How Much Does It Cost to Start a Business in Mississippi?
Last updated: May 2026
Mississippi Business Overview
LLC Filing Fee
$50
Sales Tax Rate
7.0%
Minimum Wage
$7.25/hr
Cost of Living Index
84.7
Workers Comp
Required
Annual Report Fee
$0
Starting a Business in Mississippi
Mississippi businesses register with the Secretary of State. Cities and counties require local business licenses.
Mississippi has a flat 4.7% income tax rate (phasing down to 4% by 2026). No franchise tax for LLCs.
Mississippi has the lowest cost of living in the nation, offering significant cost advantages for startups. Lower consumer spending power requires volume-based or online-expanded business models.
For official formation documents, visit the Mississippi Secretary of State.
Startup Costs for 100 Business Types in Mississippi
The table below shows estimated startup costs for every major business type, adjusted for Mississippi’s cost of living index of 84.7. Click any column header to sort. Click a business name to see full cost breakdowns, calculator, and licensing requirements.
| Accounting Firm | Professional Services | $5,390 | $15,400 | $35,420 |
| Airbnb & Vacation Rental Business | Real Estate | $8,470 | $23,100 | $69,300 |
| Ambulance Service | Transportation & Logistics | $61,600 | $154,000 | $385,000 |
| App Development Company | Tech & Online | $7,700 | $23,100 | $61,600 |
| Architecture Firm | Professional Services | $15,400 | $42,350 | $100,100 |
| Auto Detailing Business | Automotive | $3,850 | $23,100 | $77,000 |
| Auto Repair Shop | Automotive | $57,750 | $154,000 | $385,000 |
| Bakery | Food & Beverage | $15,400 | $73,150 | $231,000 |
| Bar & Nightclub | Food & Beverage | $77,000 | $269,500 | $654,500 |
| Barbershop | Beauty & Personal Care | $11,550 | $50,050 | $134,750 |
| Beauty Supply Store | Beauty & Personal Care | $23,100 | $77,000 | $231,000 |
| Bookstore | Retail | $19,250 | $77,000 | $231,000 |
| Brewery / Microbrewery | Food & Beverage | $192,500 | $308,000 | $1,155,000 |
| Cannabis Dispensary | Specialty & Regulated | $95,865 | $255,640 | $958,650 |
| Car Wash | Automotive | $95,865 | $418,880 | $1,196,580 |
| Carpentry & Woodworking Shop | Construction & Trades | $8,085 | $21,560 | $53,900 |
| Catering Business | Food & Beverage | $9,240 | $40,810 | $100,100 |
| Chiropractic Office | Health & Wellness | $77,000 | $92,400 | $231,000 |
| Cleaning Business | Home Services | $1,155 | $8,470 | $28,490 |
| Clothing Boutique | Retail | $23,100 | $77,000 | $231,000 |
| Coffee Shop | Food & Beverage | $46,200 | $92,400 | $269,500 |
| Concrete Business | Construction & Trades | $19,250 | $50,050 | $115,500 |
| Consulting Business | Professional Services | $1,540 | $6,930 | $20,020 |
| Convenience Store | Retail | $38,500 | $215,600 | $577,500 |
| Courier & Delivery Service | Transportation & Logistics | $6,160 | $16,940 | $42,350 |
| Cybersecurity Firm | Tech & Online | $15,400 | $42,350 | $115,500 |
| Dance Studio | Childcare & Education | $15,400 | $61,600 | $192,500 |
| Daycare Center | Childcare & Education | $46,200 | $138,600 | $385,000 |
| Demolition Company | Construction & Trades | $23,100 | $61,600 | $154,000 |
| Dental Practice | Health & Wellness | $269,500 | $385,000 | $770,000 |
| Digital Marketing Agency | Tech & Online | $3,080 | $9,240 | $24,640 |
| E-Commerce Store | Tech & Online | $3,850 | $11,550 | $38,500 |
| Electrical Business | Home Services | $11,550 | $42,350 | $123,200 |
| Esthetics & Skincare Business | Beauty & Personal Care | $6,160 | $30,800 | $92,400 |
| Excavation Company | Construction & Trades | $38,500 | $100,100 | $269,500 |
| Financial Planning Practice | Professional Services | $15,400 | $42,350 | $100,100 |
