Mississippi Remodeling

Mississippi Remodeling Exam: Complete Prep Guide (2026)

You need a Mississippi remodeling license, and that means passing the Mississippi Remodeling Exam. It's 60 questions, open book, and covers everything from crawl space clearances to stair layout to concrete mix design. Pass it, and you're licensed to work. Fail it, and you're back in the waiting room. This guide gives you the straight facts on what's on the exam, what books to bring, and how to prepare efficiently. Start with our free practice exam to see where you stand right now.

Note: Mississippi also requires a separate Law and Business exam. Purchasing the full course gives you access to both exams.

Mississippi Remodeling Exam Overview

The exam is administered by PSI. Here's what you're working with:

• Questions: 60 scored questions
• Time limit: 135 minutes
• Passing score: 70% — that's 42 correct out of 60
• Format: Multiple choice, open book
• Results: Immediate — you see your score on screen the moment you finish

This is a timed, computer-based test at a PSI testing center. You bring your own approved references. You get a non-programmable calculator. You do not get to look up every answer — 135 minutes for 60 questions sounds like plenty, but referencing books takes time. Know your material cold on the high-frequency topics, and use your references as a backup on the details.

Check the official exam bulletin and the state licensing website for current requirements before you register.

Topics on the Mississippi Remodeling Exam

Here's exactly what the exam covers and how many questions each topic carries:

Rough Carpentry and Finish Carpentry together make up 22 of your 60 questions. That's more than a third of the exam. Roofing adds another 10. These three areas alone account for more than half the test — study them first.

Rough Carpentry covers platform, balloon, and post-and-beam framing; floor systems including girders, sill plates, joists, and subflooring; wall framing with headers, cripples, and trimmer studs; and roof framing including span tables and rafter layout.

Finish Carpentry goes deep on stairs — unit rise, unit run, total rise, total run, tread depths, riser heights, handrails, balusters, headroom, and cut-stringer layout. Casing installation (reveals, miters, coped joints) is also fair game.

Roofing covers slope minimums, underlayment application, flashing at valleys and chimneys, fire ratings (Class A, B, C), and wind resistance requirements.

Concrete focuses on mix proportions, Portland cement types, hydration and curing, admixtures, slump testing, and placement procedures.

Masonry covers mortar, grout, reinforcement, fireplace construction dimensions, chimney flue sizing, and seismic anchorage.

Safety pulls from OSHA 29 CFR 1926 — fall protection, PPE, hazard communication, and fire prevention on construction sites.

Windows and Doors, Siding, and Drywall each carry 2–3 questions. Don't skip them, but don't over-invest either.

Sample Mississippi Remodeling License Exam Questions

Here are five real-style questions. Read each one carefully — see how they're worded, what they're actually testing, and whether you can reason through the right answer.

Question 1 — Finish Carpentry
When installing a skirt board on the open (exposed) side of a stairway, what is the purpose of the 'false riser' used during layout?

A) It is used to mark where the mitered riser joints will be cut into the skirt board
B) It acts as a temporary support to hold the skirt board plumb during nailing
C) It replaces the actual riser to save material costs
D) It serves as a permanent spacer between the skirt board and the carriage

Question 2 — Rough Carpentry
You are framing a floor system and need to install joist hangers. After nailing a hanger to the beam and setting the joist into it, you notice the sides of the hanger have been spread too wide. What problem will this cause?

A) The joist will be lowered below the adjacent framing members
B) The hanger will corrode faster due to the stressed metal
C) The joist will be raised slightly, potentially causing a lump in the floor sheathing
D) The nails will be unable to penetrate the hanger holes at the correct angle

Question 3 — Concrete
What is the primary function of entrained air voids in concrete subjected to freezing and thawing cycles?

A) They increase the compressive strength of the concrete by densifying the paste
B) They provide empty chambers where freezing and migrating water can enter, relieving internal pressure and preventing damage
C) They reduce the weight of the concrete to minimize structural loading
D) They accelerate the hydration process so the concrete reaches full strength before freezing occurs

Question 4 — Rough Carpentry
What is the minimum clearance required between the undersides of floor joists and the highest point of ground in a crawl space?

A) 12 inches
B) 24 inches
C) 18 inches
D) 8 inches

Question 5 — Finish Carpentry
What is the minimum tread depth allowed by building code for a residential stairway?

A) 11 inches
B) 9 inches
C) 10 inches
D) 12 inches

Don't just guess — try to find the answer in your references. Then take the free practice exam to check your instincts across 10 questions.

What Types of Questions to Expect by Topic

Here's what our practice bank covers and what each topic actually tests:

• Rough Carpentry (63 practice questions): Span table lookups, crawl space clearances, rafter layout math, identifying framing members by name and function, and framing code requirements.
• Finish Carpentry (161 practice questions): Stair calculations — unit rise, unit run, total rise, total run — plus code minimums for treads, risers, handrails, and balusters. Layout procedures for cut stringers and skirt boards. Casing installation details.
• Roofing – Residential and Commercial (51 practice questions): Slope requirements for each roof covering type, underlayment specs, flashing locations and methods, fire classifications, and wind resistance standards.
• Masonry (90 practice questions): Fireplace throat dimensions, chimney flue sizing, mortar types, grout placement, allowable stress design, and seismic reinforcement requirements.
• Concrete (59 practice questions): Water-cement ratios, Portland cement types and their applications, admixture effects (air entrainment, accelerators, retarders), slump testing, and proper curing methods.
• Safety (39 practice questions): OSHA fall protection thresholds, guardrail and safety net specs, PPE requirements by task, hazard communication standards, and fire prevention on jobsites.
• Drywall (29 practice questions): Panel types by application (standard, Type X, moisture-resistant), fastener schedules, and taping and joint compound sequences.
• Siding (25 practice questions): Drainage plane requirements, housewrap installation, bevel siding layout and nailing, shingle coursing styles, and vinyl siding fastening and expansion gaps.
• Windows and Doors (20 practice questions): Egress dimension requirements, glazing area minimums, safety glazing locations per IBC Section 2406, U-values and SHGC ratings, and flanged window installation procedures.

