Quick answer: New Mexico is one of the most heavily licensed states for construction. The Construction Industries Division (CID) of the Regulation & Licensing Department (RLD) licenses contractors under the Construction Industries Licensing Act (NMSA 1978, Ch. 60, Art. 13). General building (GB-98 / GB-2), electrical (EE-98), plumbing (MM-1 / MM-98), HVAC/mechanical (MM-3 / MM-98) and roofing (GS-21) all require a CID license. Painting and general cleaning are not CID-licensed trades, and handyman work is exempt only when it is casual or minor, done one project at a time, and totals $7,200 or less per year (excluding any electrical, plumbing or gas work).
The table below shows which of the common trades need a New Mexico state (CID) license and which do not.
Which trades need a license in New Mexico?
| Trade | State license required? | Licensing body |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Yes | State license required. CID Mechanical and Plumbing classification MM-1 (plumbing), or MM-98 which covers all mechanical and plumbing work. A journeyman plumber (JP) certificate is also required for the workers. |
| Electrician | Yes | State license required. CID Electrical classification EE-98 (residential and commercial wiring, 5,000 volts or less) or ER-1 (residential only). A journeyman electrical certificate is also required for the workers. |
| HVAC | Yes | State license required. CID Mechanical classification MM-3 (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) or MM-98 (full mechanical). A journeyman refrigeration (JR) certificate is also required. |
| General Contractor | Yes | State license required. CID General Building classification GB-98 (commercial and residential) or GB-2 (residential, up to four units); heavy or infrastructure work falls under GA-98 (engineering) or GF-98 (fixed works). |
| Roofer | Yes | State license required. CID General Specialty classification GS-21 (roofing), which covers roof systems, waterproof membranes and incidental sheet metal such as flashing and gutters. |
| Painter | No | No CID license. Painting is not a CID classification (the former GS-19 painting license was repealed), so painters need no state contractor license, though a local business registration and, for pre-1978 homes, federal EPA lead (RRP) certification may apply. |
| Carpenter | Sometimes | Depends on the work. Structural framing requires CID classification GS-13 (framing). General finish or trim carpentry is not a separate CID classification and is typically unlicensed unless it is part of a larger GB-scope building project. |
| Landscaper | No | No CID license for basic landscaping, planting or lawn care. However, related construction scopes are licensed: irrigation and lawn sprinklers (MS-6 or MM-1) and concrete flatwork or walkways (GS-4). |
| Handyman | No | Exempt when the work is casual, minor or inconsequential, done one project at a time, and totals $7,200 or less per year. The exemption never covers electrical wiring, plumbing or gas fitting, which always require a licensed contractor. |
| Cleaner | No | No CID or state contractor license. Residential and commercial cleaning is not construction work regulated under the Construction Industries Licensing Act. |
"Yes" means a CID-issued New Mexico state license is required. Even for unlicensed trades a local business registration may apply, and no exemption ever allows unlicensed electrical, plumbing or gas work.
How New Mexico licenses construction trades
New Mexico regulates construction almost entirely at the state level through the Construction Industries Division (CID) of the Regulation & Licensing Department (RLD). CID operates under the Construction Industries Licensing Act (CILA), NMSA 1978, Chapter 60, Article 13, with detailed rules in Title 14 of the New Mexico Administrative Code (NMAC). Compared with many states, New Mexico licenses a very wide range of trades – there are dozens of classifications spanning general building, engineering, fixed works, specialties, electrical, and mechanical/plumbing.
CID is organized into bureaus – General Construction, Electrical, Mechanical/Plumbing, and LP Gas – and every license is tied to one or more classifications identified by a letter-and-number symbol (for example G for general construction, E for electrical, and M for mechanical/plumbing). A license authorizes work only within the scope of its classification; work outside that scope must be subcontracted to an appropriately licensed contractor.
Reading New Mexico's classification codes
Each CID classification uses a letter-and-number symbol. The first letter is the field – G (general construction), E (electrical) or M (mechanical/plumbing). The licenses homeowners most often encounter are:
- GB-98 – general building (commercial and residential); GB-2 – residential up to four units.
- GA-98 – asphalt, concrete and paving; GF-98 – fixed works (utilities, bridges, tanks).
- EE-98 – electrical wiring (5,000 volts or less); ER-1 – residential electrical.
- MM-1 plumbing, MM-3 HVAC, and MM-98 full mechanical/plumbing.
- GS-21 roofing, GS-13 framing, and other GS specialty classifications.
