Mississippi Contractor Packet

What you won’t get from a quick search

• A first 30 days checklist for Mississippi, in the order to do it
• Everyday forms you can copy and use: a new job sheet, estimate, invoice, change order and sub information sheet
• The dollar lines for a state license: over $10,000 on an existing home, over $50,000 on a new one, the trades that need one at any amount, and what working unlicensed costs you
• Why the same job can mean three different tax treatments: 3.5% contractor’s tax, 7% on your gross income, or 7% at the supply house
• The five-employee line for workers’ comp as the Commission’s 2013 fact sheet and a claims guide describe it, and how an uninsured sub’s crew can still land on you
• The insurance statement a licensed contractor puts above the customer’s signature, and a checklist for your home contract
• The lien clocks in one table, with the code’s own forms: 30-day notice, 10-day pre-lien notice, 90 days to file, 2 business days to send a copy, 180 days to sue

What this packet doesn’t cover

We only state rules we could confirm. All sales are final, so here’s what’s not in it. The packet tells you who to ask.

• The current fee to form a Mississippi LLC, and the annual report’s fee, due date and late penalty. The Secretary of State has them. Check before you file.
• How lien days are counted when a deadline lands on a weekend or holiday. The lien law points to Section 1-3-67, which isn’t covered here. File early, and ask a Mississippi construction attorney.
• Whether you, as an owner or LLC member, count toward the five employees for comp, and whether you can stay off a policy. Ask an insurance agent or the Workers’ Compensation Commission.
• The dollar amount of the comp penalties. The comp section rests on the Commission’s 2013 fact sheet and a published claims guide, not the comp statutes themselves. Ask the Commission if your situation is close.
• Changes to the licensing law after 2022. The licensing statutes and rules here come from the Board of Contractors’ own copies marked 2022, and its fee schedule is dated 2016. Confirm with the Board before you apply.
• Two license questions the sources don’t settle: whether a licensed-trade pro hired directly by a homeowner under $10,000 needs a state license, and whether a commercial sub’s $50,000 line goes by the subcontract or the whole job. Ask the Board and get the answer in writing.
• Whether Mississippi gives a customer a right to cancel a contract signed at home, and any other state consumer rules for home jobs. Ask a Mississippi construction attorney.
• State withholding due dates, the state income tax return date, the amount of the sales tax late penalty, and any city or county taxes. Ask the Department of Revenue or a CPA.

Get the Mississippi packet: $17

Informational only. This packet should not be considered legal, financial, tax or business advice. Check with a licensed professional in your state before you rely on it.