Mississippi Structural Steel

Mississippi Structural Steel Exam: What You Need to Know to Pass

You've got 120 minutes, 60 questions, and a 70% passing score standing between you and your Mississippi structural steel contractor license. That's not a lot of room for error — but it's very passable if you know what's on the test and you've practiced finding answers fast. This guide covers the Mississippi structural steel exam from top to bottom: the format, the topics, sample questions, the right reference books, and a straight-ahead study plan.

Exam Overview: Mississippi Structural Steel Contractor License Test

The Mississippi structural steel exam is administered by PSI at approved test centers. Here's what the format looks like:

• Questions: 60 scored questions
• Time limit: 120 minutes (2 hours)
• Passing score: 70% — you need 42 of 60 correct
• Format: Multiple choice, open book
• Who administers it: PSI on behalf of the Mississippi State Board of Contractors

Because this is an open-book exam, you're allowed to bring approved reference materials into the test center. That's a big deal — and it changes how you should study. Speed of lookup matters more than raw memorization. Your books won't help you if you can't find the right page in time.

Check the official exam bulletin for the full Candidate Information Bulletin (CIB) before you sit.

Topics Covered on the Mississippi Structural Steel Exam

The exam pulls from six topic areas. Here's how they're weighted — and where you should put your energy:

Steel Joists and Girders — 20 items (heaviest weight)
This is the biggest section by far. Expect questions on joist types (K-, LH-, DLH-, CJ-Series, Joist Girders), erection bridging requirements by span, end bearing and anchorage, and construction load restrictions. One in three exam questions touches this area, so know your joist tables and bridging rules cold.

Post-tensioning — 10 items
Covers tendon components, placement tolerances, anchorage systems, and handling procedures. Precision matters here — you'll need to know exact tolerances and installation requirements.

Reinforcing Steel — 10 items
Bar sizes and grades, concrete cover requirements, bar supports, and splicing methods (lap, mechanical, welded). Also covers placing rebar in footings, walls, and columns.

Steel Decks — 7 items
Deck types and profiles, fastening methods (arc spot welds, screws, powder-actuated fasteners), side lap connections, and erection safety rules.

Safety – OSHA Subpart R — 7 items
Subpart R is steel-erection-specific OSHA. Topics include the 15-foot fall protection trigger, hoisting and rigging requirements, column anchorage rules, and open web steel joist safety.

Safety – General — 6 items
Fall protection systems, PPE requirements, fire prevention, hazard communication, and emergency action plans.

Study in proportion to weight. Steel Joists and Girders plus Post-tensioning and Reinforcing Steel together account for 40 of your 60 questions. That's where the exam is won or lost.

Sample Questions from the MS Structural Steel Practice Exam

Here are five questions that reflect the style and difficulty of what you'll see on the Mississippi steel erection PSI exam. Work through them — but don't expect the answers here. Take the free practice exam to test yourself.

Question 1 — Steel Decks (Hard)

Before deck bundles are placed on the structural frame, what must be verified about the frame's temporary bracing?
- A) Bracing is in place to maintain plumbness
- B) Bracing has been painted with primer
- C) Bracing connections are only hand-tight
- D) Bracing has been removed from column lines

What it tests: Your understanding of pre-placement safety checks before loading deck bundles on a steel frame.

Question 2 — Steel Joists and Girders (Easy)

What is the maximum allowable weight for a bundle of bridging material that is to be landed on unbridged steel joists?
- A) 4000 pounds
- B) 1000 pounds
- C) 500 pounds
- D) 2000 pounds

What it tests: Construction load restrictions — a core topic in the joists section.

Question 3 — Reinforcing Steel (Medium)

Welded lap splices of reinforcing bars are recommended only for what maximum bar size?
- A) #8
- B) #5
- C) #6
- D) #4

What it tests: Knowledge of splice method limitations from the rebar placing references.

Question 4 — Post-tensioning (Medium)

You are installing post-tensioning tendons in a slab-on-ground that is 5 inches thick. What is the maximum allowable vertical deviation for tendon placement?
- A) +3/8 in.
- B) +1/4 in.
- C) +1/2 in.
- D) +1 in.

What it tests: Placement tolerances for tendons — the kind of precision detail that shows up regularly in this section.

Question 5 — Steel Decks (Easy)

You are a contractor installing roof deck and your crew is positioning panel ends on supports. Roof deck is typically installed to end lap approximately how many inches over supports?
- A) 3 inches
- B) 1 inch
- C) 2 inches
- D) 4 inches

What it tests: Basic deck installation requirements from the SDI Manual.

Not sure about any of these? That's exactly why you practice before test day.

What Types of Questions to Expect

Here's what our practice bank covers, topic by topic. These counts reflect the questions available in our full practice exam pool.

