How to Get a Plumbing License in Mississippi

Mississippi's System Is Split in Two

Before you start, understand this: Mississippi doesn't have a single state plumbing license. Despite what several licensing blogs claim, there's no "Mississippi State Board of Plumbing Examiners." The statutory chapters those sites reference actually govern optometrists and pharmacists.

Instead, Mississippi runs a dual-tier system:

• Local municipalities issue individual trade credentials (journeyman and master plumber cards)
• The Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) issues business entity licenses for work above certain dollar thresholds

Most plumbers need both. Here's the step-by-step path.

Step 1: Start Your Apprenticeship

Every plumbing career in Mississippi begins with supervised field work. You need 8,000 to 10,000 documented on-the-job training (OJT) hours, plus a minimum of 144 hours of related technical instruction (RTI) per year.

Two paths get you there:

Formal apprenticeship programs — The Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) through the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, or the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation (MCEF), offer structured 4-to-5-year programs. They assign mentors, rotate your work assignments, and track your hours.

Informal employment — Work under a licensed master plumber and log your own hours. You'll need employer letters, supervisor sign-off sheets, and W-2 tax records to prove your experience when you apply for your trade card.

Either way, register with your local building department as an apprentice if your municipality requires it.

Step 2: Get Your Local Journeyman Card

Once you've accumulated the required hours, apply to your local municipal building department for the journeyman trade exam. This is a locally administered exam — not a state exam.

Most Mississippi municipalities contract with the ICC or SBCCI to proctor open-book exams based on the International Plumbing Code. A passing score of 70% to 75% earns your journeyman card.

What you'll need for the local application:

• Documented proof of OJT hours (employer letters, W-2s, supervisor logs)
• Application fee (varies — Southaven charges $50 for journeyman)
• Any locally required references

The journeyman card authorizes you to perform supervised plumbing work and execute installations in that municipality. It doesn't let you pull permits on your own — that requires the master credential.

Step 3: Advance to Local Master Plumber

After additional years working as a journeyman (requirements vary by municipality), you can sit for the local master plumber exam. Passing this exam gives you the authority to:

• Pull plumbing permits in that jurisdiction
• Serve as the responsible party of record on job sites
• Supervise registered apprentices

You'll also need to register a surety bond with the local building department. Bond amounts vary: $5,000 in Tupelo and Vicksburg, $10,000 in Southaven. Plus local liability insurance — Jackson requires $500,000/$1,000,000, while Gulfport sets lower minimums at $100,000/$300,000.

Keep in mind that your local master card is specific to that municipality. Working in a different city may require registering there separately, though MS Code Ann. § 27-17-457 provides some reciprocal recognition.

Step 4: Form Your Business Entity

If you want to bid on projects above the state dollar thresholds (or simply operate as an independent contractor rather than an employee), you need to create a legal business entity.

• Choose a business structure recognized by MSBOC (LLC, corporation, LLP, or sole proprietorship); corporations and LLCs must register with the Mississippi Secretary of State
• Obtain the state sales tax or use tax number required for your classification from the Mississippi Department of Revenue
• Open a business bank account

Corporations and LLCs must maintain active, good-standing status with the SOS throughout the licensing period.

Step 5: Prepare Your Financial Statement

For commercial and mechanical classifications, the MSBOC requires a certified public accountant to prepare a reviewed or audited financial statement showing your business net worth:

• Plumbing specialty: minimum $20,000 net worth
• Mechanical contractor (broader classification): minimum $50,000 net worth

The statement must be dated within the prior 12 months. Compiled statements are rejected — it must be a reviewed or audited statement. Budget $1,500 to $3,000 for this and start the process 60 to 90 days before you plan to submit your MSBOC application. For a residential-only application, submit a dated GAAP balance sheet showing $20,000 net worth; a formal CPA review is not strictly mandated.

Step 6: Apply to MSBOC and Pass State Exams

Submit your application packet to MSBOC in Jackson:

• Completed, notarized application
• Financial statement required for your classification (CPA-reviewed or audited for commercial and mechanical classifications; dated GAAP balance sheet for residential)
• Three references (one must be a bank reference)
• Proof of general liability insurance ($300,000/$600,000) with MSBOC as certificate holder
• Workers' comp certificate if you'll employ five or more
• Application fee: $400 commercial, $50 residential

Once approved, MSBOC sponsors your exam eligibility through PSI Services. For a standard application, you'll take two open-book exams; reciprocity may waive the Plumbing Trade exam:

• Law and Business Management: 50 questions, 120 minutes, 70% to pass
• Plumbing Trade: 70 questions, 180 minutes, 70% to pass

The critical constraint: after you submit the application, you have exactly 180 days to complete the remaining MSBOC requirements and required PSI exams. Miss the deadline and your application is destroyed and the application fee forfeited.

Step 7: Get Your State License

Pass the required exams and the MSBOC issues your Certificate of Responsibility. You're now licensed to bid on and perform plumbing work above the state thresholds — over $50,000 for commercial and new residential, and over $10,000 for residential remodeling. Residential plumbing subcontracting can trigger the requirement when the individual subcontract is $10,000 or more.

Combined with your local master plumber card and registered bond, you can operate a fully independent plumbing business across Mississippi.

The Mississippi Plumber License Guide walks through this entire sequence with checklists for each phase, including the CPA financial preparation, 180-day timeline tracker, and local registration comparisons for Jackson, Gulfport, and other municipalities.

See more Mississippi guides →