At a Glance
Quick Answer
Mississippi does not have a state prevailing wage law. Federal Davis-Bacon Act still applies to federally funded construction projects over $2,000.
Mississippi has never enacted a state prevailing wage law. Only federally funded construction projects are subject to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements.
Context
Prevailing Wage & Bidding in Mississippi
Mississippi has never enacted a state prevailing wage law, so contractors bidding state, county, or municipal work in Mississippi are not required to pay state-mandated prevailing rates. For purely state- or locally funded projects, you price labor at competitive market wages, which gives Mississippi bidders meaningful flexibility on the single largest variable in most estimates. There is no state certified-payroll obligation and no state agency administering a prevailing wage program, so your compliance burden on non-federal work is comparatively light.
The critical exception is federal funding. Whenever a project in Mississippi receives federal money over $2,000, the federal Davis-Bacon Act governs, and you must pay no less than the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage and fringe rates published for the locality and trade. On Davis-Bacon work you must also submit weekly certified payroll (Form WH-347 or equivalent) to the contracting agency, classify workers correctly, and pay fringe benefits in cash or qualifying plans. Federally assisted highway, water, housing, and infrastructure work routinely triggers these rules, so confirm the funding source before you finalize labor pricing.
The practical pitfall is bidding a federally funded Mississippi job at open-market wages and then being forced to pay Davis-Bacon rates after award, which erodes margin and exposes you to back-wage liability, withheld payments, and potential federal debarment. Read the bid documents for any wage determination attachment, identify the funding stream early, and build the correct labor basis into your number. When in doubt, treat a project as Davis-Bacon-covered until you confirm otherwise.
Details
Coverage Details
State Status
- Law
- No state prevailing wage law
- Agency
- N/A — No state prevailing wage program
- Certified Payroll
- Not required at state level
Federal Davis-Bacon Coverage
The federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to all federally funded or federally assisted construction contracts over $2,000 in Mississippi. This includes projects funded by federal agencies, FHWA highway projects, HUD housing, and projects receiving federal grants.
Reference
Key Facts
No state prevailing wage law has ever been enacted in Mississippi
Federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to federally funded projects over $2,000
Mississippi is one of the states that has never had state-level prevailing wage requirements
Enforcement
Penalties
Federal Davis-Bacon penalties apply to federally funded projects only.
Resources
Related Tools & Templates
Turn wage rules into bid-ready alerts
Use ConstructionBids.ai to track matching public projects, save bid searches, and move wage-sensitive scopes into your estimating workflow.
FAQ
Questions Contractors Ask
Does Mississippi have a prevailing wage law?
No. Mississippi does not have a state prevailing wage law. Mississippi has never enacted a state prevailing wage law. Only federally funded construction projects are subject to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements.
Does Davis-Bacon apply in Mississippi?
Yes. The federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to all federally funded construction projects over $2,000 in Mississippi, regardless of state law. Contractors must pay the prevailing wage rate determined by the DOL for the project location.
Is certified payroll required in Mississippi?
Mississippi does not have a state-level certified payroll requirement. However, certified payroll (WH-347) is still required on any federal Davis-Bacon project in the state.
What are the penalties for prevailing wage violations in Mississippi?
Federal Davis-Bacon penalties apply to federally funded projects only.
Does Mississippi require prevailing wages on state-funded construction?
No. Mississippi has never enacted a state prevailing wage law, so projects funded solely with state or local money carry no state-mandated wage rates and no state certified-payroll requirement. Contractors may price labor at competitive market rates on those jobs, subject only to federal minimum wage and standard labor laws.
When does Davis-Bacon apply to a Mississippi project?
Federal Davis-Bacon requirements attach when a construction project receives federal funding and exceeds $2,000. At that point you must pay the published locality and trade prevailing wage plus fringes and submit weekly certified payroll to the contracting agency, regardless of Mississippi having no state law of its own.
How do I avoid underbidding a federally funded job in Mississippi?
Identify the funding source before pricing. If any federal money is involved, pull the applicable Davis-Bacon wage determination from the solicitation and base your labor on those rates and fringes. Treating an unclear project as covered until proven otherwise prevents post-award margin loss and back-wage exposure.