How to Get a Mississippi Plumbing License?

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We bet you don’t know that plumbing is one of the high-paying jobs in Mississippi state of the US. 

The average salary of a plumber in Mississippi is $40,153 annually. This is near the national average plumber’s salary of $55,337 per year. However, with the right courses and certifications, you can even make up to $84,000. As per the projections made by the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the plumbing industry will grow by 14% between 2021 to 2031. 

However, there are different licensing requirements statewide. Mississippi mandates that plumbing contractors have licenses after exceeding certain monetary thresholds. Keep reading to get a detailed view of Mississippi plumbing license.

Mississippi Licensing Requirements

Mostly, all states of the US require plumbers to get a license, but the licensing requirements vary from state to state. If we talk about Mississippi, the plumbing license is not mandatory for the below-mentioned situations:

Type of Plumber Delivering Project Value Upto (in dollars)
Residential Plumber 10,000
Commercial Plumber 50,000

As per the Mississippi State Board of Contractors, when the plumber exceeds the above-mentioned limit, he or she is mandated to have a plumbing license. 

Despite the standard requirements set by the MSBOC – a contractor licensing authority, many local jurisdictions – cities, towns, and counties require a plumber to have a local license, even within the monetary thresholds.

For instance, when you are serving in cities like Gulfport and Ocean Springs of Mississippi state, you are required to apply for plumbing licenses and pass the required plumbing examination. A local license is mandatory here, irrespective of the fact that you are delivering within or outside the monetary threshold limits. 

The application formats for availing the plumbing contractors license in Gulfport and Ocean Springs are given here:

Quick Glances on How to Avail a Mississippi Plumbing License

There are basically two types of licenses available in Mississippi: 

  • Unlimited commercial plumbing license
  • Unlimited residential plumbing license 

The tasks performed by commercial as well as residential plumbers are almost similar. The unlimited commercial plumber is required to undergo certain plumbing jobs like

  • pipe installation, 
  • fixture removals,
  • and repairs for commercial buildings.

The residential plumber can perform all these duties specified above. The only exception lies when residential contractors serve the plumbing services in commercial buildings. They cannot do plumbing contracting jobs in commercial buildings exceeding 7,500 square feet. 

Basic Requirements to Acquire Mississippi Plumbing License

To avail of the plumbing license in Mississippi, an individual must possess these basic requirements

  • You are not required to attend any apprenticeship program; just the age and qualification criteria are a must.
  • Your age should be at least 18 years old.
  • Along with this, you must have a high school diploma or any GED for that matter.

This is the basic process that you must follow while availing of the Mississippi plumbing license. However, below there will be the detailed steps given on how to become a licensed plumber in Mississippi and ultimately get more plumbing leads.

    In Mississippi, beginners, or the ones who want to start a start a plumbing business and get a license, are not mandated to enroll in Mississippi plumbing apprenticeships. However, for self-improving, you can attend certain plumbing trade and vocational schools in Mississippi offering apprenticeship-like programs.

Types of Mississippi Plumbing Licenses

Apart from the unlimited commercial and unlimited residential plumbing licenses offered by the Mississippi state board, there are certain things to focus on. 

The journeyman or the master plumbing license is not provided at the state level; however, the mechanical contracting license or the plumbing contractor license is required by the state board. 

Mississippi breaks down commercial licenses into major and specialty classifications. The major classification for commercial plumbing work includes

  • Mechanical contractor

Other than this, there are 16 specialty classifications made by the Mississippi state board, which fall under the major classification of mechanical contractors license. Among those 16 specialties, a few are listed here:

  • Boiler Installation and Repair
  • Irrigation Systems
  • Plumbing
  • Process Piping
  • Welding

If you are serving several commercial works listed in the specialty classifications, then you need to avail of the mechanical contractor license. However, when you are focused just on the plumbing work, then apply for a Mississippi plumbing license or on any one of the specialties. 

The scope of examinations and financial obligations are different. Here we have a comparison that clearly signifies it:

Types of License Criteria
Mechanical Contractor Net worth of at least $50,000
Speciality License Net worth of at least $20,000

The examination for a mechanical contractor is rigorous, requiring knowledge of more than one subject than plumbing alone.

6 Simple Steps to Get a Mississippi Plumbing License

Here is the list of steps that residential as well as commercial contractors should perform to acquire a plumbing license:

  • The minimum age limit for an individual to get a Mississippi plumbing license is 18 years. Although few employers will hire individuals having a minimum age of 16 years or more, only if parental permission is presented. 
  • Plumbing contractors willing to get a license should have qualified with a high school diploma or equivalent GED.
  • Since there is no compulsion to undergo several Mississippi plumbing apprenticeships, you can still find entry-level work and get trained under Mississippi plumbing apprentice jobs.
  • After getting the required experience with an intent to improve your marketing and pay, you can still get trained with additional certifications.
  • When the project value you are delivering while undergoing the residential contracting work exceeds $10,000, you need a license from MSCOB.
  • For getting a license, you need to submit a notarized completed application with all the signatures affixed, followed by passing a Mississippi plumber exam. 

Here are the application forms for commercial or residential construction:

    Application Procedure Requirements to Get a Mississippi Plumbing License:

    • While applying for the plumbing license application, you need to make sure that if you are applying as a corporation, LLC, or LLP, then you must get registered with MS Secretary of State’s office along with providing a certificate of good standing. 

