LicensebyState

Kentucky to New Mexico: general contractor license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 17, 2026· 12 sources

Kentucky does not issue a statewide general contractor license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is New Mexico's standard path for out-of-state applicants.

Your origin state does not issue a statewide license at this level, so there is no license to transfer. The destination's standard out-of-state path is shown; expect to meet it in full.

Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.

GB-98 trade exam waived on the NASCLA Accredited Examination (every state)

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

New Mexico runs no named-state contractor reciprocity: the only reciprocity the Construction Industries Division publishes is for the EE-98J electrical journeyman certificate, and holding another state's general contractor license is worth nothing on its own here. What CID does accept, from an applicant in any state, is the NASCLA Accredited Examination. Under 14.6.3.8(G)(2)(f) NMAC the bureau chief may waive the state-specific written trade exam for a Qualifying Party who passed the NASCLA general construction accredited examination, and CID's own Qualifying Party application limits that waiver to the GB-98 and EE-98 classifications, so at this level a NASCLA pass replaces the two-part GB-98 exam. Three things come with it: the candidate must have used the NASCLA scores to obtain a license in another state and held that license for at least a year, must attach a letter of good standing from that state, and must release the NASCLA transcript to New Mexico from the NASCLA website rather than sending a copy. Nothing else is waived. The four years (8,000 hours) of foreman-level experience, at least two of them commercial, must still be documented on notarized affidavits, the Business and Law exam or approved course still applies, and the company still files the bond, the tax registration certificate and the entity paperwork. An applicant without a NASCLA pass simply sits the GB-98 exam.

The rule says the bureau chief 'may waive' the trade exam, and CID verifies the NASCLA transcript itself after PSI accepts the application and the experience; if CID denies the waiver the applicant is contacted and registered for the full exam sequence, so do not stop studying while the transcript is being checked. The NASCLA waiver is not open at the GB-2 residential level. Out-of-state experience counts in full toward the 8,000 hours where it was gained working for a contractor licensed in the trade or was legal work in the state where it was performed, and an out-of-state contractor signing the affidavit attaches a copy of their current state license; accredited training counts at one-half year per year up to half the requirement, and estimating, project management and supervision do not count as hands-on. Once PSI approves the application, all remaining requirements must be met within six months or the fees are forfeited, exam scores are good for one year, and the trade and Business and Law results must be within a year of each other. NMSA 60-13-14(C) allows the division, with the commission's consent, to enter reciprocal licensing agreements with states having equivalent requirements; no such agreement covering a building classification has been published, so ask the Construction Industries Division before assuming one exists.

At a glance

Trade exam
Waived
Law / code exam
Required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

  • You must have passed a licensing exam in Kentucky that the destination considers comparable.14.6.3.8(G)(2)(f) NMAC lets the bureau chief waive the state-specific written trade exam for a Qualifying Party who passed the NASCLA general construction accredited examination at the passing score, and CID's Qualifying Party application states the waiver is 'Applicable for Qualifying Party's applying for GB98 & EE98 ONLY' and that it 'removes the trade exam requirement ONLY'. The transcript must be released to New Mexico through the NASCLA website; CID verifies it directly. NASCLA is an exam credential rather than a license or an agreement between states, so it is available to a candidate from any state, and it waives no fee, bond, insurance, entity or experience requirement.
  • You must have held your Kentucky license for at least 1 year.CID's Qualifying Party application requires that the candidate 'must have taken the exam, used scores to obtain a license in another state, and held that license for a minimum of one year'. A NASCLA pass that was never used to obtain a license, or a license held for less than a year, does not support the waiver.
  • Your Kentucky license must be active and in good standing.
  • You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Four years (8,000 hours) of foreman-level practical or related trade experience within the ten years immediately before application, of which at least two years must be commercial experience (14.6.6.9(B)(2) NMAC; NMSA 60-13-14(B)(8)). It is documented on notarized General Building Work Experience Verification affidavits, one per employer or affiant, completed by an employer, supervisor, foreman or other contractor, and the affidavit must say whether the experience was residential or commercial. The NASCLA waiver does not reduce it.
  • Experience must have been gained while employed by a contractor licensed in the trade being applied for, or be work that was legal in the state where it was performed. An out-of-state contractor certifying the experience attaches a copy of their current state license to the affidavit; where that state does not license the trade, proof that the company was active and valid is attached instead.

