Mississippi Carpentry Contractor Exam Book Package

Prepare for the Mississippi Carpentry Contractor exam with a complete collection of technical references covering rough carpentry, finish carpentry, framing, formwork, wood trusses, drywall, cabinet construction, jobsite safety, and building-code requirements. This package brings the listed books together in one convenient order for contractors, qualifying parties, carpenters, and experienced construction professionals preparing for the Mississippi Carpentry trade examination.

The Mississippi Carpentry and Framing classification includes a wide range of construction activities. Candidates may encounter questions involving floors, walls, roof framing, trusses, sheathing, stairs, windows, doors, formwork, interior trim, cabinetry, drywall, insulation, siding, tools, materials, and OSHA safety requirements. The examination also requires candidates to understand how applicable building-code provisions relate to carpentry work.

Because the examination covers several technical subjects, candidates should prepare with the complete reference set rather than relying on a single general carpentry book. Each publication serves a different purpose. The OSHA reference addresses construction safety, the carpentry textbook covers core building methods, the BCSI guide addresses wood-truss handling and bracing, the gypsum handbook covers drywall systems, and the finish-carpentry and cabinet books support detailed interior work. The International Building Code provides the applicable code framework.

This product includes the seven physical trade references listed below. It does not include highlighting, permanent tabs, an online course, application service, book rental, business formation, licensing approval, or the separate Mississippi Law and Business Management reference. Customers seeking prepared books should select the product specifically identified as a Complete Highlighted & Tabbed Book Package.

Exam Details

The Mississippi Carpentry examination is administered through PSI as part of the contractor licensing process overseen by the Mississippi State Board of Contractors. Carpentry and Framing is a test-required specialty classification. Applicants must submit the appropriate contractor application and receive authorization before scheduling the examination.

The Carpentry examination contains 60 questions. Candidates are allowed 2 hours to complete the test and must earn a minimum score of 70 percent to pass.

The examination content is divided among the following subject areas:

• Safety: 6 questions
• Insulation: 1 question
• Windows and Doors: 3 questions
• Rough Carpentry and Formwork: 27 questions
• Finish Carpentry: 14 questions
• Drywall: 7 questions
• Siding: 2 questions

Rough carpentry and formwork represent the largest portion of the examination. Candidates should study construction layout, floor systems, wall framing, roof construction, structural members, sheathing, fasteners, concrete forms, temporary supports, bracing, openings, stairs, and standard field procedures. A strong understanding of construction sequence and material use is important when answering practical trade questions.

Finish carpentry is the second-largest subject area. Preparation should include doors, windows, moldings, trim, paneling, stairs, railings, cabinetry, shelving, hardware, measurement, fitting, joining, and installation. Candidates may need to identify components, select appropriate procedures, or interpret drawings and construction details.

The drywall portion may address gypsum products, framing systems, ceilings, partitions, fasteners, joint treatment, finishing, fire-resistant assemblies, sound-control systems, handling, and installation practices. Safety questions can involve fall protection, ladders, scaffolds, power tools, personal protective equipment, electrical hazards, material handling, and other federal construction requirements.

Mississippi contractor applicants must also complete the Mississippi Law and Business Management examination unless an applicable waiver or licensing exception applies. The Law and Business test is separate from the Carpentry trade examination, and its reference book is not included in this package.

Open Book Test

The Mississippi Carpentry Contractor examination is an open-book test. Candidates may bring the permitted reference materials into the PSI testing center when the books comply with the current examination rules.

An open-book examination still requires careful preparation. The reference set contains hundreds of construction details, safety regulations, code provisions, technical illustrations, installation procedures, and material requirements. Candidates who are unfamiliar with the books may spend too much time deciding which reference to use or searching through unrelated chapters.

Reference books may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Permanent tabs may be used to identify important chapters and subjects. Temporary tabs, removable notes, loose papers, and Post-it-style markers are not permitted. Candidates may not write in their books during the examination session.

This standard package does not include highlighting or tabbing. Candidates who prepare the books themselves should follow the current PSI rules and use only permitted markings and permanent indexing methods. Every book should be organized before arriving at the testing center.

Effective preparation begins with understanding the purpose of each reference. A fall-protection question may require 29 CFR Part 1926. A framing or formwork question may be found in Carpentry and Building Construction. A truss-handling question may require the BCSI guide, while a drywall question may be addressed in the Gypsum Construction Handbook.

Finish work, cabinetry, joinery, doors, drawers, and interior wood components may involve the Finish Carpenter’s Manual or The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Construction. Code-related questions may require the 2021 International Building Code. Practicing these connections can reduce unnecessary searching during the exam.

