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9 Mississippi Dealer License Requirements
A Mississippi Dealer License, which the state calls a Motor Vehicle Dealer Permit, is issued by the Department of Revenue's Motor Vehicle Licensing Bureau. This page covers Mississippi's 9 Dealer License types, their requirements, bond amounts, costs, and how to apply.
Name your Dealership
Your company name is the first step, because you'll use it through the entire Dealer License process. Mississippi's Dealer application lists 3 business types: Corporation, Partnership, and Sole Proprietor.
An LLC keeps your business separate from your personal life and adds trust to the name.
Settle the exact registered name before you order the bond. A corporation's bond must show the corporate name as registered with the Secretary of State. A sole ownership's bond shows the owner and the business name; a partnership's, every partner and the business name.
Choose your Dealer License Type
All 9 Dealer License types in Mississippi are checkboxes on one Department of Revenue form, each with its own fee. Most people start with Wholesale ONLY, the permit with no physical location required. Used Motor Vehicles adds sales to the public and requires an established place of business.
| License Type | What It Lets You Do |
|---|---|
| Wholesale ONLYSells to licensed Dealers only | Buy and sell with other licensed Dealers and at dealer auctions, with no physical location required. Up to 2 vehicles in inventory and 1 dealer tag. A sale to an individual cannot be titled |
| Used Motor VehiclesRetail. Sells to the public | Buy and sell used vehicles to the public from an established place of business. Motorcycles, trailers, heavy trucks, and ATVs each need their own permit |
| Franchise (New)Licensed by the Motor Vehicle Commission | Dealer tags for a franchised new-vehicle dealer. The franchise license itself comes from the Motor Vehicle Commission, a separate agency with its own law |
| Motorcycle | Buy and sell motorcycles only. $50 permit and $14.75 per tag |
| Trailer ONLY | Buy and sell trailers only. $75 permit and $18.75 per tag. No liability insurance requirement, because no motor vehicles are sold |
| Heavy Truck | Buy and sell heavy trucks. $100 permit and $133.75 per tag |
| ATV | Buy and sell ATVs. $100 permit, no dealer tags |
| Manufacturer | For a vehicle manufacturer. $50 permit and $18.75 per tag |
| DismantlerAutomobile Dismantler, classified as a used motor vehicle dealer | Dismantle vehicles. Sign the no-sale affidavit and you file no bond and get no dealer tags. Selling anything voids the permit |
| Limited DealerStatutory, at the Commissioner's discretion | Buy and sell fewer than 24 vehicles a year of one vehicle type. Every privilege of a full Dealer except buying or using dealer tags |
Get your Dealer Bond (Bond of Designated Agent)
A Mississippi Dealer License requires a $15,000 Bond of Designated Agent, filed with the Department of Revenue. It covers every Department of Revenue permit type except an affidavit-only Dismantler. The bond covers a customer if the Dealer breaks a dealer law; the state can claim against it. A $15,000 bond costs only $150 a year, after a credit check.
The bond is written by an insurer licensed in Mississippi, sealed, with a Power of Attorney attached. It is signed by the principal, the Attorney-in-Fact, and a Mississippi resident agent. It stays in force for as long as your permit is active.
| License Type | You Pay | Bond Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Used Motor VehiclesMississippi - Designated Agent Bond For Motor Vehicle Dealers ($15,000) | $150/yearabout $13 a month, after a credit check | $15,000 |
| Wholesale ONLYSame bond product | $150/yearabout $13 a month, after a credit check | $15,000 |
| MotorcycleSame bond product | $150/yearabout $13 a month, after a credit check | $15,000 |
| Trailer ONLYSame bond product | $150/yearabout $13 a month, after a credit check | $15,000 |
| Heavy TruckSame bond product | $150/yearabout $13 a month, after a credit check | $15,000 |
| ATVSame bond product | $150/yearabout $13 a month, after a credit check | $15,000 |
| ManufacturerSame bond product | $150/yearabout $13 a month, after a credit check | $15,000 |
| Franchise (New)Filed with the Motor Vehicle Commission, which licenses franchised new-vehicle dealers. Mississippi - New Motor Vehicle Dealer ($25,000) | $250/yearabout $21 a month, after a credit check | $25,000 |
| DismantlerWith the notarized no-sale affidavit. No dealer tags either | No Bond Required | |
Get your Dealer Liability Insurance
A Mississippi Dealer License requires motor vehicle liability insurance with blanket coverage on every vehicle you operate on public roads, including inventory (Miss. Code §63-17-75). The rule covers new, used, and wholesale dealers. Your insurance agent quotes the price.