What you'll do to get licensed in New Mexico

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($30). Non-refundable Qualifying Party application fee, paid to PSI with the notarized application, the work-experience affidavits and, for a NASCLA waiver, the letter of good standing from the licensing state. Complete packets go to the PSI Albuquerque office by hand or mail; faxed and emailed forms are not accepted..
  2. 2Other. Qualifying Party certificate fee, charged for each classification on the application (14.5.5.14(A) NMAC). With the $30 application fee this is the $36 the Construction Industries Division quotes for a single-classification Qualifying Party filing. ($6).
  3. 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). GB-98 General Building Contractor exam, required only where the NASCLA waiver is not used or is not granted. It is a two-part test administered by PSI: Part 1 is the GB-2 Residential Building Contractor paper, 80 questions in 225 minutes, and Part 2 is the commercial paper, 100 questions in 310 minutes, both open book and both needing 75% to pass. Part 2 covers sitework, concrete, masonry, carpentry, metals, roofing, associated trades, general code, plan reading and estimating, and OSHA safety against the 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code (14.7.2 NMAC) and the 2021 International Building Code. Both parts must be passed; a candidate who fails one part retakes only that part..
  4. 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($269.06). PSI fee for the two-part GB-98 exam taken as a combination, which includes the GB-2 paper. A single part costs $134.53 as a retake. A candidate whose NASCLA waiver is approved pays no trade exam fee..
  5. 5Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Contractor's Business and Law exam, required of all new Qualifying Party candidates and never waived by the NASCLA route: 50 questions, 130 minutes, open book, 75% (38 points) to pass, covering licensing requirements, estimating and bidding, business organization and financial management, tax and labor law, project management and lien law, contracts, risk management, and environment and safety. An approved Business and Law course taken with a CID-approved vendor may be completed in place of the exam, and an individual who is already an active Qualifying Party does not repeat it when adding a classification..
  6. 6Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($68.88). PSI fee for the Business and Law exam..
  7. 7Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license ($30). Non-refundable contractor license application fee paid to PSI by the business, filed with the notarized Contractor License Application, a copy of the Qualifying Party's certificate or passing score reports, and the Business and Law score or course certificate. A $6 certificate fee covering the license certificate and two wallet cards is charged with it..
  8. 8License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($300). Classification fee for GB-98, covering the full three-year license term on PSI's current schedule. Adding a GS specialty classification alongside it does not raise the total above $300 for the category. Late renewal costs $1 a day for the first 30 days and the equivalent of one year's fee from 30 to 90 days; after 90 days the license is cancelled and the business must reapply..
  9. 9Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($10,000). $10,000 code bond from a corporate surety authorized to transact business in New Mexico, issued in the exact name shown on the application and effective for the entire three-year license period. It is the statutory proof of responsibility, may be drawn on only to cure division-certified code violations the licensee has not corrected, and must be kept in force for the whole term; claims are limited to two years after final inspection or issuance of a certificate of occupancy. New Mexico sets no net worth, working capital or financial statement test for a contractor license..
  10. 10Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Workers' compensation coverage is required of every licensed entity, and failure to maintain it is cause for revocation of the license. A sole proprietor with no employees may be exempt; the Workers' Compensation Administration can confirm. An application is placed on hold while the applicant is out of compliance. CID does not require a general liability policy for the license itself, though owners and general contractors normally require one by contract..
  11. 11Business license. Obtain a business license. A registration certificate issued within the last twelve months by the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department in the exact name on the license application, plus proof of registration with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission for a corporation or LLC, or with the Secretary of State for a limited liability partnership or limited partnership. A corporation, LLC, LP or LLP must be legally authorized to do business in New Mexico before the license issues, the proposed name must be cleared with PSI first, and each member of a joint venture must itself hold a New Mexico license..
  12. 12Background check. Complete a background check. CID reviews the application against the disqualifying felony convictions listed in 14.6.3.8(F) NMAC and may deny a license or certificate on that basis; sealed, dismissed, expunged or pardoned convictions and juvenile adjudications are not used. An application is also held where there are pending CID disciplinary actions, a workers' compensation compliance problem, a child support delinquency for the proposed Qualifying Party, or an open unlicensed-activity investigation..

