Mississippi Solar Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Mississippi has no standalone solar license but the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) does publish a Solar Energy Equipment specialty as an add-on to an existing classification (Building Construction or Electrical Work). The state thresholds: an electrical contractor license is required for residential work over $10,000 and commercial work over $50,000. To add the Solar Energy Equipment specialty you must already hold a parent classification, complete an MSBOC-approved solar design and installation training program, and pass a written solar specialty exam. Solar thermal additionally needs the MSBOC Mechanical or Plumbing classification. NABCEP PV Installation Professional is voluntary.

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 Mississippi residency requirement.

Good moral character

MSBOC reviews criminal history.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure on the application.

Required Experience and Education

Plan to substantiate three years of practical electrical experience as a foreman, supervisor, or contractor with hard records. Payroll, tax, project logs, and supervisor verification are what the board relies on when it reviews the claim.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

MSBOC experience verification forms
Certified financial statement
NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification (counts toward experience)

Education substitution

Electrical engineering or technology degree counts toward experience.

Examination Requirements

Examinations are administered by PSI Services LLC (under contract to MSBOC). The applicant must pass the following examination parts before the license can issue:

Mississippi Electrical Trade Examination — 100 questions, 300 minutes, passing score 70%
Mississippi Business and Law Examination — 50 questions, 120 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $80 per part.

Retake policy: Failed parts may be retaken individually.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

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

MSBOC requires commercial general liability insurance appropriate to the classification.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory under Miss. Code §71-3 for any business with five or more employees.

Additional financial requirements

MSBOC requires a certified financial statement. The monetary limit is set based on net worth.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$200
Examination	$160
Initial license	$200
Renewal (every year)	$200

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the Mississippi State Board of Contractors Electrical Classification comes due every year. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $200. MSBOC classification licenses renew annually.

Continuing education: No state CE requirement.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and License Transfer

Mississippi accepts the NASCLA Accredited Examination for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Alabama	Trade exam waived	Limited MSBOC reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).
Louisiana	Trade exam waived	Limited MSBOC–LSLBC reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).
Tennessee	Trade exam waived	Limited MSBOC–TBLC reciprocity (verify with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare).

Mississippi accepts the NASCLA Accredited Examination and maintains limited reciprocity (verify directly with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare) with neighboring states.

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

Application Process, Step by Step

Document three years of electrical experience. Compile experience verification from qualified parties.
Prepare a certified financial statement. Required for the classification application.
Submit the MSBOC application. File with the application fee.
Pass the trade and business and law exams at 70%. Both administered by PSI.
File the certificate of insurance. Amount scaled to the monetary limit.
Receive the Electrical classification license. MSBOC issues the credential after the next monthly Board meeting.
Pull local building and electrical permits per project. Each Mississippi jurisdiction requires local permits.

Frequent Application Errors

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

Missing the $50K/$10K threshold

Below the threshold no state license is needed, but crossing it without one is a violation.

Skipping the financial statement

MSBOC will not set a monetary limit without it.

Missing the monthly Board meeting

MSBOC only issues licenses after the monthly Board meeting — file early.

Letting workers compensation lapse

Mandatory for any business with five or more employees.

Forgetting solar thermal is plumbing

Solar hot water requires the MSBOC Plumbing classification.

Recommended References

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

NEC Article 690 — Solar Photovoltaic Systems — NFPA. Primary technical reference.
Miss. Code §31-3 — State of Mississippi. Statutory framework.
PSI Mississippi Electrical Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin — PSI. Free PDF outlining exam content.

Document Checklist

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

☐ Three years of documented electrical experience
☐ Certified financial statement
☐ MSBOC Electrical classification application
☐ Pass trade and business and law exams at 70%+
☐ Commercial general liability insurance (scaled to monetary limit)
☐ Workers' compensation coverage
☐ Local building and electrical permits per project

Other Mississippi Trade Licenses

CLR covers other Mississippi trades as well — the published guides below may be more relevant:

Questions Applicants Ask

Does Mississippi have a solar license?

No. Solar PV is regulated as electrical work under the MSBOC Electrical classification.

When is the license required?

For commercial projects over $50,000 or residential projects over $10,000.

Is NABCEP required?

No. NABCEP is voluntary in Mississippi.

What about solar thermal?

Solar hot water requires the MSBOC Plumbing classification.

Does Mississippi reciprocate?

Yes. Mississippi accepts the NASCLA exam and maintains limited reciprocity (verify directly with the board; solar-specific reciprocity is rare) with Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-12 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-10