Quick answer: Mississippi uses a project-value model rather than an occupation model. The Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) requires a commercial contractor license for commercial or industrial projects of $50,000 or more, a residential builder license for new homes over $50,000, and a residential remodeler license for remodeling, additions or roofing over $10,000. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC/mechanical work is licensed by the same board – Mississippi has no separate state plumbing or electrical board, and individual journeyman/master cards are issued by cities and counties, not the state. Painters, carpenters, landscapers, handymen and cleaners need no state license unless their own contract crosses the MSBOC thresholds.
The table below shows which of the common trades need a Mississippi state license and when.
Which trades need a license in Mississippi?
| Trade | State license required? | Licensing body |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Yes | Licensed by MSBOC as a plumbing/mechanical contractor; residential plumbing subcontractors on residential projects must be MSBOC-licensed. Mississippi has no separate state plumbing board; individual licensing is local. |
| Electrician | Yes | Licensed by MSBOC as an electrical contractor (commercial and residential); residential electrical subcontractors on residential projects must be MSBOC-licensed. No separate state journeyman/master license – individual cards are issued by cities/counties. |
| HVAC | Yes | Licensed by MSBOC under the Mechanical / HVAC classification; residential HVAC subcontractors on residential projects must be MSBOC-licensed. No separate statewide journeyman/master HVAC license – handled locally. |
| General Contractor | Yes | MSBOC license required above thresholds: Commercial (Certificate of Responsibility) for commercial/industrial projects of $50,000 or more; Residential Builder for new homes over $50,000. Authority: Miss. Code Title 31, Ch. 3 and Title 73, Ch. 59. |
| Roofer | Yes | MSBOC license required: Commercial roofing on projects of $50,000 or more, and Residential Roofing on jobs over $10,000. Roofing is called out explicitly on the MSBOC site. |
| Painter | Sometimes | No occupation license. An MSBOC license (Painting classification) is only needed if the painting contract itself crosses the thresholds – commercial $50,000+ or a residential remodeling job over $10,000. |
| Carpenter | Sometimes | No occupation license. MSBOC's Carpentry and Framing classification only applies once the contract exceeds the commercial ($50,000) or residential remodeling ($10,000) thresholds. |
| Landscaper | Sometimes | No state license for routine lawn care or landscaping. MSBOC's Landscaping, Grading and Beautification classification applies only when a project crosses the dollar thresholds. Pesticide application is regulated separately. |
| Handyman | No | No state license for small repairs. Jobs stay below MSBOC's thresholds ($10,000 residential remodeling, $50,000 commercial). A handyman may not perform electrical, plumbing or HVAC work reserved for a licensed contractor. |
| Cleaner | No | No state occupational or contractor license required for residential or commercial cleaning. |
Mississippi licensing is threshold-based: "Yes" means an MSBOC license is required for typical professional-scale work (and, for electrical, plumbing and HVAC, even as a residential subcontractor); "Sometimes" means a license is required only if the contract crosses MSBOC's dollar thresholds; "No" means no state license. Cities and counties may still require a local privilege license or individual trade card.
How Mississippi licenses construction trades
Unlike states that license each occupation, Mississippi uses a project-value model run by a single agency: the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC). A license is triggered by the dollar value of the job, not by the worker's title. The board issues two broad families of license: a Commercial certificate (the "Certificate of Responsibility") for commercial and industrial work, and Residential licenses for work on homes.
Commercial contractors are governed by Miss. Code Title 31, Chapter 3, while residential builders and remodelers are governed by Miss. Code Title 73, Chapter 59. The same board also licenses the electrical, plumbing and mechanical/HVAC trades as contractor classifications – there is no separate state plumbing board or state electrical board in Mississippi.
The dollar thresholds that trigger a license
The MSBOC publishes clear thresholds. A commercial license is required for commercial or industrial projects of $50,000 or more. On the residential side, a Residential Builder license is required for new home construction over $50,000, and a Residential Remodeler license is required for remodeling or additions over $10,000. Residential roofing over $10,000 also requires a license. Specialty rules apply to fire-sprinkler work (public systems over $5,000; private systems over $10,000).