Published fees on this path total $667.94, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

What you'll need to buy or arrange

Exam preparation

Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.

  • Trade exam · if applicable
  • Exam fee · $269.06
  • Law / code exam
  • Exam fee · $68.88

Surety bond

A license or contractor bond is bought from a surety, not the state. Price is a small percentage of the bond amount and depends on your credit.

  • Surety bond · $10,000

Liability insurance

Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.

  • Insurance

Business registration

If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.

  • Business license

How New Mexico licenses general contractors

New Mexico general contractor · “GB-98 General Building Contractor”

Statewide license

Verified September 17, 2026· 6 sources

Issued by New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division (CID), General Construction Bureau; licensing paperwork and exams handled by PSI

New Mexico's unlimited building tier is the GB-98 General Building classification issued by the Construction Industries Division: erect, alter, repair or demolish residential and commercial buildings and certain structures, including everything the GB-2 residential classification and the GF-5, GF-7 and GS specialty classifications cover, plus seal coating and striping of driveways and parking lots. There is no dollar cap on a GB-98 license, but it is a building classification rather than a universal one, so it excludes structures covered by the electrical (EE), mechanical and plumbing (MM), asphalt and concrete (GA) and fixed works (GF) classifications; the separate GA classifications run from GA-1, streets, roads and highways, through GA-98, and a GB-98 contractor may not prime a project whose major portion by dollar value falls in a GA classification or in most GF classifications. The license belongs to a business that employs or is owned by a Qualifying Party, and that individual is the one who documents the experience, passes the exams and holds a personal certificate of qualification. A GB-98 Qualifying Party needs four years (8,000 hours) of foreman-level experience within the last ten years, of which at least two years must be commercial, and must pass the two-part GB-98 exam and the Contractor's Business and Law exam or an approved course in its place. The entity files a $10,000 code bond and carries workers' compensation, and the license runs three years.

Moving to New MexicoLeaving New Mexico

Why Kentucky has nothing to transfer

Kentucky general contractor · “General or commercial building contractor license or registration (city- or county-issued)”

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 17, 2026· 13 sources

Issued by No state authority; cities and counties license or register commercial building contractors

Kentucky has no statewide general, commercial or unlimited building contractor license, so there is nothing at state level for an out-of-state general contractor's license to transfer into, no qualifying party to designate with the state and no NASCLA route to take. The Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction licenses the trades instead - its home page says it "licenses/certifies plumbers, electricians, boiler contractors, sprinkler and/or fire alarm contractors and building inspectors", and 815 KAR adds HVAC licensing, elevator safety, boilers and pressure vessels, manufactured homes and home inspectors, with no chapter for building contractors anywhere in the title. Commercial building is controlled through local permitting, and the requirements are administrative rather than technical. Louisville Metro issues a Building Type A - Commercial license for $125 a year on a liability certificate, a workers' compensation filing and a Jefferson County occupational license number, with no exam and no bond. Lexington-Fayette registers a general contractor who "performs commercial, industrial, public works, and/or residential construction of larger than four-family homes" under its Contractors Registration Ordinance, and unregistered contractors cannot obtain building permits there. Bowling Green and Warren County run a joint Contractors Licensing Board whose $250 General Contractors License covers construction management and permit pulling, while telling applicants plainly that the license does not warrant that they are qualified. Owensboro and Covington require only an occupational business license and insurance. A commercial builder arriving in Kentucky therefore registers jurisdiction by jurisdiction and makes sure the plumbing, electrical, HVAC, boiler and fire-protection scope is performed under the correct HBC state licenses.

