Do I have to take the Mississippi general contractor exam if I'm licensed in South Dakota?

The trade exam is waived, but Mississippi requires a law or code exam.

How long do I need to have held my South Dakota license?

At least 1 year before applying.

What does it cost to get a Mississippi general contractor license from South Dakota?

Published fees on this path total $520, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my South Dakota work hours count in Mississippi?

Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Mississippi's eligibility requirements.

How long does the application take?

The board's published or typical processing time is about 7 days.

Does it work the other way, from Mississippi to South Dakota?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Mississippi to South Dakota, the mechanism is not applicable.

South Dakota to Mississippi: general contractor license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 17, 2026· 11 sources

South Dakota does not issue a statewide general contractor license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Mississippi's standard path for out-of-state applicants.

Your origin state does not issue a statewide license at this level, so there is no license to transfer. The destination's standard out-of-state path is shown; expect to meet it in full.

Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.

Building Construction license using the NASCLA Accredited Examination or the Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

Mississippi accepts the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors in place of its own Building Construction trade examination, so an out-of-state contractor from any state can avoid the Mississippi-specific trade test. The board's classifications page marks Building Construction "(Trade or NASCLA accredited exam accepted)", its commercial application tells applicants for that major classification that they "may choose to take the Mississippi state exam or the NASCLA national accredited exam", and the PSI candidate bulletin carries both side by side: the Mississippi Building Construction examination is 80 questions in 3 hours at 70% to pass, the NASCLA examination 115 questions in 330 minutes with a minimum score of 81. Separately, an individual who establishes residency in Mississippi and holds a current license of similar scope in another state, held for at least one year, may file Form UROL with the application under the Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act (Miss. Code Ann. 73-50-2) and have the trade examination waived outright; the same form covers an applicant who worked in a similar scope of practice for at least three years in a state that does not regulate construction at state level. Neither route touches the Mississippi Law and Business Management examination, the $400 application fee, the CPA-reviewed financial statement, the insurance certificate or the board's review of the application. An applicant who uses neither route simply sits the Mississippi Building Construction examination.

The NASCLA examination is booked through PSI on the Mississippi eligibility like any other portion, and passing candidates can release their transcript to other jurisdictions through NASCLA's National Examination Database. It is an exam credential rather than a license, and Mississippi does not carry it across to the residential level. Board Rule Part 802 Ch. 1, R. 1.1(2)(o) separately lets the Executive Director adopt as the required standardized examination any comparable examination passed by an applicant who holds a license in good standing in a comparable classification in a recognized reciprocity state, which is the authority behind the named-state agreements listed on this page. Once the file is complete the board reviews applications weekly, submitting them on Fridays and issuing approved licenses the following Wednesday, so the seven working days shown is board review time and not the whole process, and an application left incomplete for 180 days is destroyed. Eligibility to test lasts six months with unlimited retakes inside that window. Ask a licensing agent at (601) 354-6161 or (800) 880-6161 which examinations you owe before registering with PSI.

At a glance

Trade exam: Waived
Law / code exam: Required
Out-of-state hours: Count toward eligibility
Typical processing: About 7 days