Licensing Steps

The Mississippi contractor licensing process begins with an application to the Mississippi State Board of Contractors. Candidates cannot schedule the required examination until the Board receives the application, reviews the submission, and sends the qualifying party’s testing eligibility to PSI.

1. Select the Carpentry and Framing classification. Confirm that the classification matches the construction services the business plans to offer.
2. Complete the contractor application. Provide the requested information about the applicant, business structure, ownership, qualifying party, experience, finances, insurance, taxes, and references.
3. Identify the qualifying party. Name the individual who will satisfy the applicable examination requirement for the applicant.
4. Gather supporting documents. Prepare the business, financial, insurance, tax, experience, reference, and qualifying-party records required for the application.
5. Submit the application to the Board. The Mississippi State Board of Contractors reviews the submission and identifies missing or incomplete requirements.
6. Receive examination eligibility. After the qualifying party is approved to test, the Board sends the candidate’s information to PSI.
7. Schedule the required examinations. Follow PSI’s registration instructions after receiving confirmation that testing eligibility has been established.
8. Prepare with the reference books. Study the technical subjects and complete timed searches using the books in this package.
9. Take the examinations. Follow all identification, security, calculator, reference-material, and testing-center requirements.
10. Complete final Board review. Passing the examinations does not automatically issue a contractor license. The application and supporting materials must also be complete and approved.

This package includes reference books only. Applicants remain responsible for completing the official application, obtaining any additional study materials, preparing for Mississippi Law and Business Management, and satisfying every licensing requirement that applies to their business.

State Requirements

The Mississippi State Board of Contractors identifies Carpentry and Framing as a test-required specialty classification. The classification includes construction, maintenance, and repair work involving framing, rough carpentry, finish carpentry, formwork, and related specialties.

The classified scope can include subflooring, wood flooring, roof decking, framing systems, truss members, sheathing, siding, soffit, fascia, staircases, stair railings, treads, risers, handrails, paneling, trim, cabinetry, windows, doors, drywall, insulation, and incidental hardware.

The classification can also include pergolas, decks, and gazebos when the work falls within the applicable building-code scope. Contractors should perform only work authorized by the classification shown on the issued license and any additional credentials required for the project.

The contractor application must identify a qualifying party who satisfies the examination requirement on behalf of the business. The applicant must establish the qualifying party’s relationship with the company through documentation accepted by the Board.

Applicants must provide the licensing and business records required for their application type. These may include entity-registration documents, financial information, insurance records, tax identification, professional references, construction experience, and qualifying-party documentation.

The legal business name should remain consistent across the contractor application, entity records, insurance certificate, financial documents, tax records, bids, permits, and contracts. Passing the trade examination is only one part of the process; the complete application must be approved before the license is issued.

Reference Books

The Mississippi Carpentry Contractor Exam Book Package includes the following seven technical references:

• Code of Federal Regulations – 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  Contains federal construction-safety requirements involving fall protection, ladders, scaffolds, personal protective equipment, electrical hazards, power tools, material handling, formwork, and other jobsite conditions relevant to carpentry work.
• Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
  Covers construction layout, foundations, floor systems, wall framing, roof construction, stairs, doors, windows, formwork, finishes, tools, materials, fasteners, and standard carpentry procedures.
• BCSI: Guide to Good Practice for Handling, Installing, Restraining, and Bracing of Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, 2025
  Provides guidance for receiving, unloading, storing, lifting, placing, installing, restraining, and bracing metal-plate-connected wood trusses during construction.
• Gypsum Construction Handbook, 7th Edition
  Addresses gypsum panels, framing systems, ceilings, partitions, fasteners, joint treatment, finishing, fire-resistant assemblies, sound-control systems, storage, handling, and drywall installation.
• Finish Carpenter’s Manual, Jim Tolpin, 1993
  Provides practical instruction for doors, windows, moldings, trim, stairs, cabinetry, paneling, layout, measuring, fitting, joining, and finish-carpentry installation.
• The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Construction, 2001
  Explains furniture and cabinet construction through detailed illustrations covering materials, joinery, casework, doors, drawers, frames, panels, hardware, assembly, and workshop techniques.
• International Building Code, 2021
  Provides building-code requirements involving occupancy, construction types, fire protection, structural systems, means of egress, accessibility, interior finishes, materials, safeguards, and general construction.

