Most of Mississippi's active commercial contractor licences belong to out-of-state firms: 5,239 of 8,048

Anyone who bids or works on a commercial job over $50,000 in Mississippi, whether as a prime or a subcontractor, needs a commercial license from the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC), the Certificate of Responsibility. The board's public licensee search, read on Oct. 31, 2026, lists 8,048 commercial licenses with a status of Licensed - Active.

Most of them belong to companies based elsewhere. Only 2,809, or 34.9%, have a Mississippi mailing address. The other 5,239 are spread across the country, led by neighboring states:

• LA: 780
• AL: 753
• TN: 744
• TX: 478
• GA: 432
• FL: 294
• AR: 195

Texas and Georgia firms hold 478 and 432 active commercial licenses, and Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Illinois each have more than 100.

The pattern is consistent with the license's reach: it is required for subcontractors as well as primes on commercial work over $50,000, and the board says that includes equipment installation. Out-of-state specialty firms that install equipment, systems or structures on Mississippi projects need the license too.

Residential licenses are local

The residential side looks different. The search lists 5,117 active residential licenses, and 4,574 of them, about 89%, have Mississippi addresses. MSBOC requires a license for new residential construction over $50,000 and for residential remodeling, additions and roofing over $10,000.

Where Mississippi's licensed firms are

This site's Mississippi directory includes 7,295 firms with active licenses and a Mississippi address that we could place in a county. By MDOT district, based on mailing address:

• District 6 (Hattiesburg): 2,137
• District 5 (Newton): 1,920
• District 1 (Tupelo): 1,226
• District 2 (Batesville): 1,148
• District 3 (Yazoo City): 442
• District 7 (McComb): 422

Harrison County on the Gulf Coast has the most (648), followed by Rankin (602), Hinds (515), Madison (491) and DeSoto (431). The Jackson metro counties of Hinds, Rankin and Madison together account for 1,608.

License numbers

Commercial license numbers in the search end in one of two suffixes, MC or SC. Of the 8,048 active commercial licenses, 4,802 end in MC and 3,223 in SC. The board's search does not define the suffixes on the results page, so our directory shows the full license number without interpreting it.

What it takes

MSBOC's frequently asked questions set out the main requirements:

• Every applicant takes the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam, which is open book; a trade exam is also required for some classifications.
• Commercial applicants must show general liability coverage of at least $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate. Residential license holders have no minimum, but all active license holders must keep proof of general liability insurance.
• Each company needs a qualifying party who passed the exam. One person may qualify at most three companies without the board's special permission, and if the qualifying party leaves, the company has 90 days to find a replacement.
• A license is valid for one year. It can be renewed up to 180 days after expiration; after that, a new application is required.
• Commercial licenses are also required for fire sprinkler work on public projects over $5,000 and private projects over $10,000.

On the bid envelope

State law gives the certificate teeth. Any public or private bid over $50,000 must show the contractor's current certificate number on the outside of the envelope or container, or a statement that the bid does not exceed $50,000; otherwise it may not be opened. Bidding without a certificate is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both (Miss. Code § 31-3-21).

Find licensed Mississippi firms by county in our directory, where each listing links back to the board's search, and see our licensing guide.