What you must already have

You must have passed a licensing exam in South Dakota that the destination considers comparable.The examination is 115 questions over 330 minutes with a minimum passing score of 81, and it is origin-independent: any candidate may sit it, and holding a license in another NASCLA state is not what makes it count. Mississippi names it on its classifications page, its reciprocity page, its FAQ, its Testing page and in the commercial application, and the PSI bulletin lets a Mississippi candidate elect it instead of the state-specific exam. It does not waive the Mississippi Law and Business Management examination. Mississippi accepts it for Building Construction and, in the electrical trade, accepts the NASCLA Accredited Electrical Examination for Master Electrical; it accepts no NASCLA examination for any residential classification.
The qualifying party must be an owner, officer or responsible managing employee who is genuinely employed by the applicant, actively engaged in the licensed work and able to supervise or perform it, and may qualify no more than three companies without the board's permission. Mississippi sets no minimum apprenticeship or trade hours for a commercial certificate.
Your South Dakota license must be active and in good standing.The alternative on Form UROL is three years of work in a similar scope of practice in a state that does not regulate construction at state level, supported by references naming three completed jobs.
You must have held your South Dakota license for at least 1 year.Universal Recognition route only: Form UROL requires the out-of-state license to have been held for at least one year.
Universal Recognition route only: proof of Mississippi residency, by state identification card, a current Mississippi residential utility bill, ownership or lease of a Mississippi residence, documentation of in-state employment or a notarized promise of employment for the applicant or spouse, or other verifiable documentation.The board's 2026 application packets state that the Act applies to individuals who establish residence in Mississippi after July 1, 2021, and that filing the form does not by itself guarantee licensure.

What you'll do to get licensed in Mississippi

1Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Mississippi Law and Business Management examination through PSI: 50 questions, 2 hours, 70% to pass, open book. Every applicant for a Mississippi contractor license takes it, and no exam waiver agreement, NASCLA credential or universal-recognition waiver removes it..
2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Mississippi Building Construction examination through PSI: 80 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass, open book. An applicant may instead sit the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors, which Mississippi accepts for this classification..
3Application fee. Pay the application fee ($400). Commercial application fee of $400, which includes one trade classification. Each additional classification requested costs a further $100. Fees are not refundable and must be paid by check or money order. The annual renewal fee is also $400..
4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($120). PSI registration fee: $120 for one examination portion, $240 for two. The fee is charged for each registration, whether the examination is a first attempt or a repeat, and is not refundable or transferable..
5Financial responsibility. Show financial responsibility of at least $50,000. Reviewed or audited financial statement prepared and signed by a certified public accountant within the last twelve months, showing a net worth of at least $50,000 for a major classification such as Building Construction, or at least $20,000 for a specialty classification. A compilation is not accepted and the board states the requirement cannot be waived or substituted; there is no bond alternative, because Mississippi issues only an unlimited commercial license rather than monetary limitation tiers. The figure shown is the major-classification minimum..
6Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Certificate of general liability insurance showing at least $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate, with the Mississippi State Board of Contractors named as certificate holder so it is notified if coverage is cancelled. The name insured must match the name the license is issued in. A workers compensation certificate is also required if the applicant has five or more employees..
7Business license. Obtain a business license. The certificate of responsibility is issued to a legal entity, so a corporation, LLC, LLP or limited partnership must be registered with the Mississippi Secretary of State and show proof of good standing before the license issues, and a company domiciled outside Mississippi must first qualify to do business in the State. Commercial applicants must also supply a Mississippi sales tax or use tax number and a Mississippi income tax or federal tax identification number..
8Other. Three reference letters, one of which must come from the applicant's bank or financial institution; a list of at least three completed jobs in the classification being applied for, which may be work done outside Mississippi; and proof that the qualifying party is employed by the applicant, by check stub, W-2 or a Secretary of State officer listing..

Published fees on this path total $520, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

What you'll need to buy or arrange

Exam preparation

Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.

Law / code exam
Trade exam
Exam fee · $120

Liability insurance

Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.

Insurance

Business registration

If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.

Business license

How Mississippi licenses general contractors

Mississippi general contractor · “Certificate of Responsibility, Building Construction classification”

Statewide license

Verified September 17, 2026· 6 sources

Issued by Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC)

Mississippi's unlimited tier is the Certificate of Responsibility issued by the Mississippi State Board of Contractors in the Building Construction major classification. A commercial license is required of every contractor and subcontractor of any tier on a public or private project of $50,000 or more (Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-1), and Building Construction covers the construction of commercial buildings and single- or multiple-dwelling residential structures, together with additions, alterations, conversions, expansions, reconstruction, renovations and the associated landscaping, earthwork, parking areas, driveways and sidewalks. Holding the major classification entitles the licensee to perform every specialty classification listed beneath it; one classification is included in the application fee and each further one costs $100. The board states that it offers only an unlimited license, so there are no monetary limitation bands: instead every commercial applicant proves financial responsibility with a CPA-reviewed or audited statement showing a net worth of at least $50,000 for a major classification, or $20,000 for a specialty, with no bond substitute. The certificate belongs to the business and is qualified by a named person - an owner, officer or responsible managing employee who takes the examinations, must be genuinely employed by the certificate holder, and may qualify no more than three companies at once - so a contractor moving to Mississippi applies as or for the entity that will bid the work.