How local licensing works in Kentucky

How local licensing works. Kentucky has no state general contractor board, no state business-and-law exam for builders and no statewide reciprocity for commercial construction. Every rule that binds a general contractor is either a trade license from the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, the Kentucky Building Code in 815 KAR Chapter 007, or a local ordinance. Find the building department with jurisdiction over the site first, then register there before bidding. A registration in one Kentucky jurisdiction is worth nothing in the next, and an out-of-state general contractor license is worth nothing in any of them.

Louisville Metro (Jefferson County). The Office of Construction Review licenses building contractors for the merged city-county. License A covers "one or more permitted projects during a calendar year" and License B a single permitted project; the work scopes are Building A-Residential, Building A-Residential/Commercial, Building A-Commercial and Building B. Building Type A is "for building contractors seeking to obtain multiple permits within Louisville Jefferson County" at $125 a year on a term running 1 January to 31 December; Building Type B is $50 and is limited to one permit per person or company per renewal year. The filing is a certificate of liability insurance with the Office of Construction Review as certificate holder, workers' compensation and unemployment insurance or a notarized affidavit where the contractor has no covered employees, an Occupational License Number from the Revenue Commission of Jefferson County, and the application through the Metro business portal. The six-hour continuing education requirement attaches to the scopes that include housing - Building A-R, Building A-RC and Building B - so a contractor registered purely as Building A-Commercial is the one building class without it. Renewals must include a subcontractor list. There is no exam, experience review, bond or financial statement on any building class. 444 S. 5th St., Suite 100, (502) 574-3321.

Lexington-Fayette Urban County. The Division of Building Inspection registers every contractor under the Contractors Registration Ordinance, and "unregistered contractors cannot obtain building permits." The commercial class, under Ordinance 5-90(a)(1), is the general contractor, who "performs commercial, industrial, public works, and/or residential construction of larger than four-family homes (4-plex); and may supervise, arrange, and/or perform wholly or partly more than two building trades or crafts." A firm that concentrates on one or two trades registers as a specialty contractor instead. The filing is a Home Office Certificate ($10) or Certificate of Occupancy ($25) where the business address is in Fayette County, an occupational business license from Revenue, general liability and workers' compensation insurance with LFUCG named as certificate holder, and the online Contractor Registration Application with those two documents uploaded. No exam, experience or bond is required. The published Building Inspection fee schedule covers permits and lists no contractor registration fee, so confirm the amount with the division. 101 E. Vine St., (859) 258-3770.

Bowling Green and Warren County. One joint Contractors Licensing Board serves the city and the county under Ordinance 91-58 WC and Ordinance 91-25 BG. The General Contractors License, $250 and non-refundable, is required of anyone "doing any type of general contract work in Bowling Green / Warren County including pulling permits for building or remodeling, construction management, or if you would have two or more subcontractors per job." The Specialty Contractors License is $100 and covers subcontract work or a job with at most one subcontractor. Insurance is the substantive test: a certificate naming the board as certificate holder with general liability of at least $100,000 per occurrence, workers' compensation shown on the certificate or a notarized Affidavit of Exemption, and a notarized Partnership Agreement for partnerships. Licenses are non-transferable, renewals are annual and pro-rated mid-year, and a change of ownership voids the license. There is no exam or experience requirement; the board states that it "does not warrant that you are otherwise qualified to perform your trade or specialty by the issuance of its license." A city occupational license is needed for work inside Bowling Green and a county one for work outside it. 1141 State Street, Suite 200, 270-781-3530.