Because the trigger is the contract value, a job below the applicable threshold generally does not require an MSBOC license – though it may still need a building permit and a local privilege license.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC: one board, no state journeyman card
This is the point most often misunderstood. Mississippi does not have a separate statewide board for plumbers or electricians, and it does not issue an individual state journeyman or master license the way many states do. Instead, the MSBOC licenses electrical, plumbing and mechanical/HVAC firms as contractor classifications (including a Master Electrical classification). Importantly, MSBOC rules require that subcontractors performing residential electrical, mechanical, HVAC or plumbing work on a residential construction or improvement project be licensed by the board.
Individual journeyman and master cards for electricians and plumbers are issued at the city or county level – jurisdictions such as Jackson, Hattiesburg, Gulfport and others run their own exams and licensing. Always confirm both the state (MSBOC) and local requirements before starting work.
Trades with no automatic state license
Several common home-service trades – general painting, carpentry, landscaping and lawn care, handyman work, and cleaning – are not licensed by occupation in Mississippi. A painter, carpenter or landscaper needs an MSBOC license only if the contract itself crosses the board's thresholds (for example, a commercial job of $50,000 or more, or a residential remodeling job over $10,000). Routine small jobs, handyman repairs and cleaning need no state license at all.
Being unlicensed does not mean unregulated: these businesses typically still need a local privilege license, must carry appropriate insurance, and may not cross into a scope reserved for a licensed contractor – a handyman cannot legally perform electrical, plumbing or HVAC work that requires an MSBOC-licensed contractor.
Local and county requirements
Even where no state license applies, Mississippi cities and counties commonly require a local privilege (business) license to operate, and building permits are required for many projects regardless of who performs the work. For the electrical and plumbing trades, the local jurisdiction is where individual journeyman and master cards are earned and renewed, while the MSBOC handles the contractor-level license. Because local rules and permit thresholds vary from one municipality to the next, always confirm requirements with your city or county before starting a job.
How to get licensed in Mississippi
- Decide whether your project is commercial or residential and estimate the contract value, then check it against the MSBOC thresholds ($50,000 for commercial or new residential construction; $10,000 for residential remodeling, additions or roofing).
- Choose your MSBOC license type and classification (for example Commercial, Residential Builder, Residential Remodeler, or a trade classification such as electrical, plumbing, mechanical/HVAC or roofing).
- Meet the eligibility requirements, which typically include passing the required trade and business/law examinations (the Master Electrical exam or an accepted NASCLA alternative for electrical), and providing proof of insurance.
- Submit your application and fees to the Mississippi State Board of Contractors and obtain your license before bidding or contracting on work above the thresholds.
- Check with the city or county where you will work for a local privilege license and, for electricians and plumbers, any required local journeyman or master card; keep both your MSBOC license and local credentials current.
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Frequently asked questions
Do plumbers and electricians need a state license in Mississippi?
There is no separate state plumbing or electrical board in Mississippi and no statewide individual journeyman/master license. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC firms are licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) as contractor classifications, and residential electrical, plumbing and HVAC subcontractors on residential projects must be MSBOC-licensed. Individual journeyman and master cards are issued by cities and counties, not the state.
What are the dollar thresholds that require an MSBOC license?
A commercial license is required for commercial or industrial projects of $50,000 or more. A Residential Builder license is required for new homes over $50,000, and a Residential Remodeler license is required for remodeling, additions or roofing over $10,000. Fire-sprinkler work has lower specialty thresholds. A job below the applicable threshold generally does not need an MSBOC license.
Does a handyman need a license in Mississippi?
No state license is required for handyman work, because such jobs stay below the MSBOC thresholds ($10,000 for residential remodeling, $50,000 for commercial). A handyman may still need a local privilege license and may not perform electrical, plumbing or HVAC work that is reserved for an MSBOC-licensed contractor.
Do painters, carpenters and landscapers need a license in Mississippi?
Not by occupation. Mississippi licenses by project value, so a painter, carpenter or landscaper needs an MSBOC license only if the contract crosses the board's thresholds – for example a commercial job of $50,000 or more or a residential remodeling job over $10,000. Routine small jobs need no state license, though a local privilege license may apply.
Sources: Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC), MSBOC – Frequently Asked Questions (thresholds, subcontractors), MSBOC – Classifications, MSBOC – Residential Builders Law and Rules (2022), 2025. Licensing rules change — always confirm current requirements with the relevant state board and your local city before you work.