| Flower Shop | Retail | $15,400 | $57,750 | $154,000 |
| Food Delivery Service | Food & Beverage | $7,700 | $40,040 | $100,100 |
| Food Processing Business | Food & Beverage | $154,000 | $192,500 | $577,500 |
| Food Truck | Food & Beverage | $34,650 | $92,400 | $154,000 |
| Freight Brokerage | Transportation & Logistics | $12,320 | $27,720 | $61,600 |
| Furniture Store | Retail | $38,500 | $154,000 | $462,000 |
| General Contracting Business | Construction & Trades | $15,400 | $42,350 | $100,100 |
| Ghost Kitchen | Food & Beverage | $15,400 | $46,200 | $115,500 |
| Gift Shop | Retail | $15,400 | $53,900 | $154,000 |
| Gym & Fitness Center | Health & Wellness | $38,500 | $192,500 | $770,000 |
| Hair Salon | Beauty & Personal Care | $11,550 | $57,750 | $192,500 |
| Handyman Business | Home Services | $1,540 | $7,700 | $25,410 |
| Home Health Care Agency | Health & Wellness | $30,800 | $100,100 | $231,000 |
| HVAC Business | Home Services | $15,400 | $53,900 | $154,000 |
| Ice Cream Shop | Food & Beverage | $15,400 | $57,750 | $154,000 |
| Insurance Agency | Professional Services | $11,550 | $30,800 | $69,300 |
| IT Services Business | Tech & Online | $11,550 | $30,800 | $77,000 |
| Juice Bar & Smoothie Shop | Food & Beverage | $19,250 | $69,300 | $192,500 |
| Landscaping Business | Home Services | $7,700 | $30,800 | $92,400 |
| Laundromat | Real Estate | $77,000 | $192,500 | $462,000 |
| Law Firm | Professional Services | $9,240 | $26,180 | $62,370 |
| Limousine & Car Service | Transportation & Logistics | $30,800 | $69,300 | $169,400 |
| Liquor Store | Retail | $38,500 | $138,600 | $385,000 |
| Marketing Agency | Professional Services | $3,850 | $13,860 | $38,500 |
| Martial Arts Studio | Childcare & Education | $15,400 | $53,900 | $154,000 |
| Meal Prep Business | Food & Beverage | $15,400 | $50,050 | $154,000 |
| Med Spa | Health & Wellness | $77,000 | $269,500 | $770,000 |
| Medical Practice | Health & Wellness | $115,500 | $308,000 | $770,000 |
| Mental Health Practice | Health & Wellness | $11,550 | $38,500 | $115,500 |
| Moving Company | Home Services | $23,100 | $77,000 | $231,000 |
| Music School | Childcare & Education | $7,700 | $38,500 | $115,500 |
| Nail Salon | Beauty & Personal Care | $15,400 | $69,300 | $192,500 |
| Painting Business | Home Services | $3,850 | $19,250 | $61,600 |
| Personal Training Business | Health & Wellness | $3,850 | $19,250 | $77,000 |
| Pest Control Business | Home Services | $7,700 | $30,800 | $92,400 |
| Pet Store | Retail | $23,100 | $77,000 | $231,000 |
| Pharmacy | Health & Wellness | $192,500 | $308,000 | $770,000 |
| Physical Therapy Clinic | Health & Wellness | $46,200 | $138,600 | $346,500 |
| Pizza Shop | Food & Beverage | $57,750 | $134,750 | $308,000 |
| Plumbing Business | Home Services | $11,550 | $38,500 | $115,500 |
| Podcast Production Company | Tech & Online | $1,540 | $4,620 | $13,860 |
| Preschool | Childcare & Education | $38,500 | $115,500 | $308,000 |
| Property Management Company | Real Estate | $8,085 | $18,480 | $42,350 |
| Real Estate Agency | Professional Services | $7,700 | $21,560 | $53,900 |
| Real Estate Investing & Rental Business | Real Estate | $19,250 | $57,750 | $192,500 |
| Restaurant | Food & Beverage | $134,750 | $288,750 | $577,500 |
| Roofing Company | Home Services | $11,550 | $46,200 | $138,600 |
| SaaS Company | Tech & Online | $15,400 | $46,200 | $154,000 |
| Spa & Massage Therapy | Health & Wellness | $7,700 | $53,900 | $192,500 |
| Staffing Agency | Professional Services | $15,400 | $42,350 | $115,500 |
| Storage Unit Facility | Real Estate | $154,000 | $462,000 | $1,540,000 |
| Tattoo Shop | Beauty & Personal Care | $15,400 | $45,430 | $154,000 |