You file evidence of the insurance with your application and again at each renewal. The law says the application “shall be denied if proof of liability insurance satisfactory to the Department of Revenue is not provided.” Dismantler-only and Trailer-only dealers, who sell no motor vehicles, are exempt.
Set up your Dealer Office (Established Place of Business)
A Mississippi Wholesale ONLY permit requires no established place of business, so you can run your business from home. The application packet says wholesale dealers “are not required to have a physical location but may only maintain an inventory of two (2) vehicles.”
A Used Motor Vehicles permit requires an established place of business, owned or leased and occupied mainly to deal in vehicles. There must be “a holding out to the general public” that you sell vehicles there. It must be open to inspection by any peace officer or Department employee during reasonable hours, and hold your books and records.
The office must be separate from any other business. In place of that office, the rule accepts “an adequate display of identification as a motor vehicle dealer as specified by the Commissioner of Revenue.” Mississippi publishes no sign size, display count, parking minimum, or zoning sign-off for a used dealer.
| Wholesale ONLY | Used Motor Vehicles | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | None. “Not required to have a physical location” | An established place of business at a Mississippi address, owned or leased |
| Office | None | An office separate from any other business, or an adequate display of identification as a Dealer |
| Inventory | Up to 2 vehicles | No published limit |
| Customers | Licensed Dealers only. A sale to an individual cannot be titled | The public |
| Site visit | None. The visit is for businesses retailing to the public | Yes, before the permit issues |
| Records | Not tied to a location | Books and records kept at the place of business, open to inspection |
Attend the Dealer Education Seminar (MIADA)
Mississippi requires an 8-hour education seminar from the Mississippi Independent Auto Dealers Association (MIADA) before a Dealer License is issued. MIADA is the only provider the law names; there is no approved list to choose from. Mississippi has no Dealer exam.
The law and the form differ on how often. Miss. Code §63-17-76 requires the 8-hour seminar for an initial license, then “an education seminar” with every later application. The Department's current instructions require the 8-hour seminar of “all persons applying”, with a certificate dated within the 12 months before you apply.
Because every permit expires October 31, plan on a fresh certificate every year. Three dealers are exempt by statute: salvage sellers working for insurers, manufactured home dealers, and franchised new car dealers. The state publishes no seminar price; MIADA sets it.
Background Check — None Required
Mississippi runs no background check and takes no fingerprints for any Department of Revenue Dealer Permit. The complete application asks nothing about criminal history. The law names only 2 denial grounds: failing to comply with the dealer article, or an unpaid, finally determined tax liability (Miss. Code §27-19-305).
What a record does
A conviction is not a bar to a Department of Revenue permit, automatic or discretionary. The law has no criminal-history ground at all. There is no list of crimes, no waiting period, and no misdemeanor line. The form has no question that an expunged, sealed, or pardoned record would be disclosed on.
The Motor Vehicle Commission asks
Franchised new-vehicle dealers, salespeople, and factory representatives are licensed by the Motor Vehicle Commission, and its forms do ask. The Dealer application asks: “Have you or any of the principals ever been convicted of a MISDEMEANOR or FELONY?” A yes requires a copy of the court documents. The Salesperson application asks about being charged, and about pending charges.
Every Commission applicant also signs a consent to a third-party criminal records check. The Commission's statute names no conviction as a denial ground. Its 11 grounds start with “unfitness”, judged on financial standing and business integrity. The questions have no year cutoff and no expungement carve-out. A 2024 bill to add one, HB 1362, died in committee.
