Mississippi Underground Utilities Contractor Book Package

Prepare for the Mississippi Underground Utilities contractor examination with a complete technical reference package covering excavation safety, ductile iron pipe, concrete pipe, box culverts, gas transmission and distribution systems, pipe welding, and work near existing underground utility facilities.

The Mississippi Underground Utilities Contractor Book Package brings together seven references selected to support study across the principal subjects associated with the trade examination. These books provide information on underground pipeline construction, trenching, grading, pipe installation, backfilling, compaction, utility-location responsibilities, jobsite safety, gas-piping standards, and welding procedures.

The Mississippi Underground Utilities specialty classification involves water, sewer, and gas pipeline installation, together with excavation, grading, and paving. Its scope also includes directional drilling, auger boring, jacking and boring, trenchless technologies, wet and dry taps, grouting, and slip lining.

Candidates preparing for this classification should understand more than a single type of pipe or installation method. The examination may address ductile iron pipe, concrete pipe, box culverts, excavation equipment, soil conditions, protective systems, gas distribution piping, welding, Mississippi excavation regulations, and general underground construction practices.

The included OSHA reference supports review of excavation and construction safety. The ductile iron and concrete pipe guides address installation practices for major pipeline materials. Pipe and Excavation Contracting provides broader field-oriented construction guidance, while Mississippi Chapter 13 addresses responsibilities associated with excavating near underground utility facilities.

ASME B31.8 supports preparation involving gas transmission and distribution piping systems. Pipe Welding Procedures provides focused information on pipe preparation, alignment, welding positions, passes, electrodes, techniques, and common field procedures.

This listing includes the standard Underground Utilities technical book package. Professional highlighting, permanent tabs, online course access, rental terms, refundable deposits, Application Service, business formation, EIN filing, and Mississippi Law and Business Management materials are not included.

Exam Details

The Mississippi Underground Utilities contractor examination is administered by PSI after the Mississippi State Board of Contractors establishes the candidate’s eligibility. Applicants must complete the appropriate contractor license application and receive authorization before scheduling the examination.

The Underground Utilities examination contains 50 questions. Candidates receive 2 hours to complete the test and must earn a minimum score of 70 percent to pass.

The official examination outline includes the following subject areas:

• Safety - Code of Federal Regulations: 6 questions involving OSHA construction requirements, excavation hazards, protective systems, access and egress, personal protective equipment, tools, machinery, and material handling.
• General Knowledge: 4 questions addressing underground utility terminology, materials, tools, equipment, construction methods, project coordination, and general field practices.
• Underground Utilities - Concrete Pipe Installation: 9 questions covering concrete pipe and box culvert foundations, bedding, handling, placement, joints, alignment, backfilling, compaction, and inspection.
• Underground Utilities - Ductile Pipe Installation: 9 questions involving unloading, storage, trench preparation, bedding, pipe placement, joints, fittings, restraints, testing, backfill, and installation practices.
• Excavating and Grading: 7 questions addressing soil conditions, trenching, grading, excavation equipment, dewatering, slopes, protective systems, backfill, and compaction.
• Welding: 4 questions involving pipe preparation, alignment, joint design, welding positions, electrodes, root passes, filler passes, cover passes, and safe procedures.
• Underground Utilities - Gas: 8 questions covering gas transmission and distribution piping, materials, construction, joining, welding, testing, inspection, operation, and safety.
• Mississippi One-Call: 3 questions involving excavation notices, facility marking, utility-location responsibilities, damage prevention, operator duties, and excavator responsibilities.

Concrete pipe and ductile iron pipe installation account for 18 of the examination’s 50 questions. Candidates should devote substantial preparation time to the complete pipe-installation sequence, from unloading and trench preparation through joining, testing, backfilling, compaction, and final inspection.

Gas-piping systems, excavation, grading, and OSHA safety also represent important parts of the examination. Candidates should understand how technical standards, safe-work requirements, and practical construction procedures apply to underground utility projects.

The examination may include questions developed from the listed references and questions based on trade knowledge or general industry practices. Effective preparation should combine careful reading with practical understanding and repeated reference use.

The Mississippi State Board of Contractors determines every examination assigned to an applicant. The Mississippi Law and Business Management examination may also be required. This package contains the Underground Utilities technical references only and does not include the Mississippi NASCLA business and law guide.

Open Book Test

The Mississippi Underground Utilities contractor examination is an open-book test. Candidates may bring authorized references into the examination center, subject to PSI’s current rules for books and testing-room materials.

Approved references may be highlighted, underlined, and indexed before the examination. Permanent tabs are permitted. Temporary tabs, removable notes, loose papers, and unauthorized attached materials are not allowed. Candidates may not write in their references during the examination.

Open-book testing provides access to technical information, but it does not eliminate the need for study. With 50 questions and two hours available, candidates have an average of approximately two minutes and twenty-four seconds for each question.

Searching randomly through seven books for every answer can consume valuable time. Candidates should learn which reference is most likely to address each subject before attempting timed practice.

