The Mississippi Master Electrician exam is 80 questions in 3 hours at PSI, open book on the 2020 NEC, and you need 70% to pass. The Residential Electrician exam is 60 questions in 3 hours on the same code. Every applicant also passes the 50-question Mississippi Law and Business Management exam. All three lead to a company license from the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC), under PSI's contractor bulletin updated April 23, 2026.
| Quick facts | Mississippi electrical exams |
|---|---|
| Test company | PSI, at its Jackson test center or other PSI centers. Rules are in the PSI Mississippi contractor bulletin (April 23, 2026). |
| Master Electrician | 80 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass, $120, 2020 NEC |
| Residential Electrician | 60 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass, $120, 2020 NEC |
| Law and Business Management | 50 questions, 2 hours, 70% to pass, $120. Required for every applicant. |
| NASCLA option | 100 questions, 270 minutes, 75% to pass. It can replace the Master Electrician exam. |
| Before you book | MSBOC approves your company's application first. The fee is $400 for a commercial license or $50 for residential (MSBOC license page). |
State exam or city license? The Master Electrician and Residential Electrician exams in PSI's bulletin are MSBOC trade exams. They qualify a company for a state contractor license, and Mississippi has no state journeyman license. Some cities license electricians on their own. Tupelo, for one, issues a city electrical license and accepts only master contractor exams. MSBOC notes that other agencies may add requirements, so check with the city where you'll work.
Who takes the Mississippi electrical contractor exams?
MSBOC licenses businesses, not individual electricians. Each company names a qualifying party, the one real person who passes the exams for it (MSBOC FAQ).
- Who can qualify: an owner, officer or responsible managing employee with the skill and experience to do or supervise the work. MSBOC sets no fixed number of years.
- Commercial (Electrical): needed for commercial jobs over $50,000. You also need a CPA-reviewed financial statement showing $50,000 net worth and liability insurance of $300,000 per occurrence or $600,000 aggregate.
- Residential Electrical: needed for subcontractors doing electrical work on a residential construction or improvement project.
- Paperwork: 3 reference letters (one from your bank), details of jobs you've finished, and proof the qualifier works for the company.
MSBOC tells PSI when you're eligible, and PSI emails you a confirmation. You can't book until it arrives. Every step is in JCR's Mississippi electrical contractor license guide.
Taking the Master or Residential exam? PSI grades both on the 2020 NEC, and that's the edition JCR's Mississippi package teaches. $495 buys 100 video lessons (21 hours), a 152-page JCR workbook with a six-week plan, 500+ mock exam questions in print and online, and a set of permanent NEC tabs.
What's on the Mississippi master electrician exam?
PSI's bulletin lists 14 topics for the 80-question Master Electrician exam:
| Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
| Service, feeders and branch circuits | 10 |
| Conductors and cables | 10 |
| Grounding and bonding | 7 |
| Raceways and boxes | 7 |
| Special occupancies and equipment | 7 |
| General electrical knowledge | 6 |
| Electrical power | 6 |
| Motors | 6 |
| Overcurrent protection | 6 |
| Safety information | 5 |
| Lighting, fire detection and alarm systems | 3 each |
| Low voltage, illuminated signs | 2 each |
What's on the Mississippi residential electrician exam?
The 60-question Residential Electrician exam leans harder on theory and services:
- Services, feeders and branch circuits: 15
- General electrical knowledge: 13
- Grounding and bonding: 6
- Overcurrent protection, conductors and cables: 5 each
- Raceways and boxes, lighting, specialty, safety: 4 each
Services and general knowledge make up 28 of 60 questions. Load calculations and Chapter 2 of the NEC deserve most of your time.
Mississippi Law and Business Management exam
Every MSBOC applicant takes this one, commercial or residential, even with reciprocity or the NASCLA exam. It's 50 questions in 2 hours, open book, 70% to pass.
- Estimating and bidding: 7
- Contracts: 6
- Licensing, financial management, tax laws, labor laws, project management, environmental and safety: 5 each
- Risk management: 4
- Business organization: 2
- Lien law: 1
The allowed book is the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Mississippi. PSI accepts the 5th or 6th edition, but questions have come from the 6th since October 1, 2023. NASCLA is the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies.
What books can you bring into the Mississippi electrical exam?
All MSBOC exams are open book, and you bring your own copies.
- Master Electrician: the 2020 NEC, 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA construction rules) or PSI's 1926 Selections, and Ugly's Electrical References (2011, 2014 or 2017)
- Residential Electrician: the 2020 NEC, the 2021 International Residential Code, 29 CFR Part 1926, and Ugly's Electrical References (2017)
- Law and Business: the NASCLA Mississippi guide, 6th edition
Book rules from the bulletin:
- The 2020 NEC is the only code edition allowed in the room for these two trade exams. Leave a 2023 NEC at home.