Pass the Site Visit — if you sell to the public
Mississippi performs a site visit for every business retailing to the public, before the Dealer License is issued. The visit comes with the sales tax registration: you get a sales tax number for each location first, then file the dealer application. A Wholesale ONLY dealer sells only to licensed Dealers and gets no visit.
Get your Dealer License Plates
A Mississippi Dealer License comes with dealer license plates at $43.75 each for the first 12 and $83.75 each beyond 12. The Department's fee table prices a Used Motor Vehicles tag at a flat $43.75; the statute sets the 12-tag break (Miss. Code §27-19-309).
Dealer plates, or dealer tags, let you drive your inventory on the road. You choose the count on the dealer application, and the Department can ask you to justify more tags than you have full-time employees. Wholesale ONLY gets exactly 1.
Who can drive on them
- You and full-time staff, for personal use. Nonbusiness use is allowed “when operated by dealers or full-time dealership personnel, on a vehicle in inventory and available for sale.”
- Customers and staff, for demonstration. A prospective purchaser or a full-time employee can demonstrate a vehicle that is for sale.
- A repair customer, up to 10 days. Your written authorization rides in the vehicle.
- Never a relative who is not full-time staff. The statute says “It shall be unlawful for a dealer's license tag to be used by a relative of the dealership owner unless such relative is a full-time employee of such dealer.”
- Never on a vehicle that is not for sale. That includes a tow truck, wrecker, courtesy van, or any vehicle titled to you or an employee. Commuting to school or another job is also misuse.
In-transit tags cost $2 each in lots of 25 and are valid 3 days, for moving inventory between dealers and auctions. Temporary tags cost $5 each in lots of 10, valid 7 working days, and go only on a vehicle you have sold.
Submit your Dealer License Application (Motor Vehicle Dealer Permit)
A Mississippi Dealer License application is $100 for a Used Motor Vehicles or Wholesale ONLY permit, for the year beginning November 1. You can apply online through Motor Vehicle e-Services (MARVIN) or mail the paper packet to P.O. Box 1140, Jackson, MS 39215-1140. Every fee is itemized under costs.
Online, a sole proprietor enters an SSN and a corporation or partnership enters an FEIN, 1 number for the business. The Department uses it for identification and tax administration; refusing it means no e-Services access (Miss. Code §27-77-11). No photo ID is required from anyone, and no one is asked about citizenship.
The dealership's physical address must be in Mississippi; the form asks for an MS Physical Address. A Wholesale ONLY permit is issued only to Mississippi residents, with proof: a Mississippi driver's license, Mississippi withholding, a lease, or a personal vehicle registration. A Mississippi resident agent signs every bond.
Dealer License Cost
A Mississippi Used Motor Vehicles or Wholesale ONLY permit is $100 a year; other permit types run $50 to $100. Every other fee on this page is in the table.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Used Motor Vehicles permit | $100 a year |
| Wholesale ONLY permit | $100 a year |
| Dealer tagsUsed, Wholesale, and Franchise | $43.75 each for the first 12$83.75 each beyond 12 |
| Motorcycle permit | $50 a year$14.75 per tag |
| Trailer ONLY permit | $75 a year$18.75 per tag |
| Heavy Truck permit | $100 a year$133.75 per tag |
| Manufacturer permit | $50 a year$18.75 per tag |
| ATV permit | $100 a year, no tags |
| Dismantler permit | $100 a year, no tags |
| In-transit tags | $2 each, sold in lots of 25 |
| Temporary tags | $5 each, sold in lots of 10 |
| Dealer Bond | $150 a year, $15,000 Bond of Designated Agent$250 a year, $25,000 franchised new-vehicle dealer bond |
| Liability insurance | Priced by your insurance agent |
| MIADA seminar | Set by MIADA; the state publishes no price |
| Sales tax number | No fee on any Department checklist |
Dealer License Renewal
A Mississippi Dealer License is valid for 1 year: permits and tags expire October 31, and you file again for the year beginning November 1. Renewal uses the same form and fees as a new permit. Two things come with every renewal: proof of liability insurance, and a MIADA seminar certificate dated within the past 12 months.
