New Mexico plumber license & renewal
The requirements, the timing and the official sources. Everything we’ve verified, in one place.
License fee
$75.00
Required hours
—
Not verified yet
Exam
Journeyman examination requires documented experience and a passing score of at least 75%.
Renewal
in every 3-year period for renewal
Before you begin
Agency guidance
A certificate is required for people performing plumbing work; apprentices may work under direct supervision of a certified journeyman.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
A journeyman :certificate of competence in the appropriate trade classification for the work to be performed is required of all individuals performing electrical wiring, or mechanical and plumbing work; provided however, that an apprentice, as defined in Section 60-13-2 NMSA 1978, of the act, may work under the direct supervision of a validly certified journeymanOfficial source
Agency guidance
Journeyman certification alone does not authorize independent contracting: the journeyman must be employed by an appropriately licensed entity or a valid annual-permit holder.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
A journeyman may engage in the trade authorized by the certificate of competence issued to the journeyman only when employed by a licensed entity: (1) that is validly licensed to perform the type of work for which the journeyman is certified; or, (2) holding a valid annual permit authorizing the entity to engage in the type of work for which the journeyman is certified.Official source
Agency guidance
The MM-1 plumbing contractor classification requires four years of experience.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
MM-1. Plumbing. Requires four years’ experience.Official source
Agency guidance
The $75 certificate fee listed above is for the journeyman credential.
How to get this license
Use the agency’s requirements below to plan your next steps. Missing details stay marked.
Start with the licensing authority
Licensing board
New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
ISSUING AGENCY. The Construction Industries Division (CID) of the Regulation and Licensing Department.
Official sourceOfficial agency page
Check the qualifications
Age
18
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
No individual under the age of 18 shall be issued a certificate of competence.
Official sourceExperience
JP journeyman plumber: two years of experience under the mechanical-plumbing classification rule.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
F. Mechanical-Plumbing Journeyman classifications. Requires two years of experience unless otherwise specified. (1) JP Journeyman plumber. Can work under an MM-1,MS-3, MS-6 or MM-98 license.
Official sourceExam
Journeyman examination requires documented experience and a passing score of at least 75%.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
No applicant for a journeyman certificate is eligible to take an examination until providing satisfactory work experience documentation to the division. (b) Examinations shall be administered by CID, or its designee. (c) A passing exam score is seventy-five percent or higher.
Official sourceReview fees and apply
Application fee
Not verified yet
Exam fee
Not verified yet
License fee
$75.00
Apply with the agency
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Apply for a Construction Industries License
Official source
Reciprocity
New Mexico does not reciprocate plumbing journeyman certificates; its only reciprocal journeyman classification is electrical EE-98J.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
The only journeyman classification reciprocated in New Mexico is EE-98J, residential and commercial electrical with 8,000 hours of experience.Official source
Official sources and verification (15)
Last verified 2026-10-24. Each quotation supports the corresponding published value.
ISSUING AGENCY. The Construction Industries Division (CID) of the Regulation and Licensing Department.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
No individual under the age of 18 shall be issued a certificate of competence.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
F. Mechanical-Plumbing Journeyman classifications. Requires two years of experience unless otherwise specified. (1) JP Journeyman plumber. Can work under an MM-1,MS-3, MS-6 or MM-98 license.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
No applicant for a journeyman certificate is eligible to take an examination until providing satisfactory work experience documentation to the division. (b) Examinations shall be administered by CID, or its designee. (c) A passing exam score is seventy-five percent or higher.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
Prior to renewal of a journeyman certificate of competence in the applicable classification, the applicant for renewal or reinstatement is required to complete a minimum of 16 hours of approved course work.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
This includes a minimum of 16 hours of approved continuing education course work—8 hours are specific to code change/update, and 8 hours may be of other industry-related approved course work.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
A journeyman :certificate of competence in the appropriate trade classification for the work to be performed is required of all individuals performing electrical wiring, or mechanical and plumbing work; provided however, that an apprentice, as defined in Section 60-13-2 NMSA 1978, of the act, may work under the direct supervision of a validly certified journeymanOfficial source
Verified 2026-10-24
A journeyman may engage in the trade authorized by the certificate of competence issued to the journeyman only when employed by a licensed entity: (1) that is validly licensed to perform the type of work for which the journeyman is certified; or, (2) holding a valid annual permit authorizing the entity to engage in the type of work for which the journeyman is certified.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
The State of New Mexico Construction Industries Division (CID) requires continuing education for renewals of journeyman plumbing and mechanical certificates of competence in every 3-year period for renewal.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
The only journeyman classification reciprocated in New Mexico is EE-98J, residential and commercial electrical with 8,000 hours of experience.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
Keep exploring.
Same license in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Last verified 2026-10-24.
Official sources (6)
- https://www.rld.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/14.6.4_Integrated.pdf
- https://www.rld.nm.gov/construction-industries/continuing-education/
- https://srca.nm.gov/parts/title14/14.006.0006.html
- https://www.rld.nm.gov/construction-industries/forms-and-applications/fees/
- https://www.rld.nm.gov/construction-industries/apply-for-a-construction-industries-license/
- https://www.rld.nm.gov/construction-industries/frequently-asked-questions/
Not legal or tax advice. Confirm with the official agency before filing.