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Mississippi |
A certificate or license is required for all except the smallest construction and remodeling projects.
To find out if a contractor is has a certificate or license, go to
http://www.msboc.state.ms.us/Search.cfm
or call (800) 880-6161.
To get an application, contact:
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Mississippi Contractor Licensing Board 215 Woodline Drive, Suite B Jackson, MS 39208 (601) 354-6161 http://www.msboc.us/ |
Commercial Construction Contractor's Certificate
The Board issues certificates in these classifications:
Building construction
Electrical work
Heavy construction
Highway, street, bridge construction
Mechanical work
Specialty work
On the application, the Board will ask you about your company organization, personnel, financial condition, equipment, and experience. You must have workers' compensation insurance and liability insurance for at least $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate. You'll need federal and Mississippi tax numbers, and a Certificate of Authority from the Mississippi Secretary of State. To apply for them, contact:
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Secretary of State P.O. Box 136 Jackson, MS 39205 (601) 359-1633 Fax: (601) 359-1607 http://www.sos.state.ms.us/ |
Forms are available online at http://www.sos.state.ms.us/forms/forms.asp?Unit=Corporations. For the Certificate of Authority, under the category "Corporate Forms and Instructions", click on "Application for Certificate of Authority".
Commercial construction contractor's certificate fees: You've got to
pass a business and law exam and a trade exam for the classification(s) you want to be
certified in. Each exam costs $75. It will cost you $200 for a certificate in one
classification. Additional classifications cost $50 each. A certificate is good for one
year.
Exams are given by:
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PSI Examination Services 3210 E. Tropicana Las Vegas, NV 89121 (800) 733-9267 http://www.psiexams.com |
The business and law exam has 50 multiple choice questions and lasts two hours. Here's a summary of the subjects on the exam and the approximate number of questions for each subject:
| Subject | Number of questions |
| Licensing | 5 |
| Estimating and bidding | 7 |
| Lien law | 1 |
| Financial management | 5 |
| Tax laws | 5 |
| Labor laws | 5 |
| Project management | 5 |
| Contracts | 6 |
| Business organization | 2 |
| Risk management | 4 |
| Environmental and safety | 5 |
The reference for the exam is the Business and Project Management for Contractors. You can get it from the Mississippi State Board of Contractors.
Here's the same information for each trade classification, followed by a reference list for the exam:
Building Construction Certificate
The test is 80 multiple choice questions, three hours:
| Subject | Number of questions |
| Sitework | 6 |
| Concrete | 12 |
| Masonry | 6 |
| Metals | 12 |
| Carpentry | 7 |
| Thermal and moisture protection | 7 |
| Doors and windows | 3 |
| Finishes | 3 |
| Safety | 6 |
| General code, plan reading, estimating | 15 |
| Mississippi one call | 3 |
Heavy Construction Certificate
The test is 100 multiple choice questions, four hours:
| Subject | Number of questions |
| Water and sewer | 16 |
| Gas | 8 |
| Paving | 12 |
| Excavation, compaction, grading | 12 |
| Safety | 7 |
| Steel | 12 |
| Piles | 4 |
| Concrete | 17 |
| Traffic control | 3 |
| Welding | 6 |
| Mississippi one call | 3 |
Highway Construction Certificate
The test is 60 multiple choice questions, two hours:
| Subject | Number of questions |
| Paving asphalt | 19 |
| Piles | 3 |
| Excavation and grading | 11 |
| Concrete paving | 7 |
| Safety | 5 |
| Mississippi one call | 3 |
| Traffic control | 2 |
| Concrete | 5 |
| Metals | 5 |
Electrical Work Certificate
80 questions, 3 hours.
| Subject | Number of questions |
| General knowledge | 6 |
| Service, feeders and branch circuits | 10 |
| Grounding and bonding | 7 |
| Conductors and cables | 10 |
| Raceways and boxes | 7 |
| Special occupancies and equipment | 7 |
| Electrical power | 6 |
| Motors | 6 |
| Low voltage | 2 |
| Lighting | 3 |
| Illuminated signs | 2 |
| Fire detection and alarm systems 3 | 3 |
| Safety information | 5 |
| Overcurrent protection | 6 |
Mechanical Work Certificate
100 questions, four hours.
