New Mexico uses a single-agency model. The Construction Industries Division (CID), inside the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department (RLD), licenses all contractors, residential, commercial, and specialty, under NMSA 60-13 (Construction Industries Licensing Act). There is no separate statewide trade board for electricians, plumbers, or HVAC. Individual trade journeymen and firm contractors run through the same agency, layered with the fire-marshal-style electrical inspection program for permit work. Source: NM RLD CID (https://www.rld.nm.gov/construction-industries/). Classification families. - GB (General Building): GB-98 General Building Contractor for commercial and multifamily building work. GB-2 Residential General Building for residential and small commercial. - GA (General Engineering): GA-98 General Engineering Contractor for site, utility, and heavy civil scope. - EE / ER (Electrical): EE-98 Electrical Contractor (general electrical). ER-1 Residential Electrical. Narrower EL-series specialty classes for low-voltage, signs, and similar scope. - MM (Mechanical) / MS (Mechanical Specialty): MM-98 Mechanical Contractor (broad mechanical scope including HVAC, plumbing, refrigeration). MM-2 Residential Mechanical. MS-3 Refrigeration Specialty. Narrower specialty classes for LP Gas and Natural Gas. - JB-1 (Journeyman Plumber), EE-98J (Journeyman Electrician), MM-98J (Journeyman Mechanical), and other individual journeyman designations authorize work only as an employee of a licensed contractor. Full classification list on the CID licensing page (https://www.rld.nm.gov/construction-industries/licensing/). Scope of work is tied to the specific classification; working outside your class is separately actionable. Qualifying Party. NMSA 60-13-11 requires every CID classification license to designate a qualifying party, the individual whose experience and exam qualify the license. The qualifying party must document four years (equivalent) of related experience in the classification sought, per 14.5 / 14.6 / 14.8 NMAC, and must pass the trade exam plus the New Mexico Business and Law exam through PSI Services. Bonding. NMSA 60-13-13 requires every CID contractor to post a surety bond with the Division. Amounts tier by classification and are set by rule; verify the exact current bond amount for your class on the CID licensing page before posting. A separate public-works bond regime applies to state and local construction contracts under NMSA 13-4. Renewal and CE. CID licenses renew annually. Licensees must complete continuing-education hours each renewal under 14.5.1 NMAC, including trade-code update instruction based on the NEC, Uniform Plumbing Code, Uniform Mechanical Code, and Fuel Gas Code editions currently adopted by New Mexico. Only CID-approved providers count. Unlicensed contracting. Contracting without the required CID license is a violation under NMSA 60-13-12 and is enforced through cease-and-desist orders, civil penalties, and referral to local district attorneys for criminal charges in serious cases. Working outside your classification is separately actionable under 14.6 / 14.8 NMAC.
NM · Contractor licensing
Contractor licensing in New Mexico
State contractor license requirements, bond, and insurance minimums.
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