Mississippi Marine Construction

Mississippi Marine Construction Exam: Complete Study Guide (2026)

You've got real work experience. You know pile-driving, concrete, and marine construction from the ground up. Now you just need one more thing: your Mississippi marine contractor license. The Mississippi Marine Construction exam stands between you and that credential — but with 40 questions, 120 minutes, and the right references at your side, this is absolutely passable. This guide breaks down exactly what's on the exam, what score you need, and how to prepare efficiently so you're not scrambling on test day. Start by getting a feel for the question style with a free practice exam.

Exam Overview: What to Expect on Test Day

The Mississippi Marine Construction exam is a 40-question, computer-based test administered by PSI at authorized testing centers. You get 120 minutes to complete it — that's three minutes per question, which is workable if you're prepared.

To pass, you need a score of 70%, which works out to 28 correct answers out of 40. Miss more than 12 and you'll need to come back.

Here's the good news: this exam is open book. You can bring your required references (more on those below), with highlighting, underlining, and permanent index tabs allowed. Writing in the margins or bringing loose papers is not permitted. A silent, non-printing, non-programmable calculator without an alphabetic keyboard is also allowed.

When you finish, your score appears on the computer screen immediately. Pass and you'll get a successful notification with a performance summary. Fail and you'll receive a diagnostic report showing your strengths and weaknesses by topic — useful information if you need to come back.

For official exam details and scheduling, check the official exam bulletin or the state licensing website.

Topics Covered on the Mississippi Marine Construction Exam

The exam is organized into four topic areas. Here's how they break down by question count — and where your study time should go:

Miscellaneous Engineering – Pile Driving (18 questions)

This is the heaviest section, making up 45% of the exam. Expect questions on pile types (timber, concrete, steel, sheet, composite), hammer selection and energy output, friction vs. end-bearing pile mechanisms, driving stresses, cushion requirements for concrete piles, and vibratory drivers. Know this material cold.

Concrete (12 questions)

At 30% of the exam, concrete is the second-biggest section. Topics include cement types, mix design and proportioning, aggregate classification, durability and exposure categories (freeze-thaw, sulfate, chloride), and chemical admixtures. The Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures is your primary reference here.

Safety (6 questions)

Six questions covering OSHA fall protection (6-foot threshold), excavation safety, crane and derrick requirements, confined space entry procedures, and PPE. Know your OSHA 29 CFR 1926 inside and out for this section.

Concrete – Reinforcing Steel (4 questions)

Four questions on rebar — its structural purpose in concrete, bar types and ASTM grades, identification markings, concrete cover requirements, and bar supports. Fewer questions, but still four points toward your 28-question passing score.

Sample Questions

Here are five questions drawn from the same topics as the real Mississippi pile driving contractor exam and Mississippi marine construction exam. Give them a try — but note we're not going to hand you the answers here. That's what the practice exam is for.

Question 1 (Pile Driving – Hard)
You are bidding a marine pile-driving project that will last 14 months. A leasing company offers pile-driving equipment under a conventional lease. Which of the following is a recognized advantage of leasing over direct ownership for this project?
- A) Higher tax depreciation shield
- B) Preservation of bonding capacity
- C) Lease payments cannot be deducted
- D) Guaranteed machine availability

Question 2 (Pile Driving – Medium)
When selecting a bucket for a hydraulic hoe that will be excavating blasted rock at a marine foundation site, which bucket type is most appropriate?
- A) Wide bucket with a long tip radius
- B) Narrow bucket with a short tip radius
- C) Narrow bucket with a long tip radius
- D) Wide bucket with a short tip radius

Question 3 (Concrete – Medium)
Marine-dredged aggregates used in concrete may contain chlorides from seawater. Which of the following is a recognized effect of chloride presence in such aggregates on concrete?
- A) Increased drying shrinkage
- B) Improved flexural strength
- C) Reduced air content
- D) Decreased drying shrinkage

Question 4 (Concrete – Medium)
A marine contractor needs to measure the air content of fresh concrete made with lightweight aggregate for a coastal structure. Which test method is appropriate for concrete containing porous or lightweight aggregates?
- A) Gravimetric method (ASTM C138)
- B) Volumetric method (ASTM C173)
- C) Pressure method (ASTM C231)
- D) Chace indicator method

Question 5 (Safety – Medium)
As a limited electrical contractor, you are installing Type MV cable for a 15 kV system. A journeyman on your crew asks about the minimum conductor size allowed. According to the NEC, what is the minimum conductor size for cables rated 8001 to 15,000 volts?
- A) 8 AWG
- B) 6 AWG
- C) 2 AWG
- D) 1 AWG

Not sure on a few of those? Take the free practice exam and see how you stack up before committing to your test date.

What Types of Questions to Expect

Our full MS marine construction practice exam draws from a pool of 225 questions across all four topic areas. Here's what you'll encounter in each:

Miscellaneous Engineering – Pile Driving (90 practice questions): This is where the exam lives or dies. Questions test equipment selection, pile hammer energy calculations, load-bearing theory, equipment leasing decisions, and hands-on field judgment for marine foundation work. Expect scenarios, not just definitions.

