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Contractor License Requirements

Mississippi Concrete Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Gabriel Giner

By Gabriel Giner, Editor · Verified  ·  Updated

Mississippi regulates concrete work through a broader contractor-license structure rather than a separate concrete board. The official MSBOC classifications specifically distinguish Concrete (Test Required) from Concrete Paving (Test Required), and those two concrete paths should not be flattened into a single generic category. The statewide rule answers only the starting licensing question. Before signing a concrete contract, match the exact scope, project type, value, permits, and any separately regulated work to the authority identified in the sources below.

Who Issues the Mississippi Concrete Contractor License?

Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) issues and enforces the Mississippi concrete contractor license under Mississippi Code Title 31, Chapter 3 (Public Contracts) and Title 73, Chapter 59 (Residential Builders). Administers Mississippi commercial and residential contractor licensing, including separate Concrete and Concrete Paving specialty classifications.

Mississippi Concrete Contractor License Eligibility Requirements

This guide does not establish a minimum applicant age; confirm any age requirement with the issuing authority. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. The current MSBOC materials reviewed do not state a general Mississippi-residency prerequisite. Corporations and LLCs must be registered and in good standing with the Mississippi Secretary of State; commercial applicants must supply the required sales/use tax number and income/federal-tax ID.

Good moral character

MSBOC reviews application disclosures, construction experience, references, financial responsibility, and other information needed to determine whether the contractor is responsible. Submit complete, accurate answers and supporting explanations for any required disclosure.

Background investigation

The current commercial application asks about prior licenses, discipline, criminal matters connected with bid rigging or home-repair fraud, and incomplete construction contracts. It does not describe a universal fingerprint-based requirement for this specialty.

How Much Experience Do You Need for a Mississippi Concrete Contractor License?

Use the current MSBOC requirements for the selected Concrete or Concrete Paving commercial specialty; experience described for another trade does not carry over.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

  • Commercial application evidence for the selected specialty, including qualifying-party and project documentation required by MSBOC.

Mississippi Concrete Contractor Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: Mississippi State Board of Contractors / PSI. The following examination requirements cover the pathways described in this guide; follow each part's classification, waiver, and local-scope conditions. Unpublished format details do not remove an examination requirement:

  • Mississippi Law and Business Management examination — 50 questions, 120 minutes, passing score 70%
  • Concrete or Concrete Paving trade examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score: confirm in the current candidate bulletin

Examination fee: Use MSBOC and PSI current selected-classification materials for current testing charges.

Retake policy: Follow current MSBOC and PSI instructions.

Mississippi Concrete Contractor Insurance and Bond Requirements

The cited sources do not require a license surety bond for the Mississippi concrete contractor license, but a permit, contract, or public-works bond can still apply to a given job, so confirm bonding before you bid.

General liability

Commercial applicants must provide general-liability coverage of at least $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate, with MSBOC shown as certificate holder for cancellation notice. MSBOC’s application materials say residential applicants provide proof of general liability but do not state a dollar minimum.

Workers' compensation

MSBOC requires workers’ compensation evidence when the applicant has five or more employees. Confirm any statutory exclusions and the actual business’s coverage duties with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission or counsel.

Additional financial requirements

A commercial specialty applicant, including Concrete or Concrete Paving, must submit a reviewed or audited financial statement prepared by a CPA within the preceding 12 months; compilations are not accepted. The specialty-classification minimum net worth is $20,000.

How Much Does a Mississippi Concrete Contractor License Cost?

FeeAmount
Application$400
Examination$120
Initial licenseNo separate amount recorded; confirm in the fee guidance
Renewal (every year)$400

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Mississippi concrete contractor.

Mississippi Concrete Contractor License Renewal and Continuing Education

The Mississippi concrete contractor license renews every year. The renewal fee is $400. Commercial and residential MSBOC licenses renew annually. The current fee schedule lists $400 for commercial renewal and $100 for residential renewal. MSBOC sends renewal notices by email and allows late renewal for up to 180 days after expiration; after that, a new application is required. Use the current Board renewal form for any continuing-education or financial-document requirement.

Does Mississippi Accept Out-of-State Concrete Contractor Licenses?

Mississippi does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for the Mississippi concrete contractor license.

