STATE LICENSE
ConditionalMississippi State Board of Contractors (M…
Both of Mississippi's contractor statutes are run by the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC). Title 73, Chapter 59 requires a residential builder license when building a residence of up to three floors costs more than $50,000, and a remodeler license when improvements to an existing residence cost more than $10,000. Title 31, Chapter 3 requires a commercial certificate of responsibility for any public or private contract or subcontract of $50,000 or more — one threshold for public and private work alike.
Residential applicants pay $50 (one classification), pass the open-book Law & Business Management exam plus a trade exam through PSI, file a general liability certificate and three reference letters, and renew yearly for $100 with two CE hours. Commercial applicants pay $400, file a CPA-reviewed financial statement showing at least $50,000 net worth for a major classification, carry $300,000/$600,000 liability, and renew yearly for $400. 2024 bills to raise the $10,000 remodeler threshold died.
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).
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.
Residential: builder over $50,000, remodeler over $10,000. Commercial: contracts of $50,000 or more, public or private — there is no lower public-project threshold.
A $200 special privilege license tax (§ 31-3-17) plus a $200 Construction Education Fund fee (§ 31-3-14); residential builders are exempt from the latter.
Licensed residential builders may build new commercial projects up to 7,500 sq ft and two stories without a commercial certificate (§§ 31-3-1(e), 73-59-19).
A practical sequence for a new general contracting 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) · That the MSBOC fee schedule and Board rules in the 2022 law compilations (and the fee schedule 'effective January 1, 2016') are still the current versions — the 2026 applications state the same $50 and $400 application fees · Whether any continuing education applies to commercial certificate holders (MSBOC's CE page addresses residential licenses only) · MSBOC's FAQ says commercial licensing applies to jobs 'over $50,000', while § 31-3-1(a) exempts only contracts 'less than' $50,000 and Commercial Rule 1.2(7) reaches subcontracts 'equal to or exceeding' $50,000 — the statute is followed here
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.