Permits and licensing · Mississippi
Renovation permits and contractor licences in Mississippi
Mississippi licenses contractors through a single state board, which covers commercial contractors, residential builders, residential remodelers and residential roofers, each above its own project value set in law. Every licensed company has to have a qualifying party attached to its certificate of responsibility. Building codes are adopted locally under a 2014 state law, and permits come from your city or county.
Regulators and licensing bodies in Mississippi
These official bodies license contractors, oversee safety or issue permits in Mississippi.
Mississippi State Board of Contractors
The contractor licensing authority of the state, made up of ten members appointed by the Governor. Commercial and residential contractors and roofers are required to be licensed by it, above the project values set in law, and it publishes the classifications, the licence search and its own advice to consumers.
Mississippi Insurance Department – State Fire Marshal
Administers the state's uniform building code program. Under Senate Bill 2378 of 2014, all counties and municipalities must enact uniform building codes unless they opted out before the date in that law, and the department collects those reports from local governments.
City of Jackson Building Permits Division
Reviews permit applications and plans, issues permits and certificates of occupancy and inspects work for compliance with the adopted building codes. A permit is required whenever an owner or the owner's authorized agent proposes to construct, enlarge, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure.
Gulfport Urban Development – Building Code Services
Handles plan reviews, permitting, construction and inspections for Gulfport, and publishes the permit requirements, approval timelines and adopted building codes. It issues general building permits alongside electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing and sign permits.
Trades that need a licence in Mississippi
General contracting and renovation
The board sets three separate thresholds: one for commercial jobs, a higher one for new residential construction, and a lower one for residential remodeling, additions and roofing. All contractors and subcontractors on a commercial job above the commercial threshold need a commercial licence, including firms only installing equipment. Ask which licence the firm holds and confirm your job sits inside it.
Sources:Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Frequently asked questions(opens in a new tab)
New-home building and warranty
The residential builder classification covers construction, remodeling, repair or improvement of a residential building to be occupied by fifty or fewer families and not more than three floors in height. A residential remodeler is limited to remodeling, repair or improvement of a residential building not more than three floors, and a residential roofer to residential roof coverings and roof drainage only.
Sources:Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Classifications(opens in a new tab)
Certified trades
Every licensed company needs a qualifying party attached to its certificate of responsibility: a real person who passed the trade exam, is employed by the company, is actively engaged in the licensed trade and has the skill and experience to perform or supervise the work. One person may not qualify more than three companies at a time, so ask who the qualifying party is on your job.
Sources:Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Frequently asked questions(opens in a new tab)Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Hire a contractor(opens in a new tab)
Consumer protection
The board's own advice is blunt: for your protection you should always hire a licensed contractor, get proof the contractor is licensed, and contact the licensing board to check the status. It warns that unlicensed contractors may suggest you pull your own permit to save money, and then do shoddy work, or in some cases no work at all, costing you far more in the long run.
Sources:Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Hire a contractor(opens in a new tab)
Building and renovation permits in Mississippi
Building codes in Mississippi are enacted locally: under Senate Bill 2378 of 2014 all counties and municipalities must enact uniform building codes unless they opted out before the date in that law, so the code that applies to you depends on where you live. Jackson requires a permit whenever an owner or the owner's authorized agent proposes to construct, enlarge, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building, including electrical, plumbing, gas, HVAC and sign work, and also for fences, tents, satellite dishes and portable storage buildings. Gulfport's Building Code Services publishes the permit requirements, approval timelines and adopted codes for that city.
Sources:Mississippi Insurance Department, State Fire Marshal – Mississippi uniform building codes(opens in a new tab)Jackson – Building permits(opens in a new tab)Gulfport – Building Code Services(opens in a new tab)
Permit information from large municipalities
Before you hire a contractor in Mississippi
Practical checks you can do yourself, using official tools where they exist.
Get proof the contractor is licensed and check the status in the board's licence search before work starts.
Official lookup: Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Licence search(opens in a new tab)
Match your job to a classification: residential builder, residential remodeler or residential roofer each cover different work.
Official lookup: Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Classifications(opens in a new tab)
Ask who the qualifying party on the company's certificate of responsibility is, and whether they are involved in your job.
Official lookup: Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Frequently asked questions(opens in a new tab)
Treat any suggestion that you pull the permit yourself as a warning sign, and ask why the contractor will not.
Official lookup: Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Hire a contractor(opens in a new tab)
Check with your city or county whether it enacted uniform building codes or opted out, since that decides the code applied.
Official lookup: Mississippi Insurance Department, State Fire Marshal – Mississippi uniform building codes(opens in a new tab)
Sources for renovation permits and licences in Mississippi
Every fact on this page comes from these official sources.
- Mississippi State Board of Contractors(opens in a new tab)
- Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Frequently asked questions(opens in a new tab)
- Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Licence search(opens in a new tab)
- Mississippi Insurance Department, State Fire Marshal – Mississippi uniform building codes(opens in a new tab)
- Jackson – Building permits(opens in a new tab)
- Gulfport – Building Code Services(opens in a new tab)
- Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Classifications(opens in a new tab)
- Mississippi State Board of Contractors – Hire a contractor(opens in a new tab)
Find licensed pros
Compare local pros for the regulated trades in this guide, then confirm their licence with the regulator before you hire.
Renovation permits in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Planning a renovation?
Describe your project once and hear from local pros. Ask each one for their licence and permit details before you hire.