Moving to Mississippi Leaving Mississippi

Why South Dakota has nothing to transfer

South Dakota general contractor

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 10 sources

South Dakota has no state general, commercial or building contractor license and no state board that examines or qualifies builders, so there is nothing at state level for an out-of-state general contractor's license to transfer into. The Department of Labor and Regulation's occupational licensing list has an Electrical Commission, a Plumbing Commission and a Board of Technical Professions for architects and engineers, and no contractor board, so the credentials that matter at state level are the electrical and plumbing licenses held by the subcontractors and the design professionals who stamp the drawings. Commercial building is governed locally, and most of the state's larger cities license less at this level than at the residential one: Sioux Falls states that it 'does not require Commercial Building Contractors to be licensed at this time', Aberdeen says commercial contractors are not required to be licensed through the city because commercial projects are designed and overseen by architects and engineers, and Brookings publishes a residential contractor license and no commercial equivalent. Rapid City is the exception, licensing a Class A general contractor for construction of all types of structures on the ICC National Standard General Building Contractor (A) examination. Every contractor, commercial included, must hold a free contractor's excise tax license from the Department of Revenue before starting work anywhere in the state, and the 2% contractor's excise tax falls on the prime contractor's gross receipts.

How local licensing works in South Dakota

How it works in South Dakota. No South Dakota agency issues a general, commercial, building or unlimited contractor license, and there is no state qualifying party, business-and-law examination or financial responsibility test. Commercial construction is controlled through the building permit and the plan review, and by the state's requirement that commercial projects be designed and overseen by licensed architects and engineers. The one thing the state does require of every commercial contractor is a contractor's excise tax license from the Department of Revenue: 'an individual must be licensed before starting work in South Dakota. All contractors must be licensed regardless of the amount of the receipts they have or the amount of tax due.' It is free, it is applied for online, and the 2% contractor's excise tax is imposed on the gross receipts of the prime contractor. Get it first; cities ask for the card.

Rapid City. This is the one city of the four that licenses commercial builders, and its Class A license is the most demanding contractor credential in South Dakota. Class A is the 'General Contractor' class, 'for construction of any and All types of structures', and it is issued on the ICC National Standard General Building Contractor (A) examination, known as the G11, taken through Pearson VUE: 4.5 hours, 90 multiple-choice questions, open book, based on the 2018 International Building Code and the 2018 International Residential Code, with an examination fee of $115.00 and testing at the Career Learning Center, 730 E Watertown St. The license itself is $200 initially and $100 to renew, runs three years and carries six hours of continuing education per period. Every applicant files a certificate of insurance naming the City of Rapid City as certificate holder, and no other form is accepted, with minimum general aggregate liability of $1,000,000, $300,000 fire damage and $1,000,000 each occurrence, plus a workers' compensation certificate or a signed statement of non-participation. A copy of the South Dakota excise tax certificate is part of the packet, and an electrical contractor class separately requires proof of a South Dakota electrical contractor's license. No verifiable experience is required for Class A, and the packet offers no waiver, credit or reciprocity for a contractor license held in another city or another state: a licensee who lets the license lapse beyond the one-year grace period must reapply and pass the examination again. Building Services is on (605) 394-4120.

