How to Become an Electrician in New Mexico, NM


Check Electrician Schools in New Mexico, NM

As in most states, you will have to obtain a valid license before performing any electrical related work in New Mexico.

Note that you don’t need a license, only in the case you wish to wire your own house (however an electrical plan review, permit and inspections are required).

Contracting without a license in New Mexico is against the law and the Division may press criminal charges for unlicensed contracting, so make sure you are properly licensed.

The following licenses can be obtained in New Mexico:

New Mexico Electrical Bureau

The New Mexico Electrical Bureau manages and regulates the licensing process. It reviews and recommends contents for the licensing and certification examinations for all electrical trades in New Mexico.

Additionally, the Bureau performs statewide electrical inspections, electrical plan review and oversees electrical permitting. It also recommends new rules and regulations, and amendments to the existing electrical codes for consideration and approval by the Construction Industries Commission.

The contact details are as follows:

Construction Industries Division (CID)
Regulation and Licensing Department
2550 Cerrillos Road
Santa Fe, NM 87505
(505) 476-4700
[email protected]

The Construction Industries Division has contracted with Psychological Services Inc. (PSI) to conduct its examination approval process and examination testing.

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New Mexico Electrical Contractor License

As mentioned above, any person engaged in contracting in the state of New Mexico must be validly licensed. A contractor’s license is required to bid and contract all electrical work including, but not limited to, sound, alarms, TV systems, computer data, telephone, etc.

Before applying, you will have to determine beforehand the certificate classification required to do the work you plan to perform. Journeymen classifications can be found in New Mexico Administrative Code, Title 14, Chapter 6, Part 6, which can be accessed here.

If you are uncertain of the proper classification, you may submit a Classification Determination form to PSI along with a detailed description of the work to be performed. Forms are available online here. A written Classification Determination will be mailed or faxed to you.

In order to apply for an electrical contractor’s license, you will have to submit a completed packet with the correct application, certificate and license fees. The application fee and the license fee must be submitted in two separate forms of payment, for example as two checks or two money orders.

Note that the application fee is non-refundable. If your application gets rejected for any reason this fee will be forfeited.

A complete packet must include the following items:

– Complete Contractor License Application. The application can be found here (scroll down to page 3).

– Copy of valid qualifying party certificate, or copy of exam score report showing passing scores on exam(s) for applicable classification(s).

– Proof of Financial Responsibility: Bond – must be issued in the exact name shown on application. The Contractor License Bond Form can be found here.

– Proof of current (within the last year) New Mexico Tax ID number application with official stamp or registration certificate. Must be issued in the exact name shown on application. (Contact the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department at: 505-827-0700).

– If a Corporation or Limited Liability Company, Proof of PRC registration. This has to be be in the exact name shown on application. (Contact the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission at: 505-827-4500).

– If a Partnership (Limited) or a Limited Liability Partnership, Proof of registration with the New Mexico Secretary of State (505) 827-36.

– A self-addressed envelope large enough and with sufficient postage to return your application materials in case the application gets rejected. If the application is accepted, the same envelope will be used to send your new license once it has been issued.

The packets must be delivered by hand or mail. Note that faxed or emailed forms will not be accepted. Also note that incomplete packets will not get processed. If your packet is incomplete, incorrect or otherwise insufficient, it will be returned to you and your application fee will be forfeited. Submit the completed packets to:

PSI 2301
Yale Blvd S.E. Suite C-4,
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(877) 663-9267

After your packet has been accepted and your eligibility checked, your license will be issued and you will receive it by USPS. The license will be effective for 3 years from the date of issuance.

You may find more information about the exams in the section below.

Finally, don’t forget to check Electrician Jobs in New Mexico.

New Mexico Electrical Contractor License Exams

As mentioned above, licensing and examination services are provided by Psychological Services Inc. (PSI). You must be pre approved to test. You will not be eligible to take a qualifying examination until documentation establishing satisfaction of the applicable work experience requirement has been received and approved by CID.

In order to pass the exam, a score of 75% or above is required. If you fail to appear for a scheduled exam or fail to attain a passing score of 75%, you may take another regularly scheduled exam, provided that you reapply to take the exam, pay the fee and do not repeat the exam more than twice in any 30 day period.

You will have to meet all requirements for licensing or certification within 6 months from the date the application is received by CID. Any application not completed within the 6 month period shall expire and any fees paid in connection with the expired application shall automatically forfeit.

You may find additional information in the Contractor Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin.

The Contractor Licensing Fees can be found here and the Contractor Examination Fees can be found here.

New Mexico Electrical Contractor License Renewal

Regarding the renewal of your journeyman certificate, the CID shall mail to you a renewal application form at least 30 days before the expiration of your certificate to your current address of record.

The date the envelope is postmarked or, if hand delivered, the date it is received by CID shall be the filing date of the renewal application. On each license, the signatures of all current qualifying parties must appear on the renewal form.

Finally, note that if a renewal application is not received in the appropriate time or, if it is received but rejected for failure to comply with renewal requirements, the license shall be suspended and shall be subject to cancellation.

The Contractor License Renewal Form can be found here (scroll down to page 2). Additional information on the license renewal process can be found in the same document.

New Mexico Journeyman Electrician License (Certification)

In order to perform any electrical wiring, a journeyman certificate of competence is required. You should be more than 18 years of age in order to apply.

Additionally, you will have to determine beforehand the certificate classification required to do the work you plan to perform. Journeymen classifications can be found in New Mexico Administrative Code, Title 14, Chapter 6, Part 6, which can be accessed here.

If you are uncertain of the proper classification, you may submit a Classification Determination form to PSI along with a detailed description of the work to be performed. Forms are available online here. A written Classification Determination will be mailed or faxed to you.