| Tax Preparation Business | Professional Services | $2,695 | $7,700 | $20,790 |
| Thrift Store | Retail | $15,400 | $57,750 | $154,000 |
| Tire Shop | Automotive | $38,500 | $115,500 | $308,000 |
| Towing Company | Automotive | $38,500 | $115,500 | $308,000 |
| Trucking Company | Transportation & Logistics | $23,100 | $61,600 | $154,000 |
| Tutoring Business | Childcare & Education | $1,540 | $18,480 | $77,000 |
| Used Car Dealership | Automotive | $38,500 | $154,000 | $462,000 |
| Vape Shop | Retail | $19,250 | $57,750 | $154,000 |
| Web Development Agency | Tech & Online | $2,695 | $9,240 | $25,410 |
| Welding Business | Construction & Trades | $11,550 | $30,800 | $77,000 |
| Winery | Food & Beverage | $385,000 | $586,740 | $2,310,000 |
| Yoga Studio | Health & Wellness | $11,550 | $61,600 | $154,000 |
Most Popular Business Types in Mississippi
Licenses & Permits in Mississippi
General Business License
Mississippi does not have a statewide general business license. Businesses must register their entity with the Mississippi Secretary of State and register with the Mississippi Department of Revenue for sales tax purposes. Individual cities and counties in Mississippi issue their own business licenses — Jackson, Gulfport, Biloxi, and other municipalities have their own licensing programs. Mississippi offers an online business registration portal through the Secretary of State's website.
Industry-Specific Licenses
- Food Service Establishment Permit — Mississippi Department of Health — Bureau of Environmental HealthCost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
- General Contractor License — Mississippi State Board of ContractorsCost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
- Cosmetology Shop License — Mississippi Board of CosmetologyCost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
- Real Estate Broker License — Mississippi Real Estate CommissionCost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
- Child Care Facility License — Mississippi State Department of Health — Child Care Facilities LicensureCost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
- Retailer's Package License — Mississippi Department of Revenue — Alcoholic Beverage ControlCost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
- Gaming Operator License — Mississippi Gaming CommissionCost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
- Pesticide Business Registration — Mississippi Department of Agriculture and CommerceCost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Home-Based Business Rules
Home-based businesses in Mississippi are regulated by local city and county ordinances. Mississippi's many rural areas outside incorporated municipalities generally have no restrictions on home-based businesses. Cities like Jackson and Gulfport allow home occupations with standard restrictions on commercial signage, customer visits, and business activities that could disturb neighbors. Mississippi's cottage food law supports home-based food production and direct consumer sales.
Mississippi Business Resources
SBA District Office
Mississippi SBA District Office — Jackson
Secretary of State
https://www.sos.ms.gov/business-servicesZoning Information
Mississippi municipalities control zoning. Jackson and the Gulf Coast cities have active commercial zoning; rural areas have minimal restrictions.
Health Department Notes
Food service businesses need a permit from the Mississippi State Department of Health. The state inspects food facilities on a risk-based schedule.
Workers Compensation
Required for employers with 5 or more employees. Domestic servants and some agricultural workers are exempt.