South Carolina to Mississippi: residential contractor license reciprocity

1. 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..
2. 2Application fee. Pay the application fee ($50). Residential application fee of $50, 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 $100..
3. 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($50). Request for Waiver of Exam fee: $50 for each trade examination waived, filed with the application. Fees are not refundable..
4. 4Other. Reciprocity/Verification of License fee of $25 on the board's fee schedule, charged for the verification of the out-of-state license. ($25).
5. 5Exam 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. An applicant whose trade examination is waived normally registers for the Law and Business Management portion only..
6. 6Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Certificate of general liability insurance showing current coverage, with the Mississippi State Board of Contractors named as certificate holder so it is notified if coverage is cancelled. The board sets no minimum coverage amount for residential licenses, only proof of coverage. A workers compensation certificate is also required if the applicant has five or more employees..
7. 7Business license. Obtain a business license. The residential license is issued to the business, so a corporation or LLC must be registered with the Mississippi Secretary of State and show proof of good standing, and a company domiciled outside Mississippi must first qualify to do business in the State. The applicant must also supply a Mississippi income tax identification number, a federal tax identification number or a Social Security number..
8. 8Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Renewal condition rather than an entry requirement: each qualifying party on a residential license completes two credit hours of continuing education a year with a board-approved provider, for every residential license issued on or after July 1, 2015 (Miss. Code Ann. 73-59-11). The board does not mandate particular courses and publishes a searchable list of approved providers..
9. 9Other. Three reference letters, one of which must come from the applicant's bank or financial institution and which are required even if the applicant has already passed an examination; 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. Reciprocity Verification Form from the Mississippi application packet: the applicant completes Part 1 and mails it to the origin board, which completes Part 2 with the license number, the date first issued, the expiration date, current status, classifications held, whether the license was granted by examination, waiver or endorsement, the name of the qualifying party, the type of examination taken and the scores, and any disciplinary action. The completed form is filed with the application..

Published fees on this path total $220, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.