- Highlight, underline and index before the exam. No writing in your books.
- Permanent tabs only. Post-it notes and other temporary tabs must come out before the exam starts.
- No loose or attached papers. PSI removes and keeps them.
- A silent, nonprinting, non-programmable calculator with no letter keys is allowed.
For help picking books, see what books you need for the electrical exam.
How do you schedule and retake the Mississippi PSI exam?
- Book at PSI's Mississippi contractor page or call (855) 557-0619. If seats are open, you can book as late as 6 p.m. CT the day before.
- Fee: $120 for one exam or $240 for two. Fees aren't refundable or transferable to another person.
- Where: 2679 Crane Ridge Drive, Suite B, in Jackson. PSI also tests Mississippi candidates in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Shreveport, Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile and other U.S. centers.
- Cancel at least 2 days ahead. PSI then holds your fee for up to 1 year from your first registration. Missing the exam or arriving late forfeits it.
- ID: one current government photo ID with your signature, in the same name you registered under.
- Results show on screen when you finish. A fail includes a report on your weak areas.
- Retakes: unlimited within 6 months of eligibility. Pay the fee each time. After 6 months without a pass, you reapply with MSBOC.
- After you pass, MSBOC reviews complete applications every week. The license is issued about 5 working days after approval (MSBOC). Don't contract until it's issued.
NASCLA electrical exam instead of the Master exam
A commercial Electrical qualifier can take the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Electrical Contractors in place of the Master Electrician exam. Other NASCLA states accept the same score, which helps if you work across state lines.
- 100 questions in 270 minutes, 75% to pass
- NEC 2020 or 2023, plus a longer book list that includes OSHA 1910 and 1926 and NFPA 70E
- A blueprint packet is handed out at the test center
- You still take Mississippi Law and Business
The Master exam is shorter, takes 70% instead of 75%, and needs fewer books. NASCLA is the better pick only if you plan to license in other NASCLA states.
Other Mississippi electrical trade exams
MSBOC has specialty electrical classifications with their own PSI exams, each 70% to pass:
- Alarm Systems: 60 questions in 2 hours (2020 NEC and the 2019 NFPA 72)
- Communication Systems (low voltage, except alarms): 50 questions in 2 hours (2020 NEC)
- Transmission/Distribution Lines: 50 questions in 2 hours (2020 NEC and the 2017 National Electrical Safety Code)
JCR's Mississippi package is built for the Master and Residential exams. These specialty exams draw mostly on their own books.
Mississippi electrical exam prep: how to pass
- Pace yourself. Master gives you 2 minutes 15 seconds a question. Residential gives you 3 minutes.
- Expect extra questions. PSI may add 1 to 10 unscored trial questions, and they count against your time.
- Tab the big four. Services, conductors, grounding and raceways are 34 of 80 Master questions.
- Plan 6–8 weeks, about an hour a night, and end with timed practice exams.
Licensed in Alabama, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina or Tennessee? Read Mississippi electrical license reciprocity before you sit for the trade exam.
Mississippi electrician exam FAQ
How many questions are on the Mississippi master electrician exam?
80 questions in 3 hours. You need 70% to pass, and the PSI fee is $120.
What NEC edition is on the Mississippi electrical exam?
The 2020 NEC for both the Master and Residential exams. It's the only code edition allowed in the testing room for them.
Does Mississippi have a state journeyman electrician exam?
No. MSBOC licenses electrical companies, and each company's qualifying party passes the exams. Some cities issue their own electrician licenses, so check with the city where you'll work.
Is the Mississippi electrical exam open book?
Yes. All MSBOC exams at PSI are open book. You can highlight, underline and add permanent tabs before the exam, but you can't write in your books.
How many times can I retake the Mississippi electrical exam?
As many times as you need within 6 months of eligibility, paying $120 each time. After 6 months without a pass, you reapply with MSBOC.
Prepare for the 2020 NEC on the Master or Residential exam
JCR's Mississippi package teaches the 2020 NEC that PSI uses on both exams. For $495 you get 100 video lessons, the 152-page JCR workbook, a 500+ question mock exam and permanent tabs for your code book.
The videos and online practice exams open at checkout. Printed materials ship the same business day. Taking the NASCLA exam instead? Use JCR's NASCLA package.
Get the Mississippi package — $495
Want to test yourself first? Try 25 free NEC practice questions.
More Mississippi guides
Sources JCR checked
- PSI Mississippi Contractor Examinations bulletin (updated 4/23/2026)
- PSI: Mississippi contractor exams
- MSBOC: testing
- MSBOC: FAQ
- MSBOC: license applications
- MSBOC: classifications
- City of Tupelo contractor's application
JCR checked these exam details against PSI's Mississippi bulletin and MSBOC's pages on October 21, 2026. Confirm with MSBOC which trade exam your classification needs, and with your city if it licenses electricians.