Mississippi Electrician License Requirements (2026)

Mississippi does not issue an individual journeyman or master electrician license at the state level. Electrician licensing for individuals is handled city-by-city — Jackson, Hattiesburg, Tupelo, Gulfport, Biloxi, and most other municipalities run their own examination and licensing programs, often accepting reciprocity with neighboring cities. At the state level, the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) licenses electrical contractors as businesses on commercial projects of $50,000 or more (or $5,000 or more for hazardous and certain specialty work) under the Electrical classification of the Commercial Contractor Certificate of Responsibility. Anyone planning to perform electrical contracting work in Mississippi should expect to navigate both layers: a municipal individual license where required, and an MSBOC electrical classification for any qualifying commercial project.

Regulatory Oversight

Under Mississippi Code Title 31, Chapter 3 (Public Contracts) and Title 73, Chapter 59 (Residential Builders), Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) is the body that issues this license and enforces compliance with it. The Mississippi State Board of Contractors licenses commercial contractors on projects of $50,000 or more and residential builders and remodelers on projects of $50,000 or more, administers examinations through PSI, and enforces bonding and financial-statement requirements statewide.

Official portal: https://www.msboc.us/
Address: 2679 Crane Ridge Drive, Suite C, Jackson, MS 39216
Phone: (601) 354-6161

Who May Apply

An applicant qualifies only after meeting the age floor of 18 and producing a valid Social Security Number. No state residency requirement. Municipal licenses may impose local requirements.

Good moral character

MSBOC reviews fitness on every qualifying party for the contractor license. Municipal boards apply their own standards.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure on the MSBOC application. Municipal applications vary.

Required Experience and Education

Eligibility requires 4 years of most Mississippi municipalities require approximately four years of practical electrical experience or completion of an approved apprenticeship before sitting for a journeyman exam, and an additional one to two years for a master credential. The MSBOC contractor classification expects three or more years of qualifying experience by the qualifying party., documented and independently verifiable. Payroll, tax, project, and supervisor records are the usual proof the board will accept.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

W-2 statements, pay stubs, or 1099 records covering the qualifying period
Affidavits from prior licensed master electrician supervisors
Approved electrical apprenticeship completion certificate (where applicable)
Trade school transcripts

Education substitution

Approved electrical apprenticeship and accredited electrical trade school programs may substitute for portions of the experience requirement under municipal rules.

Examination Requirements

The licensing examination is delivered by Municipal testing (varies by city, often ICC or PSI) for the individual credential; PSI Services LLC for the MSBOC contractor classification. All of the following parts must be cleared prior to issuance:

Municipal Journeyman or Master Electrician Examination — National Electrical Code, calculations, and local amendments (where required) — 80 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%
PSI Mississippi Business and Law / Management Survey for Contractors (for the MSBOC contractor classification) — 50 questions, 140 minutes, passing score 70%
PSI Mississippi Electrical trade examination (for the MSBOC contractor classification) — 80 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: Municipal exam fees range $50 – $150. PSI MSBOC exams run $80 – $110 per part.

Retake policy: Failed municipal or PSI exams may be re-taken individually by paying a new exam fee.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

This credential carries no state-level surety bond requirement under the cited sources. Individual jobs may still trigger a permit or public-works bond, which should be verified before bidding.

General liability

Most Mississippi municipalities require a general liability minimum of $300,000 – $1,000,000 for individual electrical licensees. MSBOC does not impose a state-level minimum.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory in Mississippi for any business with five or more regular employees under §71-3-5.

Additional financial requirements

MSBOC Commercial Contractor classification requires a CPA-prepared financial statement; the monetary limit is set by working capital and net worth.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$150
Examination	$190
Initial license	$200
Renewal (every year)	$200

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the Mississippi Electrician — No State License (Municipal Only) / MSBOC Electrical Classification comes due every year. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $200. MSBOC contractor licenses renew annually. Municipal renewal cycles vary.

Continuing education: MSBOC does not currently mandate continuing education for the Commercial Contractor classification. Many municipalities require continuing education hours for individual electrician licensees on a one- to three-year cycle.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Mississippi Electrician License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and License Transfer

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is not accepted by Mississippi for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Alabama	Bilateral municipal reciprocity in many border cities	Several Mississippi cities accept Alabama master electrician credentials by agreement.
Louisiana	Bilateral municipal reciprocity in many border cities	Border-city agreements with Louisiana licensing boards.
Tennessee	Bilateral municipal reciprocity in many border cities	Border-city agreements with Tennessee licensing boards.

