The short version: Mississippi licenses contractors through the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC), with three residential credentials: Residential Builder (new construction $50,000+), Residential Remodeler (remodeling $10,000+), and Residential Roofer (roofing $10,000+). Verify at msboc.us. Your protection is the Consumer Protection Act (up to $10,000 per violation) plus the Attorney General’s Vulnerable Adults Unit. On the Gulf Coast, the biggest risk is the post-hurricane roofer, so verify before you sign.

Mississippi’s three residential license types

Mississippi is a licensed state, and it sorts residential contractors into three credentials by the kind of work.1 The Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) issues each one.

ProjectRequired credential
New home construction, $50,000+Residential Builder
Remodeling and repairs over $10,000Residential Remodeler
Roofing work over $10,000Residential Roofer

For most senior aging-in-place projects, you will need a Residential Remodeler (for a bathroom or kitchen) or a Residential Roofer (for a re-roof). Match the credential to the job before you hire.

This is the Mississippi-specific companion to our national state contractor license lookup guide. For the full pre-hire workflow, see How to Find a Senior-Friendly Contractor.

How to verify: msboc.us

To verify: open the Consolidated License Search at msboc.us, or call 800-880-6161.1 Search by name or license number.

Check:

  1. Status active (not expired, suspended, revoked)
  2. License type Residential Builder, Remodeler, or Roofer (the right one for your job)
  3. Name matches the business and person on your contract
  4. Disciplinary history any recent Board action

A contractor who needs the credential for your project but cannot show an active one is not legal to hire for that work.

The roofer is the one to watch on the coast

Mississippi licenses roofers separately for a reason: the Gulf Coast is hurricane country, and roofing is the most-scammed trade after a storm. A Residential Roofer license is required for roof work over $10,000, and you can verify any roofer at msboc.us.1

After a storm, slow down: verify the roofer at msboc.us before signing anything, no matter how urgent the pitch sounds. Out-of-state crews flood Biloxi, Gulfport, and Pascagoula after every hurricane. Never sign on your doorstep, never pay cash up front, and never sign over your insurance check to a crew you did not seek out and verify.4

Your protection: the Consumer Protection Act

Mississippi’s consumer protection lives in the Consumer Protection Act, enforced by the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, which bans deceptive home repair practices.2 Civil penalties run up to $10,000 per violation for knowing or willful violations, and contractors who take a deposit and fail to perform are a recurring enforcement target.

The senior layer: the Attorney General also runs a Vulnerable Adults Unit that enforces the laws against exploitation of elderly and disabled adults, and exploiting an elderly person is a crime in Mississippi.3 A contractor who deceives a senior out of a remodel deposit can face more than a civil claim.

Get scope, materials, total price, and dates in writing before any deposit, and pay by check or card, never cash.

Mississippi senior scam patterns

  • Post-hurricane roofers and rebuild crews The single biggest risk. After Gulf Coast storms, unlicensed crews and insurance-steering schemes target older coastal homeowners. Verify first, always.
  • Inland tornado roofers The same post-storm crews follow tornado outbreaks across the state.
  • Insurance-claim steering Crews that ask you to sign over your claim. Keep control of your own money.
  • Your defenses the MSBOC license lookup, the Consumer Protection Act, and the Vulnerable Adults Unit.2

If something goes wrong

  • Contractor problems: file with the Mississippi State Board of Contractors at msboc.us, which can discipline the license.
  • Consumer fraud generally: Mississippi Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.
  • Elder financial abuse: contact the Attorney General’s Vulnerable Adults Unit and local law enforcement.
Mississippi verification in 30 seconds:
  • Verify at msboc.us (Consolidated License Search) or call 800-880-6161
  • Residential Builder ($50K+ new), Remodeler ($10K+), Roofer ($10K+) are separate licenses
  • Match the credential to your project type and size
  • After a hurricane, verify the roofer before signing; never sign over your insurance check
  • Get scope, price, and dates in writing before any deposit
  • Consumer Protection Act allows up to $10,000 per violation
  • Exploiting an elderly adult is a crime; the AG runs a Vulnerable Adults Unit

Citations

  1. Consolidated License Search. Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC), retrieved June 29, 2026. .
  1. Consumer Protection Division (Consumer Protection Act). Mississippi Attorney General, retrieved June 29, 2026. .
  1. Protection of Vulnerable Persons (Miss. Code Title 43, Chapter 47). Mississippi Code, retrieved June 29, 2026. .
  1. Home Improvement Scams Targeting Older Adults. AARP Fraud Watch Network, June 2024. .