Mississippi Low Voltage License Requirements (2026)

Mississippi handles low-voltage work through two different systems. The State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) offers commercial classifications including Communications Systems and Low Voltage Electrical, and Security, Burglar & Fire Alarms. Commercial work over $50,000 requires an MSBOC commercial license; residential electrical subcontractor requirements are separately triggered on residential construction/improvement projects. For electronic protective systems offered to the public—including burglar, fire-alarm, CCTV-alarm, and related systems—the Office of the State Fire Marshal administers Mississippi Electronic Protection licenses for companies and personnel. Those state credentials do not replace local fire/building permits, plan review, inspections, or acceptance.

Regulatory Body

Under Miss. Code Ann. ch. 31-3; Mississippi Electronic Protection rules; Miss. Code Ann. §§45-11-101–111., Mississippi State Board of Contractors and Office of the State Fire Marshal (MSBOC / OSFM) is the body that issues this license and enforces compliance with it. MSBOC licenses qualifying contractors and classifications. OSFM licenses electronic-protection companies and personnel and enforces the Mississippi Fire Prevention Code with local authorities.

Official portal: https://www.msboc.us/classifications/
Address: MSBOC, P.O. Box 320279, Jackson, MS 39232; electronic protection licensing is administered by the State Fire Marshal.
Phone: MSBOC: (800) 880-6161; OSFM electronic protection: (601) 359-1061.

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. Use the current MSBOC and OSFM application instructions; no general Mississippi-residency rule is asserted here.

Good moral character

Electronic-protection applicants submit felony disclosures and are subject to the current State Fire Marshal review standards.

Background investigation

OSFM electronic-protection license applicants submit fingerprints for state and national criminal-history checks.

Experience and Education

There is no published year count for this credential in the cited sources. What actually controls eligibility is MSBOC’s current public classification materials do not support the former universal three-year low-voltage experience rule. For OSFM electronic protection, Class B technicians and Class C installers must complete the specified Electronic Security Association training or an approved equivalent; a Class H helper works only under direct supervision. Confirm classification-specific MSBOC testing/qualification requirements before filing..

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

MSBOC commercial application and qualifying-party documentation
OSFM electronic-protection application, photos, training records, felony disclosure, and fingerprints

Education substitution

For OSFM Class C installer authority, the minimum route is ESA Level 1 Certified Alarm/Security Technician training or State Fire Marshal-approved equivalent. Class B technician authority has more advanced stated training requirements.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI for MSBOC examinations; OSFM-approved electronic-protection training for individual electronic-protection licenses.. 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 — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score: confirm in the current candidate bulletin
Classification trade examination, only when MSBOC requires it — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score: confirm in the current candidate bulletin

Examination fee: All MSBOC applicants take the Law and Business exam; some classifications also require a trade exam. Confirm current PSI fees. OSFM electronic-protection fees are currently Class A company $450 new/$200 renewal and Classes B/C/D/H $150 new/$50 renewal, plus $50 fingerprint processing for Class A–D/H applications as shown on the current form.

Retake policy: Follow current PSI/MSBOC and OSFM instructions; do not rely on the former fixed score/wait claims.

Insurance and Bonds

The cited state source set does not require a contractor license surety bond for this credential. Contractors should still confirm project-specific bond, permit-bond, or public-works bond requirements before bidding.

General liability

Commercial MSBOC applicants must provide a certificate of general liability with at least $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate, naming MSBOC for cancellation notice. Residential applicants need proof of coverage but the cited MSBOC page gives no minimum. Confirm OSFM Class A company insurance requirements on the current application/rules.

Workers' compensation

Commercial MSBOC applicants submit workers’ compensation evidence if they have five or more employees.

Additional financial requirements

Commercial MSBOC applicants need a CPA-reviewed financial statement showing at least $20,000 net worth for a specialty classification; major classifications require $50,000. This applies to commercial—not blanket residential—applications.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	No separate amount recorded; confirm in the fee guidance
Initial license	$450
Renewal (every year)	$200

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 low voltage.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Renewal of the Mississippi Low-Voltage Contractor and Electronic Protection Licensing Requirements comes due every year. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $200. MSBOC licenses are annual. The OSFM electronic-protection form lists Class A $200 renewal and Classes B/C/D/H $50 renewal.

Continuing education: No universal annual MSBOC low-voltage CE claim was substantiated in the reviewed sources. Follow current MSBOC and OSFM class-specific renewal instructions.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

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

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

Use MSBOC’s current reciprocity information for the exact classification. Do not claim a broad Louisiana/Tennessee/Alabama low-voltage exam waiver without an MSBOC confirmation.

