STATE LICENSE
ConditionalMississippi State Board of Contractors (M…
Mississippi has no state journeyman or master electrician license. The State Board of Contractors licenses the business: Miss. Code Ann. § 73-59-3(1)(d) requires every subcontractor of any tier performing electrical work on a residential construction or improvement project to be licensed 'no matter the dollar amount' — the Residential Electrical classification, earned by passing a residential electrical trade exam and the Law & Business Management exam.
Commercial electrical contracts or subcontracts of $50,000 or more require a certificate of responsibility in the major Electrical classification (Mississippi exam or the NASCLA national exam) or an electrical specialty such as low-voltage communications or alarm systems. Below $50,000, commercial electrical work falls outside the state statute, and the local permit office governs.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Mississippi licensing is statewide through MSBOC, but cities and counties enforce it: building officials must refuse permits to anyone who would be a residential builder or remodeler unless they show an MSBOC license or exemption, and must report suspected violations to the Board (Miss. Code Ann. § 73-59-17). Residential contractors without a permanent Mississippi place of business (and not holding a commercial certificate) also need a Department of Revenue permit under § 27-65-27 to obtain a building permit, regardless of project cost or insurance funding (§ 73-59-18). Any individual electrician licensing is a local matter.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Mississippi county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
The state licenses electrical contracting businesses through MSBOC; it does not license journeymen or masters.
The $10,000 remodeler threshold does not help electricians: residential electrical subcontractors need a license no matter the dollar amount.
When separate bids are taken, a contractor holding only Building Construction may not bid the electrical contract, and vice versa (Commercial Rule 1.2(5)).
A practical sequence for a new electrical contractor in Mississippi. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Undertaking residential work that requires an MSBOC license without one — or giving the Board false information to get one — is a misdemeanor, and the Board may cite and stop the work.
A contractor unlicensed when the work was performed may not sue to enforce a residential building or remodeling contract; recovery is limited to documented labor and material expenses proved by clear and convincing evidence.
A public or private contract awarded to a contractor without a certificate of responsibility is void; knowingly bidding without one is a misdemeanor, and the Board may order abatement.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: PSI exam fees for the Law & Business Management exam and the trade exams (MSBOC sends a PSI Candidate Information Bulletin only after an application is received) · Whether an electrical contractor hired directly by a homeowner (not as a subcontractor) on a small job needs the Residential Electrical license — § 73-59-3(1)(d) names subcontractors and MSBOC's FAQ does not address prime trade contractors · Which Mississippi cities and counties license individual electricians locally, and on what terms (not researched city by city) · Confirmation that no other state agency issues individual electrician licenses (none was found)
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.