Because Mississippi does not issue a state electrician license, formal reciprocity is municipal. Confirm directly with the city where the work will occur.

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

Application Process, Step by Step

Identify the city or cities where you will work. Mississippi has no state electrician license. Each municipality sets its own rules. Start with the city where you will be most active.
Document electrical experience. Roughly four years for journeyman, plus one to two more for master, is the typical municipal threshold.
Pass the municipal journeyman or master exam. Most cities use ICC or PSI exams covering the National Electrical Code and local amendments.
Obtain the municipal license and required insurance. Provide proof of insurance and pay the municipal license fee.
For commercial projects $50,000+, obtain the MSBOC Electrical classification. File a Commercial Contractor application designating the qualifying party and the Electrical classification.
Pass the PSI MSBOC Business and Law and Electrical trade exams. Required for the contractor classification. NASCLA is not accepted for Electrical specialty.
Maintain both credentials. Renew the municipal license on its local cycle and the MSBOC certificate annually.

Recommended References

The references below are either cited by the board, used during the application, or standard preparation for the trade. They are listed purely for convenience — CLR earns no commission on any of them.

National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), current adopted edition — National Fire Protection Association. Primary technical reference. Open-book at most municipal and PSI test centers.
Tom Henry Master Electrician Exam Prep — Tom Henry Books. Widely used for NEC calculation problems on Mississippi municipal and PSI exams.
NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — Mississippi edition — NASCLA. Standard reference for the MSBOC Business and Law portion.

Frequent Application Errors

Drawn from the board instructions and sources cited on this page, the pitfalls below are the ones most likely to slow down or sink a Mississippi Electrician application.

Assuming a state license exists

Mississippi has no statewide individual electrician license. Plan around municipal credentials and the MSBOC contractor classification instead.

Working in the wrong city without local credentials

A Jackson master electrician license does not automatically authorize work in Hattiesburg or Gulfport. Confirm reciprocity before bidding.

Skipping the MSBOC classification on commercial work

Any commercial electrical project at or above $50,000 requires an MSBOC Commercial Contractor Certificate of Responsibility with the Electrical classification.

Underestimating insurance requirements

Many municipalities require $300,000+ general liability for individual electricians. Owners and GCs typically demand more.

Missing local continuing education

Some Mississippi cities require CE hours to renew the individual license. Missing CE blocks renewal even if the MSBOC classification is current.

Document Checklist

The items below are the ones worth confirming before the application is filed with MSBOC:

☐ Municipal journeyman or master electrician license (where work occurs)
☐ Proof of approximately four years of electrical experience or apprenticeship completion
☐ MSBOC Commercial Contractor application with Electrical classification (for projects $50,000+)
☐ CPA-prepared financial statement (for the MSBOC contractor classification)
☐ PSI Mississippi Business and Law exam pass certificate
☐ PSI Mississippi Electrical trade exam pass certificate
☐ Workers compensation coverage certificate for any business with five or more employees

Other Mississippi Trade Licenses

If the Electrician license is not the right fit, the following published Mississippi trade guides are also covered by CLR:

Questions Applicants Ask

Does Mississippi issue a state electrician license?

No. Mississippi has no statewide journeyman or master electrician license. Individual electrician licensing is handled by each municipality, while the Mississippi State Board of Contractors licenses electrical contractors as businesses on qualifying commercial projects.

Which Mississippi cities license electricians?

Most large and mid-sized Mississippi cities run their own programs, including Jackson, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, Biloxi, Tupelo, and Meridian. Always confirm with the local building department before working in a new jurisdiction.

When do I need an MSBOC electrical classification?

When you bid or contract for commercial, industrial, or public electrical work of $50,000 or more (or $5,000 or more for hazardous or specialty work).

Does Mississippi accept the NASCLA exam for electrical contractors?

No. NASCLA acceptance in Mississippi is limited to Commercial General Building Contractor classifications, not Electrical.

Can I work statewide with one municipal license?

Not automatically. Some Mississippi cities maintain reciprocity agreements with neighbors, but coverage is patchwork. Check each jurisdiction individually.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-04-24 · Next scheduled review 2026-07-23