Every licensed business must name a qualifying party who has passed the required exams, and must post a surety bond. Individual electricians, plumbers, HVAC and gas workers also need a journeyman certificate of competence in the matching trade.
The state-licensed trades in detail
General contractors build under GB-98 or GB-2; electricians wire under EE-98 or ER-1; plumbers work under MM-1 (or MM-98); HVAC contractors install under MM-3 (or MM-98); and roofers are licensed under the GS-21 roofing specialty. These are the trades where hiring an unlicensed person is illegal and can void permits, insurance and warranties.
New Mexico draws especially firm lines around electrical, plumbing and gas work: not only is a contractor license required, the individuals performing the work must also hold a journeyman certificate (for example JP for plumbing or an EE-98 journeyman for electrical). No dollar threshold or handyman exemption ever waives these requirements.
Trades with no CID license
A few common home-service trades are not licensed by CID: general painting, basic landscaping and lawn care, and cleaning. Painting has no CID classification (the former GS-19 painting license was repealed), so a painter needs no state contractor license. Cleaning is not construction and is not regulated under the CILA.
Being unlicensed does not mean unregulated. These businesses may still need a local business registration, must carry appropriate insurance, and cannot cross into a licensed scope. A landscaper, for instance, needs an MS-6 or MM-1 license to install an irrigation system, and painters disturbing paint in pre-1978 housing need federal EPA Lead-Safe (RRP) certification.
The handyman and minor-work exemption
New Mexico's exemption for small jobs is written into the definition of contractor in NMSA 1978, Section 60-13-3. An individual is not a contractor
– and needs no CID license – when the work is casual, minor or inconsequential (such as handyman repairs), is done on one project at a time, and totals $7,200 or less in compensation per year. The individual also may not advertise as a contractor and must file an annual declaration with the Division.
Crucially, the statute says this exemption does not apply to any work involving the installation, connection or repair of electrical wiring, plumbing or gas fitting. Those trades always require a licensed contractor, no matter how small the job.
How to get licensed in New Mexico
- Identify the CID classification that matches your trade, for example GB-98 or GB-2 (general building), EE-98 (electrical), MM-1 or MM-98 (plumbing/mechanical), MM-3 (HVAC), or GS-21 (roofing).
- Meet the experience requirement for that classification (commonly two to four years of practical or foreman-level trade experience) and name a qualifying party for the business.
- Pass the required exams administered for CID: the Business and Law exam plus the trade or technical exam for your classification.
- Submit the CID license application with proof of experience, exam results, the required surety bond and fees; electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas workers also obtain the matching journeyman certificate.
- Keep the license current by renewing on CID's cycle and maintaining the required bond and any continuing requirements before working in New Mexico.
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Frequently asked questions
Does a handyman need a license in New Mexico?
Only sometimes. Under NMSA 1978, Section 60-13-3, an individual is exempt from CID licensing when the work is casual, minor or inconsequential, is done one project at a time, and totals $7,200 or less per year – and they must not advertise as a contractor and must file an annual declaration. The exemption never covers electrical, plumbing or gas work, which always require a licensed contractor.
What license does a general contractor need in New Mexico?
A CID general building license: GB-98 for commercial and residential building, or GB-2 for residential buildings of up to four units. Heavy or infrastructure work uses GA-98 (engineering) or GF-98 (fixed works). The business must name a qualifying party who passes the Business and Law and trade exams and must post a surety bond.
Do painters need a license in New Mexico?
No. Painting is not a CID classification – the former GS-19 painting license was repealed – so painters do not need a New Mexico state contractor license. They may still need a local business registration, and painters disturbing paint in pre-1978 housing need federal EPA Lead-Safe (RRP) certification. Cleaning likewise needs no CID license.
Which classifications cover electricians, plumbers and HVAC in New Mexico?
Electricians hold EE-98 (wiring up to 5,000 volts) or ER-1 (residential). Plumbers hold MM-1 (or MM-98, full mechanical/plumbing). HVAC contractors hold MM-3 (or MM-98). In every case the individual workers must also hold a journeyman certificate of competence, such as JP for plumbing or JR for refrigeration.
Sources: NM RLD - Construction Industries Division (CID), CID - About Us (bureaus and mission), 14.6.6 NMAC - Contractor Classifications and Scopes, CID - Rules, Laws and Building Codes (CILA), NMSA 1978 Section 60-13-3 - Definition; contractor ($7,200 exemption), 2025. Licensing rules change — always confirm current requirements with the relevant state board and your local city before you work.