a classification: the Schedule of Fees lists 'Commercial License - Additional Classification' at $50, while the Classifications page and FAQ state $100 per additional classification (both are official MSBOC sources and are stated here rather than reconciled). Exam fees are separate and paid to PSI (amount set by PSI, not published on MSBOC pages). Required for HVAC work on any commercial/industrial project of $50,000 or more.
Residential HVAC classification (Residential license)	No fixed number of years is set by statute. Applicants are examined and the Board considers the applicant's experience, complaints and other pertinent information (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-5). The qualifying party may be any owner, officer or responsible managing employee.	The Residential HVAC trade exam plus the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam, open-book through PSI, at least 70% to pass (Residential Rules 1.1; testing page). ('Residential HVAC (Test Required).')	Residential Application $100 (MSBOC Schedule of Fees). Annual renewal is $10 (late renewal $25, or, per statute, the renewal fee plus a 10% penalty within 180 days). Note a conflict left unreconciled: Residential Rule 1.1(h) states a $50 initial fee and $100 renewal, while the live Schedule of Fees lists $100 application and $10 renewal - both are official MSBOC sources. Required for HVAC subcontractors on any residential construction (new home over $50,000) or residential improvement (remodel over $10,000) project, no matter the dollar amount of the HVAC work itself (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-3(1)(d)).
Residential Mechanical classification (Residential HVAC + Residential Plumbing)	Same residential standard as above; the Board examines experience under 73-59-5.	Requires BOTH the Residential HVAC test and the Residential Plumbing test, plus the Law and Business Management exam, each 70%, open-book via PSI.	Residential Application $100 (Schedule of Fees); renewal $10/year. Scope: installation, maintenance and repair of residential HVAC and residential plumbing systems only. This is the residential analogue of the commercial Mechanical major classification.
Commercial Mechanical major classification (heating, cooling, refrigeration + plumbing)	Qualifying party with the necessary experience, knowledge and skills (no fixed years); net-worth financial statement required (see requirements).	Mississippi Law and Business Management exam + the Mechanical trade exam, 70% each, PSI open-book.	Commercial Application $400; renewal $50/year. Holding the Mechanical MAJOR classification entitles the holder to perform all specialty classifications within it (including HVAC, Boiler Installation and Repair, and Ductwork for Heating, A/C and Ventilation). Scope covers central air-conditioning, refrigeration, heating and ventilating systems, ductwork, boilers and pressure vessels, associated piping including natural-gas and LP fuel lines, and low-voltage HVAC control wiring, but NOT electrical power wiring.
Commercial 'Ductwork for Heating, A/C and Ventilation' specialty classification	Qualifying party with necessary experience/knowledge/skills.	Law and Business Management exam + trade exam, 70% each, PSI open-book ('Ductwork for Heating, A/C and Ventilation (Test Required)').	Commercial Application $400; renewal $50/year. Scope: unlimited ductwork for heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems - a narrower specialty than the full HVAC classification.

