Mississippi Underground Utilities Contractor Exam Complete Highlighted & Tabbed Book Package

Prepare for the Mississippi Underground Utilities contractor examination with a complete set of professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed technical references. This package is designed for contractors and qualifying individuals who want an organized book set covering underground utility construction, excavation safety, ductile iron pipe, concrete pipe, box culverts, gas piping, utility-location requirements, and pipe-welding procedures.

The Mississippi Underground Utilities classification includes work involving water, sewer, and gas pipelines, along with excavation, grading, paving, trenchless construction, directional drilling, auger boring, jacking and boring, wet and dry taps, grouting, and slip lining. Candidates should be prepared to review practical construction procedures, safety requirements, pipe materials, installation methods, testing practices, and regulations related to work near existing underground facilities.

Every book in this package is professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed. Important safety requirements, installation procedures, technical standards, field practices, definitions, tables, diagrams, and testing information are marked to support focused review. Permanent tabs create visible navigation points that can help candidates move between frequently used sections more efficiently during study and an authorized open-book examination.

Preparing a seven-book reference set independently can require substantial time. Candidates must identify important sections, compare related requirements, and create an indexing system that remains practical under testing conditions. This complete package arrives prepared so students can begin reviewing the technical material and practicing reference navigation without first spending hours organizing the books.

The included references address OSHA construction safety, ductile iron pipe installation, concrete pipe and box culvert installation, excavation methods, Mississippi excavation regulations, gas transmission and distribution piping, and pipe-welding procedures. Together, they provide broad support for the major subjects associated with the Mississippi Underground Utilities trade examination.

This listing includes the complete highlighted and tabbed technical book package only. Online course access, book rental, refundable deposits, contractor application service, business formation, EIN filing, and Mississippi Law and Business Management materials are not included.

Please allow up to 15 business days for tabbed and highlighted book package orders.

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 examination authorization before scheduling a testing appointment.

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 examination covers several technical areas related to underground utility construction:

• Construction Safety: OSHA excavation requirements, trench protection, access and egress, personal protective equipment, tools, machinery, lifting, material handling, and common jobsite hazards.
• General Underground Utility Knowledge: Construction methods, pipeline materials, terminology, tools, project coordination, equipment, and accepted field practices.
• Concrete Pipe and Box Culvert Installation: Handling, foundations, bedding, placement, alignment, joints, backfilling, compaction, inspection, and installation practices.
• Ductile Iron Pipe Installation: Unloading, storage, trench preparation, bedding, placement, joining, fittings, restraints, testing, backfilling, and inspection.
• Excavation and Grading: Soil conditions, trenching, slopes, protective systems, equipment selection, dewatering, elevations, grading, backfill, and compaction.
• Pipe Welding: Pipe preparation, joint alignment, welding positions, electrodes, root passes, filler passes, cover passes, technique, and inspection.
• Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping: Materials, design, construction, joining, welding, testing, inspection, operation, and safety requirements.
• Mississippi Excavation Regulations: Utility-location notices, facility marking, damage prevention, excavator duties, operator responsibilities, emergency work, and work near underground facilities.

Ductile iron pipe and concrete pipe installation represent important areas of preparation. Candidates should understand the complete installation sequence, including unloading, storage, trench preparation, bedding, pipe placement, alignment, joining, testing, backfilling, compaction, and final inspection.

Excavation safety and gas-piping requirements also require focused review. Candidates should be comfortable recognizing trench hazards, selecting protective systems, understanding safe access, interpreting technical standards, and applying proper procedures to underground construction work.

The examination may include questions developed from listed references as well as questions based on general trade knowledge and accepted construction practices. Candidates should understand the technical concepts rather than relying entirely on finding every answer during the exam.

The Mississippi State Board of Contractors determines all examinations required for each applicant. A separate Mississippi Law and Business Management examination may also apply to the licensing process. The NASCLA Mississippi business and law guide is not included in this technical book package.

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 approved 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 the books during the examination session.

The books in this package arrive professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed. The prepared set helps organize information involving OSHA safety, ductile iron pipe, concrete pipe, box culverts, excavation, Mississippi utility-location regulations, gas piping, and pipe welding.

