West Virginia to Mississippi: general contractor license reciprocity
Mississippi has no reciprocity agreement with West Virginia. A West Virginia general contractor applies by endorsement.
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
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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
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.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Mississippi general contractor exam if I'm licensed in West Virginia?
- The trade exam is waived, but Mississippi requires a law or code exam.
- How long do I need to have held my West Virginia license?
- At least 1 year before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Mississippi general contractor license from West Virginia?
- Published fees on this path total $520, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my West Virginia 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.
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.