Who does NOT need this license — exemptions

Mississippi licenses HVAC through the State Board of Contractors under two chapters, and each has its own exemptions. RESIDENTIAL (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-15, ‘Persons and matters exempt’) - the residential chapter shall 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, acts as general contractor for, or acts under owner-occupant supervision on residential construction or improvement 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 or direct construction on their own property for their own use and not for sale, rent, public use or public assembly; (e) any contractor holding a valid license or Certificate of Responsibility for general construction from the Board; (f) any nonresident contractor holding a valid license or Certificate of Responsibility for general construction; and (g) any person who constructs two (2) single residences or less within one year in any county or municipality that does not require a building permit or local certification, provided the person is not building the residences for sale. A person under (b) or (c) may not apply for more than one single-residence permit or construct more than one single residence within a year (a rebuttable presumption of building for sale arises if they do). CRITICAL LIMIT ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE: an HVAC subcontractor on a residential construction (new home over $50,000) or residential improvement (remodel over $10,000) project must be licensed ’no matter the dollar amount of the construction or improvements’ (73-59-3(1)(d)) - there is no small-contract exemption for the HVAC subcontractor once the overall project crosses those thresholds. COMMERCIAL (Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-1) - the exemptions are built into the definition of ‘contractor,’ which excludes an owner of a dwelling or other structure not for sale, lease, public use or assembly, and Mississippi State Oil and Gas Board permittees; and further provides that nothing in the chapter applies to: (a) any contract or undertaking (prime, sub, or sub-sub of any tier) that is less than $50,000 - the core commercial exemption, so commercial HVAC under $50,000 needs no Certificate of Responsibility; (b) federal-aid highway construction; (c) a residential project to be occupied by 50 or fewer families and not more than 3 stories (these route to the residential chapter instead); (d) a residential-subdivision developer of single- or multi-family lots; (e) new commercial construction not exceeding 7,500 square feet and not more than 2 stories undertaken by a 73-59 residential licensee; (f) erection of a microwave telecommunication tower; (g) public-project fire-protection work under $5,000; (h) private-project fire-protection work under $10,000; (i) fire-sprinkler work performed by a Mississippi contractor in the business of installing fire-protection sprinkler systems on or before July 1, 2000; and (j) build/repair/maintenance work on oil or gas wells, pipelines, processing plants, treatment facilities or similar structures. Additionally, a residential builder licensed under 73-59 may build, remodel or renovate a commercial structure of 7,500 square feet or less without an additional license (73-59-19).

Fees

Fees are set on the MSBOC Schedule of Fees (published ‘Effective January 1, 2016’; the linked PDF was re-posted in 2026). COMMERCIAL: Application $400; annual License Renewal $50; late renewal $100. RESIDENTIAL: Application $100; annual License Renewal $10; late renewal $25 (or, by statute, the renewal fee plus a 10% penalty within 180 days). Additional classification: the Schedule of Fees lists ‘Commercial License - Additional Classification’ at $50, while the Classifications page and FAQ state $100 for each additional classification - both are official MSBOC statements and are given here rather than silently reconciled. Other fees: Reciprocity/Verification of License $50; Request for Waiver of Exam $25; transfer to Inactive $25; transfer to Active $50; duplicate license $50 commercial / $40 residential. Exam fees are separate and paid directly to PSI (PSI sets the amount; it is not published on the MSBOC pages, so it is omitted here rather than guessed). The statutory basis for the commercial fee is a $200.00 special privilege license tax (Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-17), plus up to $100 per additional classification and additional fees under 31-3-14. Note also an unreconciled conflict: Residential Rule 1.1(h) states a $50 initial fee and $100 renewal, contrary to the live Schedule of Fees ($100 / $10).

Exam

Mississippi requires two open-book examinations administered by PSI, each with a minimum passing grade of 70%. Every applicant takes the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam. HVAC applicants additionally take the trade exam for their classification: the ‘Heat, Ventilation, A/C - HVAC’ exam for the commercial specialty classification (a Test-Required classification under the Mechanical major classification), or the Residential HVAC test for the residential HVAC classification. After MSBOC reviews a completed application and notifies PSI of eligibility, PSI emails a confirmation and the candidate schedules the exam through PSI; the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin lists reference materials, content outlines and test locations. A NASCLA accredited-exam substitute exists only for the general Building Construction and Master Electrical classifications, not for HVAC. A comparable trade exam passed in a reciprocity state may be credited (a $25 Request for Waiver of Exam), but the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam is not waived.

Renewal & continuing education

Annual (one-year license). MSBOC emails renewal notices roughly 60 days before expiration; it is the license holder’s responsibility to renew each year regardless of notice. A commercial or residential license may be processed as a LATE renewal for up to 180 days after the expiration date (with a late fee, or for residential a 10% penalty). A license expired for MORE than 180 days cannot be renewed and requires a new application (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-3(5); Commercial Rules 1.1(m)). Commercial renewal requires a balance sheet and continued $300,000/$600,000 general liability insurance; residential renewal requires proof of general liability insurance and, for the qualifying party, the 2-hour annual continuing education (residential licenses issued on/after July 1, 2015). Residential only: two (2) credit hours per year for each qualifying party of a residential license, taught by a board-approved provider (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-11; applies to residential licenses issued on or after July 1, 2015; residential builders/remodelers licensed before July 1, 2015 are exempt). A continuing-education credit equals a 50-minute credit hour. There is NO continuing-education requirement for the commercial Certificate of Responsibility. (Separately, federal EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification is held by the individual technician and is not part of MSBOC renewal.)