A question involving trench safety, protective systems, excavation access, spoil placement, or personal protective equipment may require 29 CFR Part 1926. A question involving ductile iron pipe bedding, joints, fittings, restraints, testing, or backfill may lead to the ductile iron pipe installation guide.

Concrete pipe and box culvert questions may require Concrete Pipe and Box Culvert Installation. Questions involving excavation equipment, grading, dewatering, production, backfill, or compaction may lead to Pipe and Excavation Contracting.

Gas transmission and distribution questions may require ASME B31.8. Welding questions may lead to Pipe Welding Procedures, while Mississippi notice, marking, and damage-prevention questions may require Chapter 13.

Use each book’s table of contents, index, section headings, tables, diagrams, and technical terminology during preparation. Practice identifying the subject, selecting the correct reference, and locating the relevant section under timed conditions.

Licensing Steps

1. Review the Underground Utilities classification. Confirm that it matches the water, sewer, gas pipeline, excavation, grading, paving, boring, trenchless, tapping, grouting, and slip-lining work the business intends to perform.
2. Select the appropriate contractor application. Complete the Mississippi commercial or residential application that applies to the intended work and licensing situation.
3. Designate a qualifying individual. Identify the person who will complete the examinations assigned to the contractor applicant.
4. Gather supporting documentation. Prepare the requested business, ownership, qualifying-party, experience, insurance, and other application materials.
5. Submit the application. Send the completed application and required supporting documents to the Mississippi State Board of Contractors.
6. Respond to application requests. Provide missing information, corrections, explanations, or additional documents requested during the review process.
7. Receive examination eligibility. The Board determines which examinations apply and sends the qualifying individual’s eligibility information to PSI.
8. Receive PSI scheduling instructions. Wait for the eligibility confirmation before registering for an examination appointment.
9. Study the technical references. Review OSHA safety, excavation, ductile iron pipe, concrete pipe, gas systems, utility-location regulations, and pipe-welding procedures.
10. Practice open-book navigation. Complete timed questions while learning which book and section apply to each technical subject.
11. Take the assigned examinations. Bring acceptable identification and the authorized reference materials while following PSI’s testing-center procedures.
12. Complete the remaining requirements. Passing an examination is one part of the licensing process. The Board must approve the complete application before issuing a contractor license.

State Requirements

The Mississippi State Board of Contractors regulates commercial contractors, residential contractors, roofers, and specialty contractor classifications. Underground Utilities is a tested specialty classification.

The classification includes water, sewer, and gas pipeline installation, plus excavation, grading, and paving. Its scope also includes directional drilling, auger boring, jacking and boring, trenchless technologies, wet and dry taps, grouting, and slip lining.

Applicants must submit the appropriate contractor license application before testing. The Board reviews the classification request, business information, qualifying-party details, experience, insurance, and supporting documentation before establishing examination eligibility.

Each contractor applicant must designate a qualifying individual. That person completes the examinations assigned to the company and must maintain the relationship with the licensed business required by the Board.

Documentation may be needed to establish ownership, officer status, employment, or another accepted relationship between the qualifying individual and the contractor applicant. The Board determines whether the submitted information satisfies its requirements.

PSI administers the contractor examinations, but the Mississippi State Board of Contractors retains authority over eligibility, applicant qualifications, classification approval, examination assignments, and license issuance.

Passing the Underground Utilities examination does not automatically issue a contractor license. Applicants must satisfy all applicable application, business, insurance, experience, qualifying-party, examination, and Board-review requirements.

After licensing, contractors must work within the classification issued by the Board. Individual projects may also require local permits, utility-owner approvals, excavation notices, environmental compliance, traffic-control measures, inspections, and project-specific safety procedures.

Reference Books

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  This federal construction-safety reference covers excavation, trench protective systems, access and egress, personal protective equipment, ladders, tools, machinery, material handling, cranes, rigging, welding, and other jobsite requirements relevant to underground utility work.
• Installation Guide for Ductile Iron Pipe
  This installation reference addresses unloading, storage, trench preparation, bedding, pipe placement, joints, fittings, restraints, testing, backfilling, inspection, and recommended practices for ductile iron pipe systems.
• Concrete Pipe and Box Culvert Installation, 2019
  This guide covers concrete pipe and box culvert handling, foundations, bedding, placement, alignment, joints, lift holes, backfilling, compaction, inspection, and field installation procedures.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  This field-oriented reference covers excavation planning, equipment selection, trenching, grading, pipe installation, dewatering, production, estimating, backfill, compaction, and practical underground construction methods.
• State of Mississippi Regulation of Excavation, Chapter 13 - Regulation of Excavations Near Underground Utility Facilities
  This Mississippi regulation addresses excavation notices, utility-location responsibilities, marking, damage prevention, emergency work, excavator duties, operator responsibilities, and procedures for work near underground facilities.
• ASME Code for Pressure Piping - B31.8 - Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems, 2018
  This technical code addresses materials, design, construction, joining, welding, assembly, inspection, testing, operation, and maintenance requirements for gas transmission and distribution piping systems.
• Pipe Welding Procedures, 2003
  This specialized welding reference covers pipe preparation, alignment, joint design, welding positions, electrodes, root passes, filler passes, cover passes, technique, troubleshooting, and procedures used to produce sound pipe welds.