The experience requirements vary depending on the classification:

– Four years (8,000 hours)

  • Journeyman residential and commercial electrical
  • Journeyman electrical distribution

– Two years (4,000 hours)

  • Journeyman residential wiring
  • Journeyman electrical signs and outline lighting
  • Journeyman cathodic protection and lightning protection systems
  • Journeyman sound, intercommunication, electrical alarm systems, and systems 50 volts and
  • under.
  • Journeyman telephone communication systems and telephone interconnect systems

You will have to submit a complete application packet, which must include:

  1. Complete, legible, signed and notarized Journeyman Certificate Application.
  2. Complete, legible, signed and notarized work experience verification form for each classification you wish to test for.

Use one form per employer/affiant verifying your work experience, and use the work experience verification form specific to those classifications. Qualified Individuals to complete the Affidavit are past or present employers, supervisors, foremen, and other contractors.

All the claimed experience must have been gained while being employed by a licensed electrical contractor or considered legal work in the state in which the work was performed. There are some limited exceptions to the work experience requirement, e.g military, volunteer and homeowner experience may be used.

The Journeyman Certificate Application fee is $75.00 (per classification). The fee needs to be settled to PSI using either money order, credit card or cashier’s check. Forms sent in without the correct charge attached won’t be accepted.

Use a self-addressed stamped envelope (letter-size) with sufficient return postage. This envelope will be used to send your application packet back to you in case your submission is rejected.

Note that complete packets must be delivered by hand or mail. Faxed or emailed forms will NOT be accepted. Moreover, you must submit the original notarized forms.

Submit completed packets to the following address:

PSI
2301 Yale SE, Ste. C-4
Albuquerque, NM 87106
877-663-9267

Any application that is incomplete, incorrect or insufficient, will be rejected and returned to you.

After your application has been approved and your experience has been verified, you will be notified by USPS that you are eligible for testing. You may also check the the PSI web site, where the applicants who have been approved to test are also posted daily.

Once you have been approved to test, you must schedule for, take, and pass the required exam(s). You may schedule to test by calling PSI at 1-800-733-9267, or online here. Note that each exam requires a separate fee.

You may find more information about the exams in the section below.

In case you successfully pass your exams, your New Mexico Journeyman’s Certificate will be active for three years effective the last day of the month of issuance.

Finally, don’t forget to check Electrician Jobs in New Mexico.

New Mexico Journeyman Electrician License Exams

As mentioned above, licensing and examination services are provided by Psychological Services Inc. (PSI). You must be pre approved to test. Once your exam application has been approved, you’re going to be able to plan your test with PSI and pay out the assessment fee. The minimum passing score is 75%.

The New Mexico license examination consists of three sections: theory, practical and code. Both the code portion and the theory portion of the assessment contain 50 problems. The duration is 2 hours each. You will have to score at least 75% to pass in every portion. The practical segment of the test consists of one hundred queries and is two hours in duration, and you will also have to achieve 75% to pass.

After the test, you should keep your original exam score reports. Granted that you achieve passing scores for all required exams, you must submit the original score reports to PSI in order to complete the processing and issuing of your journeyman certificate. You should also keep a copy of your exam score reports for your records.

If you fail to appear for a scheduled examination or fail to achieve a passing score, you may take another scheduled exam, provided that you reapply, pay the fee, and don’t repeat the exam more than twice in any thirty (30) day period.

If you submit your passing score reports within 6 months from approval date of your application, you will receive your certificate by USPS. Scores are valid for 1 year and any score letter over a year old will not be accepted.

If you fail to submit your passing score reports within 6 months, your application fee will be forfeited and your application will be cleared. In this case, you will have to file for an extension by submitting a new Journeyman Certificate Application (new affidavit not required).

You may find additional information in the Journeyman Candidate Information Bulletin.

New Mexico Journeyman Electrician License (Certification) Renewal

Regarding the renewal of your journeyman certificate, the CID shall mail to you a renewal application form at least 30 days before the expiration of your certificate to your current address of record.

Please note that, it is your sole duty and responsibility to timely renew your certificate, regardless of the fact whether the application has been received or not. Also, make sure to properly send the application, because incomplete or inaccurately completed renewal applications shall be rejected.

With your application, you should include proof of the continuing education you have received during that time interval. In case the proof of compliance with the continuing education requirements is missing, your journeyman certificate shall not be renewed.

Finally, note that if a renewal application is not received in the appropriate time or, if it is received but rejected for failure to comply with renewal requirements, your certificate shall be suspended and shall be subject to cancellation.

You may find the journeyman certificate renewal form here.

For more information on the continuing education requirements, please read the following section.

New Mexico Journeyman Electrician Continuing Education

For electricians, the continuing education requirements for renewal of a journeyman certificate apply for the following classifications:

  • journeyman electrician (JE98 also referred to as EE98-J)
  • journeyman lineman (EL-1J)

You are are required to complete a minimum of 16 hours of approved course work before the renewal of your journeyman certificate. Proof of completion of such work has to be provided along with the application for renewal, in a manner satisfactory to the division. At least 8 hours of approved course work must cover the current CID code that is enforced by each journeyman classification to be renewed or reinstated.

You will have to submit to CID an application for course and instructor approval on a form approved by the division and the application has to be received no later than one 120 days before the date on which the course is proposed to begin.

A course, in order to be approved, must comply with the following standards:

  • the course content must be relevant to the electrical trade and be consistent with all current applicable laws and rules of the state of New Mexico
  • the course must be conducted in a classroom, seminar or in a home study format
  • the course must be taught by an approved instructor