Common Questions
Can you get a Mississippi Dealer License with a felony?
A felony does not bar a Mississippi Dealer License: the Department of Revenue's law has no criminal-history ground, and its form asks no question. The only denial grounds are noncompliance with the dealer article or an unpaid tax liability. The Motor Vehicle Commission, for franchised new-vehicle dealers, does ask, with no year cutoff. Background Check
Can you get a Dealer License in Mississippi without a lot?
Yes, on Mississippi's Wholesale ONLY permit, which requires no established place of business. The packet says a wholesale dealer is “not required to have a physical location.” You may keep 2 vehicles in inventory and 1 dealer tag, and sell only to licensed Dealers. A Used Motor Vehicles permit requires an established place of business. Dealer Office
How many cars can you sell in Mississippi without a Dealer License?
Mississippi sets no fixed number of cars you can sell without a Dealer License. Selling a vehicle you bought and actually used yourself, in good faith, doesn't require a Dealer License (Miss. Code §27-19-303).
How do you get an auction license in Mississippi?
A Dealer License is what opens the dealer-only auctions in Mississippi. The Wholesale ONLY permit buys and sells with licensed Dealers and at dealer auctions, with no physical location required. It holds up to 2 vehicles in inventory and 1 dealer tag. Public auctions need no license.
What are the requirements for a Mississippi wholesale dealer license?
A Mississippi Wholesale ONLY permit is for Mississippi residents and sells only to other licensed Dealers. It requires the $15,000 Bond of Designated Agent, liability insurance, and the MIADA seminar certificate, but no physical location. You may hold 2 vehicles in inventory and 1 dealer tag. The permit fee is $100. License Types
Is there a class for a Mississippi Dealer License?
Yes, Mississippi requires an 8-hour seminar from the Mississippi Independent Auto Dealers Association (MIADA) with every dealer permit application. The certificate must be dated within the 12 months before you apply, which means a new seminar every year in current practice. MIADA sets the price. There is no exam. Education
How long does licensing take?
No Mississippi law sets a deadline for the Department of Revenue to grant or deny a dealer permit. The dealer statute and its rules set no clock on the decision. If the Department denies a permit, it gives written notice, and you have 30 days to request a hearing before the board of review. Site Visit
Do I need a business bank account?
No, no Mississippi statute, rule, or dealer application asks for a business bank account. The complete application packet has no bank or financial-institution section, unlike states such as California. Nothing on the form asks you to list an account.
Support
Mississippi's Motor Vehicle Licensing Bureau handles every permit, bond, seminar certificate, and dealer tag on this page.
| Contact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Department | Mississippi Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Licensing Bureau (Motor Vehicle Services) |
| Phone | (601) 923-7200 |
| Fax | (601) 923-7134 |
| Address | P.O. Box 1140Jackson, MS 39215-1140 |
Additional sources (5)
The forms, the portal, and the statute pages for each step are linked in the steps. These are the sources this page was also checked against.
- Miss. Code §§27-77-9 to 27-77-13 (Dealer Booklet, page 12) — the denial notice, the 30-day hearing request, and the appeal to the Board of Tax Appeals
- Miss. Code §63-17-89 (Dealer Franchise Law, page 46) — the Motor Vehicle Commission may not deny a license without first giving the applicant a hearing
- Application for License of Salesperson (Motor Vehicle Commission) — asks whether you have ever been charged, and about pending charges, not only convictions
- HB 1362 (2024 Regular Session) — the bill that would have barred licensing authorities from asking about sealed, expunged, or pardoned convictions; it died in committee on March 5, 2024
- Fresh Start Act of 2019 (SB 2781) — Mississippi's general law on prior convictions and occupational licenses; its text names no dealer statute
