Licensing and scope in Mississippi
Mississippi licenses contractors through the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC). The license is held by a qualifying individual/entity; you must work within the classification and any monetary limits you hold, pull the required permits, and pass the required inspections. Performing or advertising contracting work without the required license, or beyond your scope, is a violation that can void the contract, forfeit your right to collect payment, and carry civil or criminal penalties.
Mississippi's two licensing tracks and their dollar thresholds (heavily tested). Mississippi separates commercial and residential work:
- Commercial contractors need a Certificate of Responsibility (COR) from MSBOC when the contract (public or private commercial) is $50,000 or more (governed by Miss. Code Title 31, Chapter 3). Below $50,000 the COR is generally not required, though local rules may still apply.
- Residential builders and remodelers must be licensed by MSBOC (governed by Miss. Code Title 73, Chapter 59). A residential builder (new residential construction) must be licensed when the total cost of the undertaking exceeds $50,000, while a remodeler (improvements to an existing residence) must be licensed when the cost exceeds $10,000. Residential roofing on an existing residence falls under the remodeler trigger of more than $10,000 — confirm the current figures with the board.
Memorize which statute and which dollar trigger goes with each track: $50,000-or-more commercial COR / Title 31 Ch.3 versus residential under Title 73 Ch.59, where a new-home builder is triggered above $50,000 and a remodeler above $10,000.
Know the licensing-law essentials the exam tests: who must be licensed and the dollar threshold that triggers it; classifications (general vs specialty/sub-classifications) and staying within yours; advertising rules (showing your license number on contracts, ads, and vehicles); prohibited acts (abandonment without legal excuse, willful departure from approved plans, willful or fraudulent code violations, diversion of funds from one job to another, aiding unlicensed activity, and fraud or misrepresentation); the complaint and disciplinary process the board can bring (investigation, citations, administrative fines, probation, suspension, or revocation, and restitution to the consumer); and renewal/continuing-education requirements.
The qualifying individual. The person who passed the exams and holds the experience is the qualifier for the company; if they leave, the company may have a limited time to replace them or the license lapses. A qualifier may not improperly "rent" their license to a company they do not actively manage — a serious violation. Know the difference between the license (the company's authority to contract) and the qualifier (the responsible person), and that the board can discipline both. Many states also fund a recovery/guaranty fund that pays consumers harmed by a licensed contractor, financed by licensee fees.
How Mississippi licensing works
- Experience and exams: documented experience plus passing the required exams. Commercial applicants generally take a trade/classification exam and the business-and-law exam; Mississippi commonly accepts the NASCLA accredited examinations. The passing score is commonly 70 percent — confirm the current cut scores, question counts, and time limits.
- Financial responsibility: MSBOC reviews a current financial statement showing net worth; commercial Certificate of Responsibility applicants must demonstrate net worth (confirm the current minimum), and applicants provide insurance (general liability, and workers' compensation when you have employees). Bonding is project-driven — bid, performance, and payment bonds are required on most public and many private jobs.
- Entity documents: registration of the business entity, an EIN/FEIN, and any local privilege/business licenses.
- Exam vendor: Mississippi's contractor exams are delivered through approved testing vendors — commonly the NASCLA exam administered by PSI. Confirm the current vendor and scheduling with MSBOC before testing.
- Renewal: licenses renew on a fixed cycle and usually require keeping the bond and insurance current; confirm any continuing-education requirement with MSBOC.
This is the opening of the full study guide. The complete guide continues into code navigation, worked calculations and solved exam questions.
