STATE LICENSE
ConditionalMississippi State Board of Contractors (M…
The state does not license individual journeyman or master plumbers. Under Miss. Code Ann. § 73-59-3(1)(d), any subcontractor of any tier performing plumbing work on a residential construction or improvement project must hold an MSBOC license regardless of the dollar amount: Residential Plumbing (plumbing exam) or Residential Mechanical, which covers both HVAC and plumbing and requires both exams.
Commercial plumbing contracts of $50,000 or more require a certificate of responsibility in the major Mechanical classification — which covers HVAC, refrigeration, and plumbing — or the Plumbing specialty under it, each with a trade exam plus the Law & Business Management exam. Commercial applicants also file a CPA-reviewed financial statement and carry $300,000/$600,000 general liability.
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 plumber 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.
MSBOC licenses the plumbing contractor; Mississippi issues no state journeyman or master plumber license.
Residential Mechanical covers HVAC and plumbing and requires both residential exams; the commercial Mechanical major covers HVAC, refrigeration, and plumbing.
Exam waivers by reciprocity exclude mechanical and plumbing for several boards (e.g. Alabama General Contractors, Louisiana); Alabama Plumbers & Gas Fitters waives master plumber only.
A practical sequence for a new plumbing 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 Residential Mechanical is billed as one classification ($50) or two — the application lists it as one classification requiring two exams · Whether a plumbing contractor hired directly by a homeowner (not as a subcontractor) on a small job needs the residential license · Which cities and counties license individual plumbers or gas fitters locally (not researched city by city)
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.