Owensboro and Daviess County. There is no contractor license here. The Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission's Building & Electrical Division issues building, electrical, HVAC, sign and parking lot permits and certificates of occupancy for Owensboro-Daviess County under the Kentucky Building Code and the National Electrical Code, and issues no contractor credential; demolition permits come from City of Owensboro Public Works. A commercial builder registers with the city's Occupational License Division before doing business inside the city limits, with a minimum license fee of $75 at registration. 101 East 4th Street, 270-687-5600.

Covington and Kenton County (Northern Kentucky). Planning and Development Services of Kenton County is the building department, and it requires that "all contractors must obtain and maintain a Kenton County occupational license and provide proof of Kentucky workers' compensation insurance coverage", plus the HBC state license "for electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and fire suppression work", with copies of all of it on file "before any permits can be issued." There is no general contractor license, exam or bond. In Covington a zoning permit precedes the building permit, and a certificate of appropriateness is needed first inside a historic preservation overlay. PDS, 1840 Simon Kenton Way, Suite 3400, Covington, 859-331-8980.

What does and does not travel. An out-of-state general contractor license, a NASCLA Accredited Examination and out-of-state project experience carry no weight in any Kentucky jurisdiction, because none of them tests or qualifies commercial builders. Kentucky is not a NASCLA participating state, and no Kentucky city on this page accepts an examination in place of its own filing. What does matter is holding, or employing someone who holds, the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction license for each state-licensed trade in scope - plumbing, electrical, HVAC, boilers, fire sprinklers and fire alarms - because those licenses are statewide, are the only Kentucky construction credentials with reciprocity rules of their own, and are separately demanded by several of the local building departments above.

Moving to KentuckyLeaving Kentucky

Common questions

Do I have to take the New Mexico general contractor exam if I'm licensed in Kentucky?
The trade exam is waived, but New Mexico requires a law or code exam.
How long do I need to have held my Kentucky license?
At least 1 year before applying.
What does it cost to get a New Mexico general contractor license from Kentucky?
Published fees on this path total $667.94, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Kentucky work hours count in New Mexico?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward New Mexico's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from New Mexico to Kentucky?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from New Mexico to Kentucky, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors · National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  2. Construction Industries Licensing Act, NMSA 1978 Chapter 60, Article 13 (RLD compilation as of July 1, 2021) · NMSA 1978 §§ 60-13-3, 60-13-14, 60-13-14.1, 60-13-23, 60-13-49 · New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
  3. 14.5.5 NMAC - Construction Industries General Provisions: Fees · 14.5.5.8 and 14.5.5.14 NMAC · New Mexico Commission of Public Records, State Records Center and Archives · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
  4. 14.6.3 NMAC - Construction Industries Licensing: Contractor's License Requirements · 14.6.3.8 NMAC · New Mexico Commission of Public Records, State Records Center and Archives · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
  5. 14.6.6 NMAC - Construction Industries Licensing: Classifications and Scopes of Work · 14.6.6.8 and 14.6.6.9 NMAC · New Mexico Commission of Public Records, State Records Center and Archives · Admin Rule · verified September 17, 2026
  6. NM CID - How to Obtain a Contractor License and Contractor License Application (updated October 2023) · PSI Services for the New Mexico Construction Industries Division · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  7. State of New Mexico Contractor (Qualifying Party) Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI) · PSI Services for the NM Construction Industries Division · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  8. New Mexico Contractor Licensing - Frequently Asked Questions (CID / PSI) · PSI Services for the New Mexico Construction Industries Division · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
  9. PSI General Building Work Experience Verification - New Mexico Contractor Licensing Service · PSI Services for the New Mexico Construction Industries Division · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  10. New Mexico Licensing Fees (CID contractor, qualifying party and journeyman fee schedule) · PSI Services for the New Mexico Construction Industries Division · Other · verified September 17, 2026
  11. NM CID Qualifying Party Certificate Application and Instructions (instructions updated May 2025, form updated August 2025) · PSI Services for the New Mexico Construction Industries Division · Form · verified September 17, 2026
  12. NM Regulation and Licensing Department - Apply for a Construction Industries License · New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division · Agency Page · verified September 17, 2026

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

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