- Subcontractors doing residential HVAC work on a home building or home improvement project must be licensed. Work on commercial jobs over $50,000 needs a commercial license.
- You document your experience with detailed descriptions of projects you completed in the classification you want, plus at least three reference letters, one from your bank or financial institution.
- Plan for a trade exam and a business and law exam.
- Every year. Each qualifying party on a residential license issued on or after July 1, 2015 needs 2 hours of continuing education from a board approved provider.
Do you need a state license in Mississippi?
Mississippi licenses HVAC work at the state level through the Mississippi State Board of Contractors. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Subcontractors doing residential HVAC work on a home building or home improvement project must be licensed. Work on commercial jobs over $50,000 needs a commercial license.
Mississippi license types for HVAC work
Mississippi splits the work into 4 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Residential HVAC | Installing, maintaining and repairing residential HVAC systems, limited to residential HVAC work |
| Residential Mechanical | Residential HVAC and residential plumbing work, needs both the residential HVAC and residential plumbing tests |
| Mechanical (commercial major classification) | All heating, cooling, refrigeration, related piping and ductwork, and plumbing on commercial jobs |
| Heat, Ventilation, A/C (HVAC) commercial specialty | Installing, repairing, altering and extending HVAC systems, including ductwork and duct cleaning |
Steps to get licensed in Mississippi
- Pick your classification: Residential HVAC or Residential Mechanical for home work, or a commercial Mechanical or HVAC classification for commercial jobs over $50,000.
- Name a qualifying party (an owner, officer or responsible managing employee) who will take the exams.
- Gather project descriptions showing your HVAC experience and at least three reference letters, one from your bank.
- Get general liability insurance with MSBOC listed for cancellation notice, and workers comp if you have 5 or more employees.
- Send the application and fee to MSBOC, then pass the PSI trade exam and the Law and Business Management exam.
- The board processes complete applications weekly. Renew every year and take your continuing education hours.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. You document your experience with detailed descriptions of projects you completed in the classification you want, plus at least three reference letters, one from your bank or financial institution.
The license to apply for. Residential HVAC (home work) or a commercial Mechanical or HVAC classification (commercial jobs over $50,000).
Mississippi HVAC exams
Trade exam. Trade exam for your classification, given by PSI, open book. Residential HVAC requires a test.
Business and law exam. Mississippi Law and Business Management exam, required for every applicant, given by PSI.
Separate from any state license, the EPA requires Section 608 certification for anyone who works on equipment with refrigerant. It is federal and applies in every state.
What it costs in Mississippi
The board lists 2 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Residential application fee (non-refundable) | $50 |
| Commercial application fee (non-refundable) | $400 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. Proof of general liability insurance is required for every license and renewal. There is no minimum for residential licenses. Commercial licenses need at least $300,000 per occurrence or $600,000 aggregate. Send proof of workers comp if you have 5 or more employees. MSBOC must be listed on the policy for cancellation notice.
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every year. Each qualifying party on a residential license issued on or after July 1, 2015 needs 2 hours of continuing education from a board approved provider.
Reciprocity. Mississippi can waive the trade exam for qualified license holders from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee, and still accepts passing exam scores from Louisiana. What is waived depends on the state and trade. Everyone still takes the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam.
Good to know in Mississippi
- Commercial applicants must send a CPA reviewed financial statement showing at least $50,000 net worth for a major classification or $20,000 for a specialty classification.
- EPA Section 608 certification is a federal requirement for anyone who handles refrigerant.
- Applications must be finished within 180 days or they are destroyed.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for HVAC repair near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Mississippi State Board of Contractors and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how HVAC companies run on Koira.