Mississippi Residential Electrician License: Requirements, Exams and Fees

Mississippi Residential Electrician License: Requirements and Exams

Mississippi has no statewide journeyman license. The Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) licenses residential electrical contractors under its Residential Electrical classification, which covers residential electrical work only. PSI gives the exams.

Commercial electrical work of $50,000 or more needs the commercial Electrical classification instead: see Mississippi Master Electrician requirements.

Who needs it

The Board's rule is broad: subcontractors performing residential electrical work on a residential construction or improvement project must be licensed. Unlike general residential building, no dollar floor is stated for the electrical trade.

The license belongs to the business. It names a qualifying party, the owner, an officer or a responsible managing employee, who takes the exams. A sole proprietor qualifies for himself.

Apply first, then test

The residential application needs:

• the $50 application fee, which includes one trade classification ($100 for each additional one)
• experience in residential electrical work, shown by at least three completed jobs
• three reference letters, one from your bank
• a certificate of general liability insurance naming MSBOC as certificate holder (no minimum amount for residential)
• workers' compensation coverage if you have five or more employees
• proof that the qualifying party works for the business, unless you apply in your own name

The Board does not set a number of years of experience. Once your application is in, the Board notifies PSI, and PSI emails you that you may schedule. Applications must be completed within 180 days.

Two exams

What's on the Residential Electrician exam breaks the 60 questions down. Our practice exam covers the trade exam only, on the NEC, Ugly's and OSHA. It does not cover the IRC, and we do not cover Law and Business Management yet.

Six months, unlimited retakes

From the date the Board makes you eligible, you have 6 months to pass, with unlimited retakes at $120 each. After that you reapply.

Fees

Renewal

The license renews every year, with current liability insurance on file. The Board emails a notice about 60 days ahead. A license expired more than 180 days cannot be renewed; you apply again.

Skipping the trade exam

The Board's reciprocity agreements waive a trade exam only, never Law and Business Management. Its list names the South Carolina Residential Builders Commission's Residential Electrical license (current license, exam taken, no discipline in 3 years). It also has electrical agreements with Alabama, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee and still accepts Louisiana passing scores. Each agreement covers different classifications, so ask the Board whether yours covers residential electrical.

Mississippi also recognizes out-of-state licenses under its Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act and for military families.

Which NEC?

The 2020 NEC, the only edition PSI allows in the room for code questions. No change has been announced.

Getting ready

Try our free Mississippi Residential Electrician practice test, or see the full exam prep. For the test itself, read Residential Electrician exam day.