How to apply

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

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license to do HVAC work in Mississippi?

It depends on the project. Mississippi licenses HVAC through the State Board of Contractors (MSBOC), and there are two tiers. For COMMERCIAL/industrial work, a Certificate of Responsibility in the ‘Heat, Ventilation, A/C - HVAC’ classification is required once the contract is $50,000 or more (contracts under $50,000 fall outside the definition of ‘contractor’). For RESIDENTIAL work, any HVAC subcontractor working on a residential construction (new home over $50,000) or residential improvement (remodel over $10,000) project must hold a Residential HVAC license ’no matter the dollar amount’ of the HVAC work itself. Mississippi licenses the contracting business through a qualifying party, so a technician employed by a licensed contractor does not hold an individual MSBOC license.

Which MSBOC classification is the HVAC license?

On the commercial side it is ‘Heat, Ventilation, A/C - HVAC,’ a Test-Required specialty classification under the Mechanical major classification; holding the full Mechanical major classification also covers HVAC (plus plumbing, boilers and ductwork). On the residential side it is the ‘Residential HVAC’ classification, or ‘Residential Mechanical’ if you also do residential plumbing. Related commercial specialties include ‘Ductwork for Heating, A/C and Ventilation’ and ‘Boiler Installation and Repair.’

How much does a Mississippi HVAC contractor license cost?

Per the MSBOC Schedule of Fees, a commercial application is $400 (renewing at $50 per year) and a residential application is $100 (renewing at $10 per year). Exam fees are separate and paid to PSI. Commercial applicants also need a CPA-prepared financial statement showing net worth of at least $20,000 for a specialty classification (or $50,000 for a major classification) and general liability insurance of $300,000 per occurrence / $600,000 aggregate; residential applicants need general liability insurance with no set minimum amount. (One caution: MSBOC’s residential rules PDF lists a $50 initial / $100 renewal fee that conflicts with the live Schedule of Fees; the Schedule of Fees figures are used here.)

What experience and exams does Mississippi require for HVAC?

Mississippi does not set a fixed number of years of experience. The qualifying party (an owner, officer, or responsible managing employee) must have the necessary experience, knowledge and skills, and must pass two open-book PSI exams at 70% or better: the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam and the HVAC trade exam (the Residential HVAC test for a residential license). A comparable trade exam passed in a reciprocity state can be credited, but the Law and Business Management exam is not waived.

Does Mississippi require continuing education for HVAC contractors?

Only for residential licenses. Each qualifying party for a residential license must complete 2 hours of board-approved continuing education per year (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-11), unless the builder or remodeler held a valid license before July 1, 2015. The commercial Certificate of Responsibility has no continuing-education requirement. Note that EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification is a separate federal requirement for technicians.

Can a homeowner or a small job avoid the license in Mississippi?

There are real exemptions, mostly on the residential side. A person may work on his own residence or act as his own general contractor; work for a close relative where the property is not for sale or rent; or (in a jurisdiction with no permit requirement) build up to two single residences a year not for sale (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-15). On the commercial side, contracts under $50,000 are outside the definition of ‘contractor.’ But watch the residential HVAC trap: on a qualifying residential construction or improvement project, an HVAC subcontractor must be licensed regardless of the size of the HVAC contract (73-59-3(1)(d)) - there is no small-dollar HVAC-subcontractor exemption once the overall project crosses the residential thresholds.

See every license and certification LicensingAtlas covers in Mississippi.

Sources & verification

Last verified against these sources: July 24, 2026.

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.