Total across all topics: 537 practice questions in the full bank.

Required Study Materials

This is an open-book exam — bring the right books. These are the approved references:

• OSHA 29 CFR 1926 — The federal safety standard for construction. Six Safety questions on the exam come straight from this book.
• Carpentry and Building Construction — Your primary reference for Rough Carpentry, framing systems, and structural lumber.
• Finish Carpenter's Manual — Stairs, casings, and trim. Finish Carpentry carries 11 questions — this book covers all of it.
• IBC 2021 — Code requirements for egress, safety glazing, fire ratings, and more.
• Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures (16th Edition) — The definitive reference for everything concrete.
• Modern Masonry – Brick, Block, Stone (9th) — Covers all masonry topics including fireplaces, chimneys, and reinforcement.

You may highlight, underline, and tab your references. You may NOT write notes in the margins.

Organization Tools That Save You Time at the Test

• Redi-Tag Permanent Colored Tabs — 100 laser tabs in 5 colors. Use a separate color for each book or each major topic. When the clock is running, you don't want to be flipping through unmarked pages.
• Sharpie Highlighters — 12-pack with multiple colors. Highlight key figures, code minimums, and span table headers during your study sessions so they jump out on exam day.

Study Tips That Actually Work

Read every explanation, not just the answer. Whether you got a question right or wrong, read why. The exam will rephrase questions in ways you haven't seen. If you understand the rule behind the answer, you can handle any version of the question.

Study in 25–30 minute blocks, not marathon sessions. Three focused sessions spread across the week beat one four-hour cram every time. Spaced repetition moves information into long-term memory — that's what you need on exam day, not what you crammed the night before.

Eliminate before you guess. On a hard question, cross off the two options you're most confident are wrong. Now you've got a 50/50 shot instead of 25%. That math adds up over 60 questions.

Tab your books before the exam. Pre-tab chapters by topic using your color-coded Redi-Tag tabs. Practice looking up answers under timed conditions so you know exactly where to turn.

Focus your study time where the exam focuses. Rough Carpentry and Finish Carpentry (11 questions each) and Roofing (10 questions) are where the exam is won or lost. Know those topics cold.

Mississippi Remodeling Exam – FAQs

How many questions are on the Mississippi Remodeling exam and how long do I have?
The exam has 60 scored questions and you have 135 minutes to complete it.

What is the passing score for the Mississippi Remodeling exam?
You need a minimum of 70% — that's 42 correct answers out of 60.

How much does it cost to take the Mississippi Remodeling exam?
The exam fee is $120 per attempt. That fee applies whether it's your first time or a retake, and it's non-refundable and non-transferable.

How do I register for the Mississippi Remodeling exam?
First, you must be declared eligible by the Mississippi Contractor Licensing Board. Once that happens, PSI emails you a confirmation. You can then register at the exam registration page — available 24 hours a day online — or call PSI at (855) 557-0619 during business hours.

Is the Mississippi Remodeling exam open book, and what references can I bring?
Yes, it's open book. Approved references are OSHA 29 CFR 1926, Carpentry and Building Construction (2010 or 2016 Student Edition), Finish Carpenter's Manual by Jim Tolpin (1993), IBC 2021, Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures 16th Edition, and Modern Masonry – Brick, Block, Stone 8th edition (2015). You must bring your own copies. Highlighting, underlining, and permanent tabs are allowed — writing in the books is not.

What topics are covered on the Mississippi Remodeling exam?
Safety (6 items), Windows and Doors (3), Rough Carpentry (11), Finish Carpentry (11), Siding (3), Drywall (2), Concrete (7), Masonry (7), and Roofing – Residential and Commercial (10) — 60 questions total.

What ID do I need to bring to the Mississippi Remodeling exam?
One valid, non-expired government-issued photo ID that also has your signature — a state driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, U.S. military ID, U.S. Alien Registration Card, or Canadian government-issued ID all work. The name on your ID must exactly match the name on your registration.

Can I use a calculator on the Mississippi Remodeling exam?
Yes. Bring a silent, battery-operated, non-programmable calculator with no paper tape printing and no alphabetic keyboard.

What is the retake policy if I fail?
You can retest an unlimited number of times during your 6-month eligibility window from the date the Board declared you eligible. If you don't pass within that window, you must reapply with the Mississippi Contractor Licensing Board.

When will I find out if I passed?
Immediately. Your score appears on screen at the end of the exam. Pass and you get a successful notification plus a performance summary. Fail and you get an unsuccessful notification along with a diagnostic report showing your strengths and weaknesses by topic.

Get Started Today

You've got 60 questions, 135 minutes, and everything you need to prepare. The Mississippi Remodeling Exam is straightforward if you know what to study and you've put reps in before test day.

Start with the free practice exam — 10 questions, no account required, no cost. See how you do. Then move to the full practice exam for realistic, timed simulation with all 60 questions and a topic-by-topic score breakdown. Get your books tabbed, put in your study sessions, and go get licensed.