How to get a contractors license in Mississippi through the State Board of Contractors

Mississippi contractor licenses at a glance

Updated 2026. Thresholds, fees and course hours change; the issuing agency's current page is the authority.

Start at the source

Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) is the official authority. Its site, www.msboc.us, carries the current requirements, applications and any candidate bulletin. Everything on this page routes back to it, because requirements change and the agency's version is the one that counts.

The path, wherever you are

• Confirm the licensing level above with the authority, then pull the current application checklist from its site.
• Where a trade exam is required, get the candidate bulletin: it names the exam vendor, the topics, and the exact reference editions allowed on the table.
• Buy the referenced code books in the exact editions listed, and tab them yourself within whatever marking the bulletin permits.
• Train the lookup, not just the knowledge: contractor trade exams are commonly open book, which makes finding the governing section fast the actual tested skill.
• Expect a separate business and law exam in many jurisdictions, with its own reference book.

Not sure whether you need a contractor license or an ICC inspector certification? The two are issued by different bodies and scored differently: seeinspector certification vs contractor licenseand why the ICC passing score is a scaled 75.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a general contractors license in Mississippi?

Apply to the Mississippi State Board of Contractors for the commercial certificate of responsibility or the residential license, submit the financial statement and references, then pass the Mississippi law and business management exam and the trade exam for your classification through PSI. The Board's licensing pages give the thresholds, fees and the exam bulletin.

Does Mississippi license HVAC contractors?

Yes, as a classification on the MSBOC certificate or residential license when the work exceeds the licensing threshold, with the law and business management exam plus the HVAC trade exam. Cities may also require a local mechanical license for work below the state threshold.

Does Mississippi require a state contractor license?

Mississippi licenses general contractors at the state level. Mississippi licenses contractors statewide through MSBOC with separate commercial (certificate of responsibility) and residential license tracks that apply above project-value thresholds, and all applicants pass a state law and business management exam.

Who do I contact to get licensed in Mississippi?

Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) is the state authority. Its official site carries the current application requirements.

Is the Mississippi contractor exam open book?

Where Mississippi or its localities require a trade exam, contractor trade exams are commonly open book against the adopted code and reference list, administered by PSI. The candidate bulletin for your specific exam is the authority, and it names the exact editions allowed on the table.

Sources

• www.msboc.us
• www.msboc.us/contractors/licenses

Other states

The kit that goes on the table

2024 IRCThe book itself2021 IRC + tabsIf you register on 20212024 Fast-TabsPlace them yourselfConstruction Master ProFeet-inch math, no errors

Match the book and tabs to the edition you register for.Confirm which, first.

Structure verified against official sources at the time of writing; requirements change, and the licensing authority is always the final word.