Sioux Falls. The city's position is one sentence long: 'The City of Sioux Falls does not require Commercial Building Contractors to be licensed at this time.' What it requires instead is that each individual project goes through plan review and obtains the proper permits. Note that apartment buildings count as commercial for construction purposes even though they are residential in use, so a multifamily builder falls outside the residential license as well. The electrical, mechanical, plumbing, refrigeration, sign and right-of-way trades are separately licensed by the city, and right-of-way contractors must be bonded and insured before working in a city right-of-way. Plans examiners are on 605-367-8248 and building inspectors on 605-367-8251.

Aberdeen. 'Because the majority of commercial construction projects are required to be designed and overseen by design professionals (i.e. Professional Architects and Professional Engineers), Commercial Contractors are not required to be licensed through the City of Aberdeen. Commercial Contractors are required to obtain a South Dakota Excise Tax License.' Electricians are licensed by the state, with state permits and state inspections in Aberdeen; plumbers are licensed by the state but permitted and inspected by city inspectors. Building Inspection is at City Hall, 123 South Lincoln Street, 3rd Floor, 605-626-7017.

Brookings. Community Development issues a residential contractor license, a plumber license, building permits and rental licenses, and publishes no commercial or general building contractor license; all work must conform to the International Building Code and electrical and plumbing work must be done by trades licensed by the state and the city. Because the city publishes no commercial contractor application, confirm what is expected of a commercial builder with Community Development on (605) 692-6629 before bidding. Building permits also apply on nonagricultural land in the joint jurisdictional area about three miles beyond the city.

Everywhere else. Other South Dakota cities set their own permit and licensing rules, and the further from the larger cities you go the more likely it is that a permit and proof of insurance are all that is asked. Check with each building official, and hold the state excise tax license wherever you work.

Moving to South Dakota Leaving South Dakota

Common questions

Do I have to take the Mississippi general contractor exam if I'm licensed in South Dakota?: The trade exam is waived, but Mississippi requires a law or code exam.
How long do I need to have held my South Dakota license?: At least 1 year before applying.
What does it cost to get a Mississippi general contractor license from South Dakota?: Published fees on this path total $520, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my South Dakota work hours count in Mississippi?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Mississippi's eligibility requirements.
How long does the application take?: The board's published or typical processing time is about 7 days.
Does it work the other way, from Mississippi to South Dakota?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Mississippi to South Dakota, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

Mississippi State Board of Contractors - Classifications (Building Construction; Residential Builder; Residential Remodeler) · Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-13(h) (cited on the page) · Mississippi State Board of Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
MSBOC Commercial Application for a Certificate of Responsibility (2026 revision) · Mississippi State Board of Contractors · Form · verified September 17, 2026
Mississippi Commercial Contractor Laws and Rules (Miss. Code Title 31 Chapter 3 and Board Rules Part 802) · Miss. Code Ann. 31-3-1, 31-3-13, 31-3-15, 31-3-17; 30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 802, R. 1.1 · Mississippi State Board of Contractors · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
Mississippi State Board of Contractors - Frequently Asked Questions · Mississippi State Board of Contractors · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
MSBOC Fee Schedule effective January 1, 2016 · Mississippi State Board of Contractors · Form · verified September 17, 2026
Mississippi State Board of Contractors - Apply for a License (commercial and residential) · Mississippi State Board of Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
State of Mississippi Contractor Examinations - PSI Candidate Information Bulletin · PSI Services LLC for the Mississippi State Board of Contractors · Other · verified September 17, 2026
Mississippi State Board of Contractors - Reciprocity (trade-exam waiver agreements by origin board) · Miss. Code Ann. 73-50-1 and 73-50-2 (referenced on the page) · Mississippi State Board of Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
Mississippi State Board of Contractors - What You Need to Know About Testing · Mississippi State Board of Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026
MSBOC Form UROL - Waiver of Exam pursuant to the Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act · Miss. Code Ann. 73-50-2 · Mississippi State Board of Contractors · Form · verified September 17, 2026
NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors · National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies · Other · verified September 17, 2026

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

Report an error on this page