The seven references serve different but connected purposes. OSHA establishes construction-safety requirements. The installation guides address specific pipe and culvert systems. The excavation reference provides broader field guidance, while Mississippi Chapter 13 addresses responsibilities near existing underground facilities.

ASME B31.8 supports preparation involving gas-piping systems, and Pipe Welding Procedures provides focused information on joining pipe through welding. Candidates should study the books as a coordinated reference set rather than treating each title as an isolated subject.

Test Information and Study Materials

Begin preparation by dividing the examination into its eight content areas. Create separate study sessions for construction safety, general knowledge, concrete pipe, ductile iron pipe, excavation and grading, welding, gas utilities, and Mississippi excavation regulations.

Use 29 CFR Part 1926 to review excavation hazards, soil conditions, protective systems, access and egress, spoil placement, equipment exposure, personal protective equipment, material handling, and welding safety. Connect the requirements to practical underground utility operations.

Use the ductile iron pipe guide to review unloading, storage, trench preparation, bedding, placement, joints, fittings, restraints, testing, backfill, and inspection. Understand how each installation step affects alignment, support, system integrity, and long-term performance.

Use the concrete pipe and box culvert guide to study foundations, bedding, placement, joints, alignment, lift holes, backfill, compaction, and inspection. Pay attention to procedures that help maintain line, grade, structural support, and proper load distribution.

Use Pipe and Excavation Contracting for excavation methods, equipment selection, grading, dewatering, production, pipe installation, backfilling, and compaction. Connect the field procedures to the safety requirements found in the OSHA reference.

Use Chapter 13 to review excavation notices, marking responsibilities, damage prevention, emergency procedures, and the duties of excavators and utility operators. Candidates should understand the responsibilities that apply before and during excavation near underground facilities.

Use ASME B31.8 to prepare for gas transmission and distribution piping questions. Review materials, construction, joining, welding, inspection, testing, operation, and safety. Use Pipe Welding Procedures for detailed preparation involving joint setup, alignment, positions, passes, electrodes, technique, and common problems.

Complete practice questions under timed conditions. Identify the topic before selecting a reference, then use the index, headings, diagrams, and tables to locate the applicable information. Review missed questions to determine whether the issue involved trade knowledge, interpretation, book selection, or time management.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep supports Mississippi Underground Utilities candidates through organized study guidance, trade-focused review, practice-oriented preparation, and reference-navigation strategies. A coordinated book package provides the technical foundation needed to review the wide range of construction and safety subjects connected to the exam.

Organized preparation helps candidates divide the material into manageable areas. Safety, concrete pipe, ductile iron pipe, excavation, gas systems, welding, and Mississippi excavation requirements can be studied separately before being combined through practice questions.

Trade-focused review helps candidates connect reference information to the work performed by underground utility contractors. This includes trench preparation, bedding, pipe placement, joining, testing, backfilling, compaction, welding, utility-location responsibilities, and safe equipment operation.

Practice-oriented preparation encourages candidates to apply technical information instead of relying only on passive reading. Working through questions can reveal weak areas, improve interpretation, and strengthen the ability to select the correct book.

Reference navigation is particularly important for an open-book examination supported by several publications. Candidates should become familiar with each book’s table of contents, index, headings, diagrams, technical language, and overall organization.

No book package guarantees a passing examination score, testing eligibility, or contractor license. Results depend on the candidate’s experience, knowledge, preparation, reference-navigation skills, time management, application status, and examination performance.

FAQ Section

What books are included in this package?

The package includes 29 CFR Part 1926, the Installation Guide for Ductile Iron Pipe, Concrete Pipe and Box Culvert Installation 2019, Pipe and Excavation Contracting, Mississippi Chapter 13, ASME B31.8 2018, and Pipe Welding Procedures 2003.

How many questions are on the Underground Utilities exam?

The examination contains 50 questions. Candidates receive two hours and must earn a minimum score of 70 percent.

Is the Mississippi Underground Utilities examination open book?

Yes. Candidates may use authorized references during the examination, subject to PSI’s current testing-center rules.

Are the books highlighted and tabbed?

No. Professional highlighting and permanent tabs are not included with this standard book package.

Does the package include an online course?

No. This listing includes the seven Underground Utilities technical references only.

Does this package include Mississippi business and law materials?

No. The NASCLA Mississippi business and law guide is not included in this trade-exam book package.

Are these rental books?

No rental period or refundable deposit is included. This product is presented as a standard Underground Utilities contractor book package.

What work does the Underground Utilities classification cover?

The classification covers water, sewer, and gas pipelines, excavation, grading, paving, directional drilling, boring, trenchless technologies, taps, grouting, and slip lining.

Do I need Board approval before scheduling the exam?

Yes. The Mississippi State Board of Contractors must establish the qualifying individual’s eligibility before PSI permits examination scheduling.

Does purchasing this package guarantee that I will pass?

No. The books support preparation, but results depend on the candidate’s trade knowledge, study effort, reference-navigation skills, time management, and examination performance.