Mississippi Underground Utilities Contractor - Online Exam Prep Course

Prepare for the Mississippi Underground Utilities contractor examination with an online course focused on the technical knowledge, safety requirements, and reference-navigation skills associated with underground utility construction. This course organizes a broad examination scope into manageable study areas covering OSHA safety, ductile iron pipe, concrete pipe and box culverts, excavation, grading, gas piping, utility damage prevention, and pipe-welding procedures.

The Mississippi Underground Utilities specialty classification involves water, sewer, and gas pipeline installation, along 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 examination should understand the complete underground construction process. Important areas include site preparation, excavation safety, trench protection, bedding, pipe handling, alignment, joining, testing, backfilling, compaction, grading, utility-location responsibilities, gas transmission and distribution systems, and welding procedures.

The Mississippi Underground Utilities Contractor Online Exam Prep Course provides structured, trade-focused review rather than leaving candidates to work through several technical publications without direction. Lessons and practice-oriented materials help connect examination subjects to the references used for preparation.

The course also supports open-book navigation. Candidates learn to recognize which reference is most likely to address a question and how to use tables of contents, indexes, headings, diagrams, standards sections, and technical terminology more efficiently.

This product includes the online Underground Utilities trade exam prep course only. Printed reference books, highlighted books, permanent tabs, book rentals, refundable deposits, Application Service, business formation, EIN filing, and Mississippi Law and Business Management preparation are not included unless specifically stated in another package.

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 submit the appropriate contractor license application and receive testing authorization before scheduling the examination.

The Underground Utilities trade 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 the following technical subject areas:

• Safety - Code of Federal Regulations: OSHA construction requirements, trench hazards, excavation protection, access and egress, personal protective equipment, machinery, tools, lifting, and material handling.
• General Knowledge: Underground utility terminology, pipeline materials, tools, equipment, construction methods, project coordination, and general field practices.
• Concrete Pipe and Box Culvert Installation: Foundations, bedding, handling, placement, alignment, joints, lift holes, backfilling, compaction, and inspection.
• Ductile Iron Pipe Installation: Unloading, storage, trench preparation, bedding, placement, joints, fittings, restraints, testing, backfill, and recommended installation practices.
• Excavating and Grading: Soil conditions, trenching, slopes, protective systems, equipment selection, elevations, dewatering, grading, backfill, and compaction.
• Pipe Welding: Pipe preparation, alignment, joint design, welding positions, electrodes, root passes, filler passes, cover passes, technique, and inspection.
• Underground Gas Utilities: Gas transmission and distribution piping, materials, construction, joining, welding, testing, inspection, operation, and safety.
• Mississippi Excavation Regulations: Excavation notices, utility marking, location responsibilities, damage prevention, emergency work, operator duties, and excavator responsibilities.

Concrete pipe and ductile iron pipe installation represent significant portions of the examination. Candidates should understand the full installation sequence, beginning with unloading and storage and continuing through trench preparation, bedding, placement, joining, testing, backfilling, compaction, and inspection.

Gas-piping systems, excavation, grading, and construction safety also require focused preparation. Candidates should be comfortable applying technical standards, recognizing unsafe conditions, choosing appropriate installation procedures, and understanding the responsibilities involved when working near existing underground facilities.

The examination may include questions developed from the listed references as well as questions based on practical trade knowledge and accepted construction practices. Candidates should build a working understanding of the material rather than relying entirely on locating every answer during the test.

The Mississippi State Board of Contractors determines every examination assigned to an applicant. A separate Mississippi Law and Business Management examination may also be required. This course focuses on preparation for the Underground Utilities trade examination.

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.

Open-book testing provides access to technical information, but it does not remove the need for preparation. Candidates must identify the subject of a question, choose the correct book, locate the relevant section, interpret the information, and select an answer within the allotted time.

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 references for every answer can make it difficult to complete the examination.

The course helps candidates connect examination subjects with the appropriate references. A question involving trench protection, access, spoil placement, or personal protective equipment may require 29 CFR Part 1926. A question about ductile iron pipe joints, fittings, restraints, bedding, or testing 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 methods, grading, equipment, 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 questions involving notices, marking, damage prevention, and responsibilities near existing facilities may require the Mississippi excavation regulation.

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

Students should prepare with the same references they plan to use at the testing center. Familiarity with each book’s organization, index, terminology, diagrams, tables, and section structure can improve reference-navigation speed.

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 confirmation of eligibility before scheduling the examination.
9. Prepare for the trade exam. Use the online course, official content outline, approved references, and practice-oriented study methods to review the technical subjects.
10. Prepare the reference books. Organize authorized books according to PSI’s current rules and practice locating information before test day.
11. Take the assigned examinations. Bring acceptable identification and approved materials while following all 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 contractor classifications. Underground Utilities is a tested specialty classification.