Concrete (74 practice questions): These questions cover the full lifecycle of a concrete mix — from aggregate grading and moisture content through admixture selection and durability classification for marine exposure conditions. Test method questions (like the ASTM air content methods above) are common.

Safety (41 practice questions): OSHA-based questions grounded in 29 CFR 1926. You'll see questions on fall protection thresholds, excavation slope classifications, crane load charts and power line clearances, permit-required confined space procedures, and PPE selection. Precision matters — OSHA has specific numbers attached to most of these rules.

Concrete – Reinforcing Steel (20 practice questions): Shorter section, but the questions are specific. Expect questions on ASTM rebar grades, how to read identification markings on deformed bars, concrete cover requirements by exposure condition, and which bar support types apply in different situations.

Study Materials: What to Bring to the Exam

This is an open-book exam, which means the right references aren't just study tools — they're allowed into the testing room. Here's what you need:

OSHA 29 CFR 1926 – Standards for the Construction Industry
This covers everything in the Safety section. Tab it by subpart: fall protection, excavation, cranes, confined spaces, PPE. You need to be able to flip to the right page fast.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures (16th Edition)
This is your concrete bible. It covers cement chemistry, mix proportioning, aggregate properties, admixtures, and durability — exactly what the exam tests. Highlight tables on water-cementitious ratios and exposure categories. You'll use them.

The exam also allows Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods (5th Edition, Peurifoy, 1995) and Placing Reinforcing Bars (9th Edition, 2011 or later) as references. All references must be your own copies — no borrowing, no photocopies, no loose notes tucked inside.

Study Tips for the Mississippi Marine Contractor License Test

Work through the exam in two passes. Answer everything you know on the first pass, bookmarking questions you want to revisit. Don't spend four minutes on a single question while the clock runs. Come back to the hard ones after you've banked the easy points. Our practice exam interface works the same way — it's good training.

Speed with your references beats raw knowledge. On an open-book exam, the people who pass aren't necessarily the ones who know the most — they're the ones who can find answers fastest. Build a solid tab system in each book and spend time learning the index and table of contents until you can land on any topic in under 30 seconds. That's not an exaggeration; it's the difference between finishing with time to check your work and running out the clock.

Practice in exam format. Our full practice exam mirrors the real PSI test — 40 questions, 120-minute limit, same topic breakdown. Practicing in that format now means no surprises when you sit for the real thing. Start with the free version, then upgrade to the full exam for complete coverage and topic-by-topic scoring.

Weight your study toward pile driving and concrete. Together, those two sections account for 75% of the exam. Safety and reinforcing steel matter, but if your time is limited, pile driving and concrete are where the points are.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the Mississippi Marine Construction exam and how long do I have?
The exam has 40 scored questions and you have 120 minutes to complete it — two full hours.

What score do I need to pass?
You need a 70% — that's 28 correct answers out of 40.

How much does registration cost?
The registration fee is $120 per examination portion. This fee is non-refundable and non-transferable, whether you're a first-timer or retaking the exam.

How do I register or schedule the exam?
First, you must be determined eligible by the Mississippi Contractor Licensing Board. Once eligible, PSI will email you a confirmation notice. From there, you can register online at the exam registration page (available 24 hours a day) or by calling PSI at (855) 557-0619.

Is the exam open book?
Yes. You may bring OSHA 29 CFR 1926, Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods (5th Edition, Peurifoy), Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures (16th Edition, Kosmatka & Panarese), and Placing Reinforcing Bars (9th Edition, 2011 or later). References may be highlighted, underlined, or tabbed with permanent tabs. No writing in references, no loose papers.

Can I use a calculator?
Yes — a silent, non-printing, non-programmable calculator without an alphabetic keyboard is allowed.

What ID do I need on test day?
One valid, non-expired government-issued photo ID that also bears your signature. A state driver's license, U.S. passport, or similar document works. The name on your ID must exactly match the name you used when registering.

What happens if I fail?
You can retest on an unlimited basis during your 6-month eligibility window from your date of eligibility. If you don't pass within that 6-month period, you'll need to reapply with the Mississippi Contractor Licensing Board.

When will I get my results?
Immediately. Your score appears on the computer screen as soon as you complete the exam.

What topics are on the Mississippi Marine Construction exam?
The 40-question exam covers Safety (6 items), Miscellaneous Engineering – Pile Driving (18 items), Concrete (12 items), and Concrete – Reinforcing Steel (4 items).

You're Closer Than You Think

The Mississippi Marine Construction exam is specific and technical — but it's also fair and open book. With the right references tabbed and your fundamentals locked in on pile driving and concrete, 28 out of 40 is a realistic target. Put in the prep work now so test day feels familiar, not stressful.

Start with our free practice exam — 10 questions, no account required, and a good first read on where you stand. When you're ready to go deeper, the full practice exam gives you 225 questions across all four topic areas with detailed score breakdowns by topic so you know exactly where to focus before you sit for the real thing.