Mississippi Contractor License Exam Guide (2026)

How Mississippi licenses contractors

The MSBOC licenses Residential (>$50k) and Commercial (>$50k) contractors. PSI (test-takers.psiexams.com/mscon) administers the Mississippi trade exams; NASCLA is accepted for Commercial Building.

Hurricane surge, 120°F heat indexes, and Yazoo clay heave define Mississippi projects. Exams emphasize wind uplift detailing, floodproofing, mold remediation, OSHA heat stress programs, and contract law to handle severe-weather risk.

Official source: Mississippi State Board of Contractors

Mississippi contractor license types

Applicants must provide a reviewed financial statement showing net worth of at least $50,000 (commercial) or $20,000 (residential), submit proof of general liability and workers– comp, and pass the trade + business exams or hold a NASCLA transcript.

What's on the Mississippi contractor exam

PSI centers operate in Flowood, Tupelo, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, and via remote proctoring. NASCLA is available nationwide through PSI.

What Mississippi exam questions emphasize

• FEMA flood-resistant construction and ASCE 7 coastal wind design
• Mississippi Residential Code (based on IRC 2018) and Energy Code compliance
• Lien law (Miss. Code Ann. §85-7) including pre-lien notices and stop payment
• Business operations: estimating, scheduling, safety, and contract clauses

Exam-day logistics

• Bring two IDs, approval letter, and allowed references; open-book rules are strict
• NASCLA uses the official NASCLA reference set; Mississippi trade exams allow only the listed code books
• Scores transmit to MSBOC within 48 hours; submit financial statements promptly

Who needs a Mississippi contractor license (and who does not)

MSBOC residential and commercial licenses both trigger around the $50k project threshold, but exam rules differ—especially NASCLA eligibility.

Most-missed Mississippi contractor exam topics

Coastal wind/flood items and Mississippi lien notices create misses beyond generic IRC drills.

• FEMA flood-resistant construction and ASCE 7 coastal wind design
• Mississippi Residential Code and energy-code compliance
• Lien law pre-lien notices and stop-payment rules (Miss. Code Ann. §85-7)
• Residential vs commercial exam selection mistakes
• Business & Law timing when pairing NASCLA with MSBOC commercial filing

Trade-specific exam guides

If you're licensing in a single trade rather than the Mississippi general contractor classification, the dedicated trade hub will get you to the right code book and exam structure faster.

• General contractor exam guide — IBC/IRC, NASCLA acceptance, and Business & Law.
• Electrical contractor exam guide — NEC (NFPA 70) calculations and grounding/bonding.
• Plumbing contractor exam guide — IPC/UPC drainage sizing, venting, and backflow.
• HVAC contractor exam guide — IMC ventilation, refrigerant management, and load calcs.

Mississippi code books & approved references (2026)

Always confirm the exact editions and tab rules in your candidate bulletin before exam day. Editions can change between license cycles.

• NASCLA Business, Law and Project Management – Mississippi Edition
• Mississippi Residential Code 2018 (based on IRC)
• International Building Code 2018 (for commercial applicants)
• ASCE 7-16 and FEMA Coastal Construction Manual
• Mississippi Lien Law (Miss. Code Ann. §85-7)
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926

Fees & timeline for the Mississippi contractor license

• $200 application fee per classification
• $120 PSI exam fee for Business & Law; NASCLA exam fee $135
• License issuance $200 (Commercial) or $100 (Residential)
• Financial statement preparation costs (CPA review or audit)
• Liability and workers– comp insurance premiums

Use the All States hub for multi-state budgeting, then rely on MSBOC’s current fee schedule.

Mississippi Business & Law focus

The Mississippi Business & Law exam is 50 questions, 2 hours, covering MSBOC statutes, lien law, taxes, insurance, and OSHA. It is open book using the Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management – Mississippi Edition.

• Know MSBOC licensing statutes (Miss. Code §31-3) and penalties for unlicensed work
• Memorize lien deadlines (90 days to file, 12 months to enforce) and stop-payment notice rules
• Understand Mississippi sales/use tax for materials and contractor privileges taxes
• Review OSHA Subpart M heat stress plans and hurricane clean-up safety

Practice with our Mississippi Business & Law simulator and the national Business & Law exam hub for cross-state baseline rules.

A focused 4-week study plan for the Mississippi exam

Because Hurricane surge, 120°F heat indexes, and Yazoo clay heave define Mississippi projects, this four-week outline targets what Mississippi field inspectors and your licensing board exam items actually test—not generic national prep.

1. Week 1 — Map the exam. Pull your current candidate bulletin, list every reference, and confirm the modules you have to pass. Start a one-page error log. Spend extra time on: FEMA flood-resistant construction and ASCE 7 coastal wind design.
2. Week 2 — Code book navigation. Drill open-book lookups (or memorisation drills if your module is closed-book) until you can find any answer in under 60 seconds. Anchor practice around: Mississippi Residential Code (based on IRC 2018) and Energy Code compliance.
3. Week 3 — Business & Law. The Mississippi Business & Law exam is 50 questions, 2 hours, covering MSBOC statutes, lien law, taxes, insurance, and OSHA. It is open book using the Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management – Mississippi Edition. Layer in scenario-based questions on contracts, lien notice, payroll, and insurance.
4. Week 4 — Full simulations. PSI centers operate in Flowood, Tupelo, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, and via remote proctoring. NASCLA is available nationwide through PSI. Run two full-length timed simulations. Review every miss with a one-sentence rule statement.