Open-book testing still requires technical preparation and time management. 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 can quickly consume valuable testing time.

Candidates should practice identifying the subject before opening a reference. A trench-safety question may require 29 CFR Part 1926. A ductile iron pipe question involving bedding, joints, restraints, or backfill may lead to the installation guide. Concrete pipe and box culvert questions may require the related installation reference.

Questions involving excavation equipment, grading, dewatering, production, or compaction may lead to Pipe and Excavation Contracting. Gas-pipeline questions may require ASME B31.8. Welding questions may lead to Pipe Welding Procedures, while questions involving notices and utility markings may require the Mississippi excavation regulation.

Use the permanent tabs together with each book’s table of contents, index, section headings, diagrams, tables, and technical terminology. Repeated navigation practice can help candidates select the correct reference and locate information more efficiently.

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 application. Complete the Mississippi contractor application that applies to the planned work and business structure.
3. Designate the qualifying individual. Identify the person who will complete the examinations assigned to the contractor applicant.
4. Gather supporting documents. Prepare the requested business, ownership, qualifying-party, experience, insurance, and other application materials.
5. Submit the application. Send the completed application and required documents to the Mississippi State Board of Contractors.
6. Respond to application requests. Provide missing information, corrections, explanations, or additional documentation requested during review.
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 eligibility confirmation before scheduling the examination.
9. Prepare with the technical references. Use the highlighted and tabbed books to review installation methods, excavation safety, utility regulations, gas systems, and welding procedures.
10. Practice open-book navigation. Work through timed questions and learn which reference applies to each exam subject.
11. Take the required examinations. Bring acceptable identification and the authorized books while following PSI’s current testing-center procedures.
12. Complete the remaining licensing requirements. Passing the examinations is one part of the 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 classifications. Underground Utilities is a tested specialty classification.

The classification covers water, sewer, and gas pipeline installation, along with excavation, grading, and paving. It 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 requested classification, business information, qualifying-party details, experience, insurance, and supporting documentation before establishing examination eligibility.

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

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

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

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

After licensing, contractors must operate within the approved classification and maintain current business and qualifying-party information. Underground utility work may also require compliance with local permits, utility-owner requirements, project specifications, excavation-notification rules, environmental requirements, and applicable safety regulations.

Reference Books

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA), with Latest Available Amendments
  This federal construction-safety reference covers excavation, trench protection, access and egress, personal protective equipment, ladders, tools, machinery, material handling, cranes, rigging, welding, and other jobsite requirements relevant to underground utility construction. The included copy is professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed.
• Installation Guide for Ductile Iron Pipe
  This installation reference addresses unloading, storage, trench preparation, bedding, pipe placement, joining, fittings, restraints, testing, backfilling, inspection, and recommended practices for ductile iron pipe systems. The included copy is professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed.
• 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. The included copy is professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed.
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting
  This field-oriented reference covers excavation planning, equipment selection, trenching, grading, dewatering, pipe installation, production, backfill, compaction, estimating, and practical underground construction methods. The included copy is professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed.
• 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 utility facilities. The included copy is professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed.
• 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. The included copy is professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed.
• Pipe Welding Procedures, 2003
  This specialized welding reference covers pipe preparation, alignment, joint design, positions, electrodes, root passes, filler passes, cover passes, technique, troubleshooting, and procedures used to produce sound pipe welds. The included copy is professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed.

The seven books work together to cover the technical scope of underground utility construction. No single reference addresses every subject. Candidates should understand the purpose of each title and practice selecting the correct source based on the topic of a question.

Exam Room Approved Books

The following professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed references are included for use with the Mississippi Underground Utilities trade examination:

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA), with Latest Available Amendments
• Installation Guide for Ductile Iron Pipe
• Concrete Pipe and Box Culvert Installation, 2019
• Pipe and Excavation Contracting
• State of Mississippi Regulation of Excavation, Chapter 13
• ASME B31.8 Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems, 2018
• Pipe Welding Procedures, 2003

Candidates should compare their references with the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin in effect on the examination date and bring only the books authorized for the scheduled test.