• Steel Joists and Girders (82 practice questions): Joist designation systems, erection bridging requirements by span length and load table shading zones (Red, Blue, Gray), minimum bearing lengths, seat attachment rules, stabilizer plates, bridging terminus requirements, and deck bundle placement restrictions on unbridged joists.
• Post-tensioning (44 practice questions): Principles of prestressed concrete, tendon component identification, vertical and horizontal placement tolerances, stressing-end and fixed-end anchorage systems, and handling/storage rules.
• Reinforcing Steel (42 practice questions): Bar identification markings and grades, concrete cover requirements, bar support types and selection, lap vs. mechanical vs. welded splice applications, and placement in footings, walls, and columns.
• Steel Decks (37 practice questions): Deck profile types, arc spot weld and screw fastening requirements, side lap connection methods, bundle placement rules, and OSHA Subpart R compliance during erection.
• Safety – OSHA Subpart R (35 practice questions): The 15-foot fall protection trigger for steel erection, controlled decking zones (CDZ), qualified rigger requirements, crane inspection rules, column anchorage minimums, and joist hoisting cable release timing.
• Safety – General (30 practice questions): Guardrail, safety net, and personal fall arrest system requirements; PPE selection and employer payment obligations; fire prevention on construction sites; hazard communication and signage.

Total practice questions available: 270.

Start with the free version (10 questions) to get a feel for the format, then move to the full practice exam for complete topic coverage and a detailed score breakdown by section.

Required Study Materials

This is an open-book exam, so bring the right books — and know them well.

OSHA 29 CFR 1926 — The OSHA Standards for the Construction Industry. This covers both the Subpart R steel erection rules and the general safety topics. You need this book. Tab it by subpart and know where the fall protection and rigging sections live.

Technical Digest No. 9 – Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders (4th Edition) — Published by the Steel Joist Institute, this is your primary reference for the exam's heaviest topic. Joist types, erection bridging, bearing requirements, load restrictions — it's all here. 20 of your 60 questions draw from this material.

SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck — The Steel Deck Institute's manual covers deck profiles, fastening methods, side lap connections, and erection requirements. The 2016 edition is the approved reference.

Additional allowed references include the CRSI's Placing Reinforcing Bars (9th edition, 2011 or later) and the PTI's Training and Certification of Field Personnel for Unbonded Post-Tensioning – Level 1 Field Fundamentals (3rd Edition, 2003). You must bring your own copies — the test center does not supply books.

Study Tips for the Mississippi Structural Steel Exam

Tab and highlight everything. On an open-book exam, the people who pass fastest are the ones who can land on any topic in seconds. You may highlight and underline your references and use permanent tabs — but no Post-It notes, no loose papers, no handwritten notes in the margins. Set up your books before exam day, not the morning of.

Work through questions in two passes. Answer what you know, skip what you don't, then go back. Don't burn four minutes on one question while easy points sit unanswered. The clock runs for everyone.

Give yourself three to six weeks of real prep time. Use the CIB as your guide for what's tested. Focus on finding-it-fast over memorizing every number — your job is to know which book and which section, then get there quickly.

Practice under the clock. Use timed practice tests so the two-hour limit feels routine by exam day. If you can consistently hit 80% or better under timed conditions, you've got a comfortable margin over the 70% cut score.

Weight your study time by exam weight. Steel Joists and Girders gets 20 questions. Post-tensioning and Reinforcing Steel get 10 each. That's 40 questions right there. Master those sections before you drill the rest.

FAQs: Mississippi Structural Steel Exam

How many questions are on the Mississippi Structural Steel exam?
The exam has 60 scored questions.

How long do I have to complete it?
2 hours (120 minutes).

What is the passing score?
70%, which works out to 42 of 60 questions correct.

What topics are covered?
Six areas: Steel Joists and Girders (20 items), Post-tensioning (10), Reinforcing Steel (10), Safety – OSHA Subpart R (7), Steel Decks (7), and Safety – General (6).

Is the exam open book?
Yes. You bring your own approved reference books. They will not be provided at the test center.

What references are allowed?
The approved list includes: OSHA 29 CFR 1926, the PTI Level 1 Field Fundamentals manual (3rd ed., 2003), Placing Reinforcing Bars (CRSI, 9th ed., 2011+), Technical Digest No. 9 (Steel Joist Institute, 4th ed.), and the SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck (2016). Bring your own copies.

Can I write in my books or use sticky notes?
You can highlight, underline, and use permanent tabs. You cannot write in the margins or use removable notes like Post-Its. Any temporary tabs must come out before you sit down.

Can I use a calculator?
Yes — a silent, non-printing, non-programmable calculator is allowed. No paper tape, no full alphabetic keyboard.

How do I register?
First, get approved by the Mississippi Contractor Licensing Board. They'll notify PSI of your eligibility. Then register through the exam registration page — available 24 hours a day — or call PSI at (855) 557-0619.

How long do I have to pass, and what if I fail?
You have 6 months from your eligibility date. During that window, you can retest as many times as needed. If 6 months pass without a pass, you reapply with the Mississippi Contractor Licensing Board and start the process again.

Ready to Start Preparing?

The Mississippi structural steel exam is 60 questions, 2 hours, and a 70% bar to clear. It's straightforward if you know the material and you've built your book-lookup speed. Get the required references, tab them properly, and put in your practice reps under timed conditions.

Start today with our free practice exam — 10 questions, no account needed, no charge. It's the fastest way to see where you stand before you commit to a full study plan. When you're ready to go deeper, upgrade to the full practice exam for all 270 questions with a complete breakdown by topic.