The classification includes 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.

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. 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 contractor applicant. The Board determines whether the submitted information satisfies its licensing requirements.

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

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

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

Reference Books

The following references support preparation for the Mississippi Underground Utilities examination. Printed books are not included with this online course.

• 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, joining, fittings, restraints, testing, backfilling, inspection, and recommended ductile iron pipe practices.
• 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 references work together to cover the broad technical scope of the examination. No single title addresses every subject. Candidates should learn the purpose and organization of each book before beginning timed practice.

Exam Room Approved Books

The following technical references are associated with preparation and approved reference use for the Mississippi Underground Utilities trade examination:

• Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
• 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 books with the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin in effect on the examination date. Only the references and editions authorized for the scheduled examination should be brought into the testing center.

Books may be inspected before admission to the testing room. Candidates should remove loose papers, temporary tabs, removable notes, and unauthorized inserts before arriving for the examination.

The online course does not include printed copies of the approved references. Candidates are responsible for obtaining the books needed for study and exam-room use.

Test Information and Study Materials

Begin preparation by dividing the exam into its major content areas. Create separate study sessions for construction safety, general underground utility knowledge, concrete pipe, ductile iron pipe, excavation and grading, welding, gas systems, and Mississippi excavation regulations.

Use 29 CFR Part 1926 to review excavation hazards, protective systems, soil conditions, access and egress, spoil placement, equipment exposure, personal protective equipment, material handling, and welding safety. Connect each safety rule to practical underground construction activities.

Use the ductile iron pipe guide to study unloading, storage, trench preparation, bedding, placement, joining, fittings, restraints, testing, backfilling, and inspection. Review the reasons behind each installation step instead of memorizing isolated terms.

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

Use Pipe and Excavation Contracting for excavation methods, grading, equipment selection, dewatering, production, pipe installation, backfill, and compaction. Compare practical field procedures with the OSHA requirements that control safe performance.

Use Chapter 13 to study excavation notices, utility-location requests, facility marking, damage prevention, emergency procedures, and the responsibilities of excavators and utility operators.

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 study of joint preparation, alignment, welding positions, passes, electrodes, and common problems.

Complete practice questions under timed conditions. Identify the subject before selecting a book, and then use the index, headings, diagrams, or standards sections to locate the relevant information. Review every missed answer and determine why the error occurred.

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 instruction. The course turns a broad technical reference list into a more manageable preparation plan.

Trade-focused lessons help candidates review the subjects connected to actual underground utility work, including trench preparation, pipe handling, bedding, joining, testing, backfilling, compaction, welding, gas systems, safety, and utility damage prevention.

Practice-oriented preparation encourages students to apply technical information rather than relying only on passive reading. Working through exam-style questions can expose weak areas, improve interpretation, and strengthen the ability to choose the correct procedure or reference.

Reference-navigation guidance supports the open-book examination format. Candidates can practice recognizing which book applies to a question and using tables of contents, indexes, diagrams, headings, technical terminology, and standards sections efficiently.

The organized study structure also helps candidates build consistency. Students can divide the material into manageable topics, revisit difficult subjects, complete timed review, and develop a clearer strategy for examination day.

No online course guarantees a passing examination score, testing eligibility, licensing approval, or contractor license. Results depend on the candidate’s trade knowledge, study effort, application status, reference-navigation skills, time management, and examination performance.

FAQ Section

What does the Mississippi Underground Utilities online course cover?

The course covers OSHA safety, general underground construction, ductile iron pipe, concrete pipe and box culverts, excavation, grading, gas systems, pipe welding, Mississippi excavation regulations, and open-book navigation.

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 exam open book?

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

Are printed reference books included with the course?

No. This product includes the online exam prep course only. Printed references must be obtained separately.

Are highlighted and tabbed books included?

No. Highlighted and tabbed books are available through separately listed book packages and rental packages.

Does this course include Mississippi business and law preparation?

No. This course focuses on the Underground Utilities trade examination. Mississippi Law and Business Management preparation is available through separate products and packages.

Will the course help me use the reference books?

Yes. The preparation includes guidance for identifying the appropriate reference and locating technical information more efficiently during open-book study and practice.

Do I need Board approval before scheduling the examination?

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

What work is covered by the Underground Utilities classification?

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

Does completing the course issue a contractor license?

No. Applicants must complete the state application process, pass the examinations assigned to them, satisfy the applicable requirements, and receive approval from the Mississippi State Board of Contractors.

Does the course guarantee that I will pass?

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