The books may be inspected before admission to the testing room. Loose papers, removable notes, temporary tabs, unauthorized inserts, and other prohibited materials should not be placed inside the references.

Practicing with the same highlighted and tabbed copies before the examination can help candidates become familiar with the page layouts, chapter order, permanent tabs, and location of frequently reviewed information.

Test Information and Study Materials

Begin preparation by dividing the examination into its major technical categories. Create separate review sessions for OSHA safety, general utility construction, ductile iron pipe, concrete pipe, excavation, gas systems, welding, and Mississippi excavation regulations.

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

Use the ductile iron pipe guide to review unloading, storage, trench preparation, bedding, placement, joining, fittings, restraints, testing, backfill, and inspection. Understand how each installation step affects pipe performance and system reliability.

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

Use Pipe and Excavation Contracting for excavation methods, equipment selection, grading, dewatering, production, pipe installation, backfill, and compaction. Use Chapter 13 to review notice requirements, facility marking, damage prevention, and excavator responsibilities.

Use ASME B31.8 to prepare for gas transmission and distribution piping questions. Use Pipe Welding Procedures to review joint preparation, alignment, positions, electrodes, root passes, filler passes, cover passes, and common welding problems.

Complete practice questions under timed conditions. Identify the topic before selecting a reference, then use the tabs, index, and headings to locate the relevant information. This approach can reduce unnecessary searching and improve time management.

Review missed questions carefully. Determine whether the error came from limited trade knowledge, selecting the wrong book, misreading a technical requirement, overlooking a procedure step, misunderstanding terminology, or spending too much time searching.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep supports Mississippi Underground Utilities candidates with professionally organized references designed for focused study and practical open-book preparation. A seven-book technical set can be difficult to organize without a clear system, especially for candidates who are unfamiliar with the structure of the references.

The professional highlighting directs attention to important construction procedures, safety requirements, installation practices, gas-piping standards, excavation rules, and welding information. Permanent tabs provide visible access points for major subjects and frequently reviewed sections.

The prepared books also support practice-oriented study. Candidates can work through technical questions, locate applicable requirements, compare related procedures, and become familiar with the references before entering the testing center.

Reference navigation is especially important for an open-book examination supported by several technical publications. Candidates should know which book applies to each subject and how to use indexes, tables of contents, diagrams, code sections, technical terms, and permanent tabs efficiently.

Highlighted and tabbed references are valuable study tools, but they do not replace trade knowledge, careful reading, consistent review, or timed practice. Candidates should study the full scope of the examination and avoid relying only on marked passages.

No book package guarantees a passing examination score, testing eligibility, or contractor license. This package provides a professionally organized technical reference set designed to support structured preparation and more confident open-book navigation.

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 excavation regulations, ASME B31.8 2018, and Pipe Welding Procedures 2003.

Are the books highlighted and tabbed?

Yes. Every included book is professionally highlighted and permanently tabbed for organized study and efficient open-book navigation.

How long will the order take?

Please allow up to 15 business days for tabbed and highlighted book package orders.

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.

How many questions are on the examination?

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

What topics are covered on the exam?

The exam covers construction safety, underground utility knowledge, ductile iron pipe, concrete pipe and box culverts, excavation, gas systems, pipe welding, and Mississippi excavation regulations.

Are permanent tabs permitted in the testing center?

Approved references may be organized with permanent tabs. Candidates should follow PSI’s current rules for tabs, notes, inserts, highlighting, and book condition.

Can I write in the books during the examination?

No. References may be prepared before the examination, but candidates may not write in them during testing.

Does this package include Mississippi business and law materials?

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

Does the package include an online course?

No. This listing includes the complete highlighted and tabbed technical book package only.

Are these rental books?

No rental period or refundable deposit is included. This product is presented as a complete highlighted and tabbed book package.

Does purchasing this package guarantee that I will pass?

No. The prepared references support study and navigation, but examination results depend on the candidate’s knowledge, preparation, time management, and performance.