Exam Room Approved Books

The following references are identified for preparation and use with the Mississippi Carpentry trade examination:

• Code of Federal Regulations – 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  The federal construction-safety reference used for jobsite safety questions.
• Carpentry and Building Construction, 2016
  The listed carpentry textbook covering framing, formwork, finish work, tools, materials, and construction procedures.
• BCSI: Guide to Good Practice for Handling, Installing, Restraining, and Bracing of Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, 2025
  The listed guide for metal-plate-connected wood-truss handling, installation, restraint, and bracing.
• Gypsum Construction Handbook, 7th Edition
  The listed reference for gypsum products, drywall assemblies, installation, finishing, fire resistance, and sound control.
• Finish Carpenter’s Manual, Jim Tolpin, 1993
  The listed manual for finish-carpentry layout, fitting, trim, doors, windows, stairs, and cabinetry.
• The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Construction, 2001
  The listed illustrated reference for cabinet components, joinery, casework, frames, doors, drawers, and assembly.
• International Building Code, 2021
  The required listed code edition for building-code questions associated with the Carpentry examination.

Test Information and Study Materials

A practical study plan should devote the greatest amount of time to rough carpentry, formwork, and finish carpentry because these areas represent most of the examination. Begin with layout, measurements, floor systems, wall framing, roof construction, structural members, sheathing, fasteners, form construction, temporary supports, and bracing.

Truss preparation should include delivery, unloading, storage, lifting, placement, temporary restraint, permanent bracing, and jobsite stability. Candidates should understand the importance of following truss design documents and maintaining proper restraint during each stage of installation.

Finish-carpentry preparation should cover doors, windows, trim, moldings, stairs, railings, cabinetry, shelving, paneling, hardware, fitting, joining, and installation. Use the illustrated cabinet reference to review case construction, frames, panels, drawers, doors, joints, and assembly methods.

Drywall preparation should address gypsum panel types, framing, ceilings, partitions, fasteners, joints, finishing methods, fire-resistant assemblies, sound control, storage, handling, and installation. Candidates should understand how gypsum construction connects with building-code and safety requirements.

Use the International Building Code regularly. Become familiar with its definitions, chapters, tables, exceptions, structural provisions, interior-finish requirements, safeguards, accessibility rules, and means-of-egress provisions that may affect carpentry work.

Complete timed reference searches throughout the study period. Identify the central term in each practice question, select the most likely book, use the index or table of contents, and locate the supporting information. Repeating difficult searches can improve familiarity with the books and create a more efficient exam strategy.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep helps Mississippi Carpentry candidates begin with a complete, coordinated technical reference package. Instead of locating the seven publications from separate sources, customers receive the listed books together in one convenient order.

The package supports trade-focused review across framing, formwork, trusses, finish carpentry, drywall, cabinet construction, construction safety, and building-code requirements. Candidates can organize their study routine around the major areas covered by the examination.

Reference-navigation practice is an important part of preparing for an open-book contractor test. Candidates can use the books to learn chapter arrangements, recognize index terminology, interpret construction diagrams, locate code provisions, and verify answers to practice questions.

A practice-oriented approach helps candidates use the books as working exam references rather than passive reading materials. Review a subject, answer related questions, locate the supporting information, and repeat searches under timed conditions until the process becomes more familiar.

The book package does not guarantee a passing score, license approval, or examination outcome. It provides the technical reference collection needed to support organized study, realistic book-navigation practice, and a more confident approach to exam preparation.

How many books are included?

The package includes seven physical trade references covering OSHA safety, general carpentry, truss installation and bracing, gypsum construction, finish carpentry, furniture and cabinet construction, and the 2021 International Building Code.

Are the books highlighted and tabbed?

No. This is the standard Mississippi Carpentry Contractor Exam Book Package. Highlighting and permanent tabbing are not included.

Is this a rental package?

No. This product is a standard physical book package and is not identified as a rental program.

Does this package include an online course?

No. The package contains the seven listed physical references only. Online course access is not included.

Is the Mississippi Carpentry examination open book?

Yes. The examination is open book, subject to PSI’s current rules for permitted references, permanent tabs, markings, identification, and examination-room materials.

How many questions are on the examination?

The Mississippi Carpentry examination contains 60 questions. Candidates are allowed two hours and must earn a minimum score of 70 percent to pass.

Does the package include application service?

No. Applicants remain responsible for completing the Mississippi contractor application and submitting all required supporting documents.

Does the package include the Mississippi Law and Business book?

No. This package contains the references for the Carpentry trade examination. The Mississippi Law and Business Management reference must be obtained separately.

Do the books replace practical carpentry experience?

No. The references support technical review and exam preparation, but they do not replace carpentry education, supervised training, or practical field experience.

Does passing the examination automatically issue a license?

No. Passing the required examinations is one part of the licensing process. The Mississippi State Board of Contractors must also receive and approve the completed application and supporting documentation.