| Subject | Number of questions |
| Boilers and hydronics | 6 |
| Gas systems | 10 |
| Cleanouts | 3 |
| Plumbing fixtures and equipment | 5 |
| Water heaters | 2 |
| Piping, valves, controls | 5 |
| Sheet metal and ducts | 6 |
| Water supply | 5 |
| Hangers and supports | 4 |
| Drain, waste and vent | 5 |
| Backflow | 2 |
| Traps and interceptors | 4 |
| Developed length | 3 |
| Isometric analysis | 8 |
| Safety | 4 |
| Joints and connections | 3 |
| General plumbing regulations | 3 |
| Fire sprinklers | 4 |
| Refrigerants and refrigeration | 4 |
| Heating and cooling principles | 4 |
| Load calculations | 5 |
| Testing, adjusting and balancing | 1 |
| HVAC equipment | 4 |
Municipal Construction Certificate
The test is 60 multiple choice questions, two hours:
| Subject | Number of questions |
| Excavating, compaction, grading | 8 |
| Safety | 7 |
| Steel | 10 |
| Concrete | 15 |
| General knowledge | 3 |
| Underground utilities, concrete pipe installation | 7 |
| Underground utilities, ductile pipe installation | 7 |
| Mississippi one call | 3 |
The Board reviews applications from out-of-state for reciprocity.
Residential Building and Remodeler's Licenses
You must have a Residential Building license to build any residence which is three stories or less in height if the cost of the project is more than $50,000. You must have a Residential Remodeler's license to remodel any residence if the cost of the project is more than $10,000. If you don't reside in Mississippi and you have a license from a state whose licensing requirements are equal to those in Mississippi, you don't need a Mississippi license. To get an application for a residential license, contact:
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Mississippi Contractor Licensing Board 2001 Airport Road, Suite 101 Jackson, MS 39208 (601) 354-6161 / (800) 354-6161 Fax: (601) 354-6715 http://www.msboc.us/ |
On the application the Board will ask you about your company organization, personnel, financial condition, equipment, and experience. You must have workers' compensation insurance and liability insurance. You will need federal and Mississippi tax numbers. You also need a Certificate of Authority from the Mississippi Secretary of State. To apply for this contact:
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Secretary of State P.O. Box 136 Jackson, MS 39205 (601) 359-1633 Fax: (601) 359-1607 http://www.sos.state.ms.us/ |
You must pass a Residential trade exam to get a license. Exam is given by:
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PSI Examination Services 3210 E. Tropicana Las Vegas, NV 89121 (800) 733-9267 http://www.psiexams.com |
The Residential exam lasts three hours and has 80 multiple choice questions. Here are the subjects on the exam and the approximate number of questions for each subject:
| Subject | Number of questions |
| Sitework, footings and foundations | 11 |
| Concrete and concrete reinforcement | 8 |
| Masonry | 8 |
| Carpentry | 13 |
| Associated trades and drywall | 6 |
| Roofing | 7 |
| Estimating, plan reading, general code | 18 |
| OSHA safety | 5 |
| Licensing | 4 |
Residential building license fees: It will cost you $50 to file an
application for a license. The exam costs $75. A license is good for one year.
The Board has reciprocity agreements with Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, and Louisiana.
| Recommended Reading for the Residential Building Exam
International Residential Code, http://www.intlcode.org Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926, http://bookstore.gpo.gov The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, http://www.aci-int.org Modern Masonry, http://www.goodheartwilcox.com Building Component Safety Information BCSI 1-03 Booklet: The Guide to Good Practice For Handling, Installing and Bracing of Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, wtca@woodtruss.com Carpentry and Business Construction, Feirer, Hutchings & Feirer, McGraw-Hill Inc., Box 543, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543 Pipe and Excavation Contracting, Craftsman Book Company, http://www.craftsman-book.com/cbcstore Roofing Construction and Estimating, Craftsman Book Company, http://www.craftsman-book.com/cbcstore Rules and Regulations Residential Contractors, Mississippi State Board of Contractors You can get any of these references from: Builder's Book Depot |
Department of Transportation (DOT)
You have to be bonded to bid on Mississippi Department of Transportation projects. You also have to appoint a Mississippi resident to be your agent in the state. Depending on the project, you may have to get a Certificate of Responsibility from the State Board of Contractors. For information on this, contact:
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Department of Transportation Contract Administration Division P.O. Box 1850 Jackson, MS 39215-1850 (601) 359-7700 Fax: (601) 359-7732 http://www.state.ms.us/frameset.jsp?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gomdot.com |
Out-of-State Corporations
Out-of-state corporations should contact the Contractor's Board before doing business in Mississippi. They will let you know if you need to contact the Secretary of State at:
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Secretary of State P.O. Box 136 Jackson, MS 39205 (601) 359-1333 Fax: (601) 359-1607 http://www.sos.state.ms.us |
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