STATE LICENSE
ConditionalMississippi State Board of Contractors (M…
MSBOC's Building Construction major includes a Painting specialty (no trade exam listed) required for commercial painting contracts or subcontracts of $50,000 or more, public or private. Residential painting has no classification; a painter hired directly by a homeowner for improvements costing more than $10,000 meets the statutory definition of a remodeler (Miss. Code Ann. § 73-59-1(c)).
Lead-safe work is certified by the state: the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality certifies firms and individuals that perform lead-based paint renovation activities. MDEQ certification is valid for one year and must be re-applied for annually, and lead training must be refreshed every three years. MDEQ's fee schedule lists $350 for a renovation firm and $75 for a renovator, waived for the first two renovators certified in a firm.
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.
MDEQ certifies lead-based paint renovation firms and renovators in Mississippi.
MDEQ certification lasts one year and must be re-applied for each year; training refreshers are due every three years.
MSBOC lists no trade exam for the Painting specialty; the Law & Business Management exam still applies.
A practical sequence for a new painting 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 commercial painting contract of $50,000 or more awarded to an uncertified contractor is void, 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: Whether MSBOC treats a contractor hired directly by a homeowner for a stand-alone trade job (painting, flooring, concrete, framing) over $10,000 as a 'remodeler' requiring a license — the statutory definition covers improvements to an existing residence over $10,000, but MSBOC guidance does not address single-trade contractors · That MDEQ's lead-based paint fee schedule (posted 2014, file dated 2011) is still current — its column layout also makes initial vs. annual amounts hard to read · The exact scope trigger in Mississippi's lead-based paint renovation rule (pre-1978 target housing and child-occupied facilities under the federal model) and its section citation · Penalties for lead-based paint renovation violations under Mississippi law (not retrieved)
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.