      Connect with the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office for any query or concern at

    • Furnishing a Mississippi Income Tax I.D. A number or Federal Tax I.D. number or a

    Social Security Number is necessary.

    • Obtaining general liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $300,000 for each incident and $600,000 in aggregate is a must.
    • In case a plumbing contractor has 5 or 5+ employees, then providing a certificate of insurance showing current workers’ compensation is required.
    • Applicant should also provide three reference letters; among them, one (1) should be from the bank, and the other two (2) can be from anyone who has worked with or for the construction-related projects.
    • Applicant must show at least 3 jobs as experience in the requested classifications.
    • Proof of employment of the qualifying party must be provided. The acceptable forms of proof of employment include a check stub, W2 form, or Owner/Officer listed with the Mississippi Secretary of State.
    • Reviewed or audited financial statements prepared and signed by a certified public accountant should be provided for the period of the last twelve (12) months. 
    • The application fee of $400 is for commercial contracting, while for residential contracting, it is $50 for one classification. Add another $100 for every additional requested classification in commercial projects. 
    • The completed and notarized application, fees, and required documentation are to be sent to
      MSBOC
      P.O. Box 320279
      Jackson, MS 39232-0279

Mississippi Plumbing Exam Details

The Mississippi plumbing examination has two sections: One is the Mississippi law and business management exam, and the other is the plumbing exam. The no. of questions in exams, the exam fees, duration, etc., are mentioned here below.

Type of Exam No of Questions Duration Passing score % Exam Fees
Mississippi law and Business Management 50 120 minutes 70% $120
Mississippi Plumbing Examination 70 180 minutes 70% $120
Frequently Asked Questions
  1. Who issues the Mississippi plumbing license?

    The Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) issues the plumbing license. However, for working on projects valued at less than $10,000, the state board of contractors doesn’t issue any license.

    For this, the local jurisdictions are responsible. Similarly, for commercial plumbers, a plumbing license is not issued by MSBOC up to the project value of $50,000.
  2. How will I get my commercial plumbing license?

    • Once you fill out the commercial or residential contracting application form, you need to submit it to the MSBOC board, paying the necessary law and trade exam fees, along with all the required details.
    • The board will review the application form and will notify the PSI of your eligibility.
    • After which, you will be notified with all the necessary information regarding the exam, scheduling, and materials.
    • Even a confirmation mail from PSI contracting exams will be sent to you on this.
    • The state board of contractors will then determine which examination you should take.
    • You will have a period of 6 months from the date of eligibility to take the examination. And the good part is, even if you fail in trade or law exam, you can take as much as retake you want in that duration of 6 months.


  3. Are there any prerequisites for entering into the plumbing or trade schools?

    Yes, there are certain essential things to focus on while taking admission to plumbing schools:
    • Your age must be at least 18 years old
    • You should have a high school diploma or GED
    • You must possess a valid Mississippi driver’s license and/or identification card
    • You must be physically capable of performing plumbing duties
  4. What does a Mississippi plumbing license application require?

    The plumbing license application requires the following documents to attach:

    • A certificate of good standing for submitting it to the MS Secretary of State’s office
    • A certificate of general liability insurance
    • A certificate of insurance showing current workers’ compensation (in case of more than 5 employees) Tax ID numbers
    • 3 Reference letters: one from the bank and the other two from past co-workers or employers in the construction field.
  5. What does a Mississippi plumbing license application require?

    Reciprocity agreements are the ones that say that contractors from other states can still apply for a plumbing license in Mississippi. However, those contractors who have held a license for a period of three consecutive years are eligible to waive their trade exam. They are still mandated to attempt the business management exam.

    The states with which Mississippi has reciprocal agreements are

    • Arkansas Contractors Board
    • Georgia Board of Residential and General Contractors
    • Louisiana Contractors Board
    • North Carolina Electrical Contractors Board
    • South Carolina Contractors Board
    • Tennessee Contractors Board
  6. Where can a plumbing exam be taken?

    Plumbing licensing exams can be taken at: Jackson Exam Center, 2679 Crane Ridge Dr, Suite B, Jackson, MS 39216

    Other than this, you can inquire at the below-mentioned contact details for your exam preparation or course-related queries:

    • American Contractors: 1-800-992-1910
    • Mississippi Contractor Licensing Service: 1-800-432-9930
    • Builders License Training Institute: 1-800-727-7104
    • MyContractorsLicense: 1-877-699-0775
    • Contractors Institute: 1-804-556-5518

What’s Your Call?

That’s all for Mississippi plumbing license requirements. After walking through all the essential details regarding the plumbing license in Mississippi, you must be prepared for gearing up your plumbing business as a licensed plumbing contractor. 

Stop delaying and start applying ASAP to get the fruits of having a certified plumbing degree in your hands that will ultimately help scale up your business. 

After successfully acquiring the Mississippi plumbing license, jump to leading digitalized software like InvoiceOwl to streamline estimating & invoicing process. This will help enhance the process of managing your plumbing business.

Author Bio
Jeel Patel
Jeel Patel
Founder

Jeel Patel is the founder of InvoiceOwl, a top-rated estimating and invoicing software that simplifies the invoicing and estimating processes for contractor businesses. Jeel holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Toronto, which has provided him with a strong foundation in business principles and practices. With understanding of the challenges faced by contractors, he conducted extensive research and developed a tool to streamline the invoicing and estimating processes for contractors. Read More

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