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

Low Voltage 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:

Alabama Low Voltage License Requirements — Alabama Electrical Contractor license and AESBL electronic-security license, as applicable
Arkansas Low Voltage License Requirements — Arkansas Class E Alarm Systems Company License
Louisiana Low Voltage License Requirements — Louisiana Telecommunications, Low Voltage Electrical Subclassification (5.2) — LSLBC
Tennessee Low Voltage License Requirements — Tennessee CE-D/CE-J contractor classification or Alarm Systems Contractor credential, as applicable

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Match the project to the correct state systems. Evaluate MSBOC Communications Systems and Low Voltage Electrical or Security, Burglar & Fire Alarms classification; separately evaluate OSFM Electronic Protection licensing for alarm/security systems offered to the public.
Determine whether an MSBOC commercial or residential license is triggered. Commercial work over $50,000 requires commercial MSBOC licensing. Follow the separate residential electrical-subcontractor rules for residential construction/improvement work.
Prepare MSBOC commercial documentation when required. Provide the qualifying party, CPA-reviewed specialty financial statement, insurance, business-good-standing records, and current application/fees.
Complete required MSBOC examinations. All applicants take Mississippi Law and Business; take a trade exam only if MSBOC requires it for the selected classification.
Obtain Electronic Protection licenses when applicable. A Class A company and Class B/C/D/H personnel are separately licensed by OSFM. Use the training, fingerprint, fee, and supervision requirements for the selected class.
Obtain local approvals. Coordinate fire/building permits, plans, inspections, testing, and acceptance with the local AHJ or State Fire Marshal jurisdiction.
Renew annual state credentials. MSBOC commercial licenses are annual. OSFM electronic-protection renewal amounts and conditions depend on class.

Application Checklist

The most critical documents or confirmations the applicant should have in hand before filing with MSBOC / OSFM:

Correct MSBOC classification(s) for communications/low voltage or security/fire alarms
Commercial or residential MSBOC application when the relevant threshold/rule is met
CPA-reviewed financial statement and insurance for commercial specialty licensing
MSBOC Law and Business plus any required trade examination
OSFM Electronic Protection Class A and appropriate individual licenses for covered systems
Training, photos, felony disclosure, fingerprints, and fees for OSFM electronic-protection licensing
Local AHJ permit/plan review/inspection/acceptance

Common Filing Mistakes

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a Mississippi Low Voltage application.

Using a generic “low-voltage” classification

Match the work to MSBOC’s Communications/Low Voltage or Security, Burglar & Fire Alarms scope and separate OSFM Electronic Protection licensing.

Skipping OSFM Electronic Protection licensing

A covered company or installer/technician needs the appropriate OSFM class; an MSBOC classification alone does not replace it.

Assuming a trade exam is always required

All applicants take Law and Business, but MSBOC says some specialties do not require a trade examination.

Ignoring local acceptance

Fire/building permits, plans, inspections, and acceptance remain AHJ-specific.

Study and Reference Materials

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.

MSBOC classifications and PSI candidate information — MSBOC / PSI. Confirm the selected classification’s current scope and examination.
Mississippi Electronic Protection Rules — Office of the State Fire Marshal. Class A/B/C/D/H training, background, fingerprint, and supervision requirements.
Mississippi Fire Prevention Code — Office of the State Fire Marshal. Use current state/local fire-code requirements for project approvals.

Other Mississippi Trade Licenses

Should the Low Voltage path not apply, these other Mississippi trade guides from CLR may help:

Frequently Asked Questions

Which MSBOC classification covers low-voltage communications work?

MSBOC lists Communications Systems and Low Voltage Electrical. Security, Burglar & Fire Alarms is a separate classification for alarm, security, data/video, and electric-lock scope.

When is commercial MSBOC licensing required?

Commercial contractors and subcontractors performing work over $50,000 need the commercial license. Fire-sprinkler work has special lower thresholds, but that is a separate guide/scope.

Who licenses electronic protection systems?

The Office of the State Fire Marshal licenses Electronic Protection companies and personnel. The current program has Class A company and Classes B/C/D/H individual licenses.

Does every MSBOC classification need a trade exam?

No. MSBOC says all applicants take Law and Business, while only some classifications require a trade exam.

Do city permits still apply?

Yes. State licensing does not replace local or state fire-code permit, review, inspection, testing, and acceptance requirements.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

Report a correction to this guide

Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.