Reciprocal StateAccepted ExamConditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

NASCLA’s accredited commercial-general-building examination is an option for the Building Construction major classification, not for the Concrete or Concrete Paving specialty. MSBOC reciprocity can waive a qualifying trade examination only when the current agreement and classification allow it; it does not waive Mississippi Law and Business or the other application requirements.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published Concrete Contractor license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

How to Get a Mississippi Concrete Contractor License, Step by Step

  1. Select the actual concrete classification. MSBOC distinguishes Concrete from Concrete Paving; select the scope that fits the project.
  2. Check the project path. Commercial work over $50,000, existing-residence improvement over $10,000, and new residential construction over $50,000 follow different MSBOC paths.
  3. Complete the current application and testing. Use the selected classification’s commercial application, financial, insurance, qualifying-party, and testing requirements.
  4. Assemble the project-specific file. Keep the classification or registration record, insurance or bond evidence, contract scope, and the documents required by Mississippi's permitting authority together before applying for a permit or beginning work.
  5. Keep state authority and project approval aligned. Do not let a broad contractor credential, registration, or specialty label substitute for the actual project permit, plan review, inspection, or separately licensed trade requirement.

Application Checklist

Have each of these ready before you file with MSBOC:

Common Filing Mistakes

These are the problems most likely to delay or derail a Mississippi Concrete Contractor application, drawn from the instructions of MSBOC and the other sources cited on this page.

Flattening concrete and paving

Concrete and Concrete Paving are separate test-required MSBOC classifications with different scopes.

Treating a statewide starting point as complete project authority

A contractor can still be outside the applicable scope or permit rules even after completing the state registration, classification, or other initial requirement.

Bidding outside the actual concrete scope

A classification, registration, or exemption must match the particular concrete scope and project facts; it is not blanket authority for unrelated or separately regulated work.

Study and Reference Materials

These references are cited in the Mississippi sources for this guide or commonly used to prepare for concrete work; CLR receives no compensation for listing them.

  • MSBOC classifications — Mississippi State Board of Contractors. The official scope distinguishes Concrete and Concrete Paving.

Concrete Contractor Pay and Employment in Mississippi

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 930 cement masons and concrete finishers work in Mississippi, earning a median of $43,980 a year ($21.14 an hour). That is 23% below the national median of $57,020, ranking 51st of 51 jurisdictions BLS published. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $32,710 and the top 10% earn over $57,020. The trade makes up a smaller share of Mississippi's workforce than it does nationally (location quotient 0.60).

Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers wages, Mississippi compared with the United States, May 2025
MeasureMississippiUnited States
Median annual wage$43,980$57,020
Median hourly wage$21.14$27.41
10th–90th percentile$32,710–$57,020$39,190–$85,480
Employment930206,170

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 47-2051 (Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers). Figures cover wage and salary employees and exclude self-employed owners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Mississippi have a dedicated standalone concrete license?

Not as a separate board-level trade license. Concrete work is handled through the MSBOC Concrete / Concrete Paving Specialty Classifications path inside the state’s broader contractor licensing system.

What is the main concrete classification or path in Mississippi?

The official MSBOC classifications specifically distinguish Concrete (Test Required) from Concrete Paving (Test Required), and those two concrete paths should not be flattened into a single generic category.

Why does the concrete page differ from a simple trade-license page in Mississippi?

Because the state regulates concrete by classification, specialty, or scope within a larger contractor framework. The exact classification and project type matter more than the word "concrete" by itself.

Does the statewide route replace local concrete permits or approvals?

No. The statewide route described here is separate from the permit, inspection, zoning, right-of-way, and project-specific contractor requirements set by Mississippi's permitting authority.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

  1. MSBOC — current classifications
  2. MSBOC — apply for a license
  3. MSBOC — contractor licensing FAQ

Verified 2026-09-08  · Next scheduled review 2026-12-07

Report a correction to this guide

Corrections and updates
  • : The cost, financial-statement, and reciprocity notes named the Masonry, Brick and Stone classification; they now describe the Concrete and Concrete Paving specialties (MSBOC classifications page). Fee amounts did not change.

Layout changes shared by every guide are listed in the template change log; they do not change source-check dates.

Concrete Contractor Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Mississippi's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

More guides for Mississippi contractors

Other Mississippi Trade Licenses

CLR also publishes these Mississippi licensing guides for other trades: