Washington to New Mexico: general contractor license reciprocity

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.