LicensebyState

Georgia to New Mexico: residential contractor license reciprocity

Experience credit· Hours transferVerified September 17, 2026· 11 sources

New Mexico has no reciprocity agreement with Georgia. Your Georgia experience counts toward eligibility, but you must pass the New Mexico exam.

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

Out-of-state residential contractor applying for GB-2 (all states)

Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.

A residential contractor licensed in another state gets no exam waiver and no shortened path to a New Mexico GB-2 license. The only reciprocity the Construction Industries Division publishes is for the EE-98J electrical journeyman certificate, 14.6.3 NMAC contains no endorsement or substantial-equivalence route for a contractor or Qualifying Party, and the NASCLA exam waiver that CID does operate is limited to the GB-98 and EE-98 classifications, not GB-2. What does carry across is the work itself: out-of-state experience counts in full toward the two years (4,000 hours) of foreman-level experience, provided it was gained while employed by a contractor licensed in the trade or was legal work in the state where it was performed, and the out-of-state contractor who signs the notarized affidavit attaches a copy of their own current state license. The applicant files the Qualifying Party application and General Building Work Experience Verification affidavits with PSI, waits for CID or PSI to approve the experience, then passes the GB-2 exam and the Business and Law exam, and the company that will hold the license applies separately with the bond, the tax registration certificate and proof of the Qualifying Party's exams. Statute does let the division enter reciprocal agreements with states having equivalent requirements, but none covering a building classification has been published.

Accredited college, university, manufacturer, vocational or apprenticeship training counts as one-half year of experience per year and may not exceed half of the two-year requirement. Estimating, project management, ordering supplies and supervising do not count as hands-on experience on the affidavit, and the affidavit must state whether the experience was residential or commercial. Once PSI approves the application, every remaining requirement must be met within six months or the fees are forfeited, and the trade exam and the Business and Law exam must both be passed within one year of each other. An exam may not be repeated more than twice in any 30-day period. Military service members, their spouses and dependent children and veterans who are currently licensed and in good standing in another jurisdiction with substantially equivalent requirements have a separate expedited route: CID issues within 30 days and waives the license fees for the first three years. A homeowner-scale exemption exists for an individual doing one project at a time for no more than $7,200 a year in casual or handyman work, but it does not extend to electrical, plumbing or gas fitting and requires an annual declaration to the division.

At a glance

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

What you must already have

  • You must document at least 4,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Two years (4,000 hours) of foreman-level practical or related trade experience in residential building, gained within the ten years immediately before application (14.6.6.9(B)(1) NMAC; NMSA 60-13-14(B)(8) as reduced by rule). 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 rather than by the applicant.
  • 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 the state does not license that trade, proof that the company was active and valid, such as a tax certificate or corporation papers, is attached instead.
  • The Qualifying Party must be at least 18 and may qualify only one licensed entity unless there is at least thirty percent common ownership between the entities. CID may deny a license or certificate where the applicant or the proposed Qualifying Party has a disqualifying felony conviction, and an applicant denied on that basis may submit written evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation and appeal.

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 and work-experience affidavits. 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. GB-2 Residential Building Contractor exam, administered by PSI once CID or PSI approves the experience affidavits: 80 questions, 225 minutes, open book, 75% (60 points) to pass. Content covers sitework, footings and foundations, concrete and reinforcement, masonry, carpentry, roofing, associated trades, general code, plan reading and estimating, and OSHA safety, against the 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code (14.7.3 NMAC), the 2021 International Residential Code, the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code and 29 CFR 1926..
  4. 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($134.53). PSI fee for the GB-2 exam, charged for a first attempt or a retake..
  5. 5Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Contractor's Business and Law exam, required of all new Qualifying Party candidates: 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..
  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-2, 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..
  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..
  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, and the proposed business name must be cleared with PSI first..
  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 $533.41, 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
  • Exam fee · $134.53
  • 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 residential contractors

New Mexico residential contractor · “GB-2 Residential 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 licenses homebuilders statewide through the Construction Industries Division of the Regulation and Licensing Department, and the homes-only classification is GB-2 Residential: erect, alter, repair or demolish residences and apartment houses of not more than four family units in occupancy Groups R-1, R-2 and R-3, plus incidental Group U structures and any GS specialty work kept inside that residential scope. Anything commercial, and any residential building beyond four units, needs the GB-98 General Building classification instead. The license is held by a business, not by a person: CID issues it to a qualified entity that employs or is owned by a Qualifying Party, and the Qualifying Party is the individual who documents the experience, sits the exams and holds a personal, non-transferable certificate of qualification, so a builder moving to New Mexico applies first as a Qualifying Party and then for the company license. A GB-2 Qualifying Party needs two years (4,000 hours) of foreman-level practical or related trade experience gained within the ten years before applying, and must pass the GB-2 trade exam and the Contractor's Business and Law exam, or take an approved Business and Law course in place of that exam. Every licensed entity files a $10,000 code bond and carries workers' compensation coverage, and licenses run for three years. CID publishes reciprocity for one credential only, the EE-98J electrical journeyman certificate, so no other state's contractor license is recognized at this level.

Moving to New MexicoLeaving New Mexico

Common questions

Do I have to take the New Mexico residential contractor exam if I'm licensed in Georgia?
Yes. New Mexico requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a New Mexico residential contractor license from Georgia?
Published fees on this path total $533.41, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Georgia work hours count in New Mexico?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward New Mexico's eligibility requirements.

Sources

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. New Mexico Contractor Licensing - Frequently Asked Questions (CID / PSI) · PSI Services for the New Mexico Construction Industries Division · Faq · verified September 17, 2026
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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.

Report an error on this page

Related