Mississippi Masonry Contractor License Requirements (2026)

The Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) issues a Masonry Specialty Classification under Miss. Code §31-3 for commercial projects of $50,000 or more, and a Residential Builder license for residential projects of $50,000 or more. The qualifying party must pass the NASCLA-accepted Masonry exam and the Mississippi Business and Law exam, submit a financial statement, and provide proof of GL and workers compensation. This page documents the verified path including the MSBOC financial statement, hurricane wind detailing for coastal counties, and OSHA silica enforcement.

Governing Authority

This license is issued and enforced by Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) pursuant to Mississippi Code Title 31, Chapter 3 (Public Contracts) and Title 73, Chapter 59 (Residential Builders). 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

Eligibility Requirements

At a minimum the applicant has to be 18 years old and supply a valid Social Security Number. No Mississippi residency requirement; out-of-state entities must register with the Mississippi Secretary of State.

Good moral character

MSBOC reviews prior license discipline and consumer complaints.

Background investigation

Self-disclosure of criminal history on the MSBOC application.

Experience & Education Matrix

No fixed number of years of experience is set out in the cited sources for this credential; instead, the controlling requirement is No state experience requirement; the qualifying party must pass the NASCLA Masonry exam which presumes journey-level competence..

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Optional: signed letters from prior masonry employers
Project list with addresses and dates

Examination Structure

PSI Services LLC under contract to MSBOC runs the examination for this credential. Issuance is contingent on passing every part below:

Mississippi Business and Law Examination — 50 questions, 100 minutes, passing score 70%
NASCLA Accredited Masonry Examination — TMS 402/602, IBC Chapter 21 — 100 questions, 330 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $80 Mississippi business and law plus $219 NASCLA Masonry exam paid to PSI.

Retake policy: Failed sections may be retaken with a new fee. The MSBOC application remains valid for one year.

Insurance & Financial Security

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

No state minimum, but MSBOC requires GL on the application. Most owners require $1,000,000 per occurrence.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation is mandatory under Miss. Code §71-3 for any Mississippi employer with five or more employees. Masonry NCCI 5022 carries one of the highest manual rates in Mississippi.

Additional financial requirements

MSBOC requires a CPA-prepared or reviewed financial statement at application. Specialty masonry classification requires $10,000 net worth minimum.

Application and License Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$200
Examination	$299
Initial license	$200
Renewal (every year)	$200

Maintenance & Renewal

Expect to renew the Mississippi Commercial Masonry — MS State Board of Contractors every year. Renewal currently costs $200. MSBOC licenses renew annually on June 30. Late renewal incurs a $100 reinstatement fee.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and Endorsement

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is accepted by Mississippi for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Alabama	NASCLA exam	Bilateral acceptance of NASCLA exam scores between MSBOC and AL LBGC.
Louisiana	NASCLA exam	NASCLA scores accepted by LSLBC.
Tennessee	NASCLA exam	NASCLA scores accepted by TN BLC.
Arkansas	NASCLA exam	NASCLA scores accepted by AR CLB.

Mississippi is a NASCLA accredited state — passing the NASCLA Commercial Masonry exam waives the trade portion in 16+ partner states.

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

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Determine the threshold. Commercial $50,000+ or residential $50,000+ triggers the MSBOC license requirement under Miss. Code §31-3-15.
Form a Mississippi or foreign entity. Register your LLC or corporation with the Mississippi Secretary of State and obtain an EIN.
Pass the Mississippi Business and Law exam. Score 70% or better on the 50-question Mississippi business and law exam.
Pass the NASCLA Masonry exam. Score 70% or better on the 100-question NASCLA accredited masonry exam.
Prepare CPA financial statement. CPA-prepared financial statement showing $10,000+ net worth for specialty classification.
Submit MSBOC application. File the Masonry specialty application with $200 fee, financial statement, GL/workers comp certificates, and exam scores.
Receive MSBOC license number. MSBOC issues the license at the next monthly board meeting.
Implement OSHA silica program. Federal OSHA enforces 29 CFR 1926.1153 in Mississippi; written exposure control plan and Table 1 controls are mandatory on every masonry job.

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.

NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — Mississippi edition — NASCLA. Required reference for the Mississippi business and law exam.
TMS 402/602 Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures — The Masonry Society. Adopted by reference under IBC Chapter 21 — critical for Mississippi Gulf Coast hurricane wind detailing.
Mississippi Building Code (IBC with Mississippi amendments) — Mississippi Building Codes Council. Mississippi adopts IBC including Chapter 21 with enhanced wind provisions for Gulf Coast counties.

Common Filing Mistakes

Working from the cited board instructions, here are the snags most likely to trip up a Mississippi Masonry filing.

Threshold splitting

Splitting one masonry job into separate $49,999 contracts to evade MSBOC licensing is treated as license law violation under Miss. Code §31-3-21 — fines $500–$5,000 per occurrence.

CPA financial statement rejected

MSBOC rejects self-prepared and compiled statements. Only CPA-prepared statements satisfy the net worth requirement.

Hurricane wind tie spacing

Mississippi Gulf Coast counties require corrosion-resistant ties at enhanced TMS 402 spacing (12" o.c. or tighter); Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson inspectors fail jobs with standard spacing.

Workers comp threshold trap

Mississippi workers comp triggers at five or more employees. Crossing the threshold mid-project triggers immediate compliance obligation.

Silica plan absent

OSHA targets Jackson, Gulfport, and Biloxi masonry sites; missing 29 CFR 1926.1153(g) plans draw immediate citations.

Pre-Submission Checklist

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

☐ Mississippi Secretary of State entity registration
☐ Mississippi Business and Law exam pass certificate (70%+)
☐ NASCLA Masonry exam pass certificate (70%+)
☐ CPA-prepared financial statement showing $10,000+ net worth
☐ GL ($1M+ practical) and workers comp certificates (5+ employees)
☐ MSBOC Masonry specialty application with $200 fee
☐ OSHA silica written exposure control plan

Other Mississippi Trade Licenses

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Mississippi have a dedicated masonry license?

Yes. MSBOC issues a Masonry Specialty Classification for commercial projects of $50,000 or more.

What is the project value threshold?

$50,000 commercial or $50,000 residential triggers the MSBOC license requirement under Miss. Code §31-3-15.

Is the NASCLA exam accepted?

Yes. Mississippi is a NASCLA accredited state and the NASCLA Commercial Masonry exam satisfies the trade portion.

What financial statement does MSBOC require?

CPA-prepared financial statement showing $10,000+ net worth for the specialty masonry classification.

Why is hurricane wind detailing critical?

Mississippi Gulf Coast counties (Hancock, Harrison, Jackson) require enhanced anchored veneer tie spacing per TMS 402 to resist Cat 3+ hurricane wind. Post-Katrina inspections enforce strict compliance.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-03 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-01