Rhode Island to New Mexico: master electrician license reciprocity
New Mexico has no reciprocity agreement with Rhode Island. Your Rhode Island 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 master or electrical contractor (all states)
Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.
An out-of-state master electrician or electrical contractor has no reciprocal agreement to use in New Mexico. The applicant files the qualifying party application with PSI ($36) and a notarized work-experience affidavit showing four years of experience in the EE-98 classification within the past ten years, then must pass the EE-98 trade exam (three parts, $269.06) and the Contractor's Business and Law exam ($68.88), or complete a commission-approved business and law course in place of that exam. Out-of-state experience is accepted on the affidavit. An applicant who passed the NASCLA-accredited electrical exam and has held a license based on it in another state for at least one year may ask CID to waive the EE-98 trade exam; Business and Law still applies. Once the qualifying party has passed, the individual or business applies for the EE-98 contractor's license ($30 application plus $6 certificate fee; $300 license fee for the three-year term), files a $10,000 code bond and must carry workers' compensation coverage.
The $36 fees on the RLD page are a $30 application fee plus a $6 certificate fee. PSI's fee schedule charges $300 per EE-98 classification for the three-year license; 14.5.5.8 NMAC still states the fee as $100 per year. A contractor license in New Mexico may be held by an individual as sole proprietor. The NASCLA trade-exam waiver (14.6.3.8(G)(2)(f) NMAC) is discretionary and is decided by CID after the experience is verified; no official page describes a reciprocal agreement for qualifying parties from any state.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Four years of practical or related trade experience in the EE-98 classification within the ten years immediately before application (NMSA 60-13-14(A)(8); 14.6.6.10(B)(1)(a) NMAC)
What you'll do to get licensed in New Mexico
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($36). Qualifying party application fee paid to PSI, with notarized work-experience affidavit.
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. EE-98 Residential and Commercial Electrical exam, three parts, administered by PSI.
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($269.06). PSI fee for the three-part EE-98 exam; a single failed part is retaken for $89.69.
- 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Contractor's Business and Law exam (required of all new candidates) or a commission-approved business and law course.
- 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($68.88). PSI fee for the Business and Law exam.
- 6Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license ($30). EE-98 contractor's license application fee, non-refundable, plus a $6 certificate fee.
- 7License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($300). EE-98 contractor's license fee for the three-year license term (PSI fee schedule).
- 8Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($10,000). $10,000 contractor license code bond from a corporate surety authorized in New Mexico, covering the full license term.
- 9Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Workers' compensation coverage is required for all licensed entities.
Published fees on this path total $673.94, 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
- 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
How New Mexico licenses master electricians
New Mexico master electrician · “EE-98 Electrical Contractor (qualifying party certificate of qualification)”
Statewide license
Issued by New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division (CID)
New Mexico has no license called 'master electrician'. Its highest electrical credential is the EE-98 electrical contractor classification (all electrical systems and wiring methods at 5,000 volts nominal or less), which is issued by CID in two parts: the contractor's license goes to the contracting entity, and a personal, non-transferable certificate of qualification goes to the qualifying party, the individual who passed the EE-98 three-part trade exam and the Contractor's Business and Law exam and is responsible for the licensee's code compliance. Because the certificate of qualification is held by a person and earned by examination, this site maps it to the master level. A qualifying party needs four years of experience in the classification within the ten years before application. CID publishes reciprocity only for EE-98J journeymen; no reciprocal agreement covers qualifying parties or EE-98 contractors, although NMSA 60-13-14(C) allows the division to enter into such agreements. The only published exam relief is a NASCLA waiver: CID may waive the EE-98 trade exam (not the Business and Law exam) for an applicant who passed the NASCLA-accredited electrical exam and has held a license in another state based on it for at least one year.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the New Mexico master electrician exam if I'm licensed in Rhode Island?
- 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 master electrician license from Rhode Island?
- Published fees on this path total $673.94, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Rhode Island work hours count in New Mexico?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward New Mexico's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- Construction Industries Licensing Act, NMSA 1978 Chapter 60, Article 13 · NMSA 1978 §§ 60-13-2(E), 60-13-14, 60-13-16, 60-13-38 · New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- State of New Mexico Contractor (Qualifying Party) Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI) · PSI Services for the NM Construction Industries Division · Other · verified September 23, 2026
- New Mexico Licensing Fees (CID contractor, qualifying party and journeyman fee schedule) · PSI Services for the New Mexico Construction Industries Division · Other · verified September 23, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- NM Regulation and Licensing Department - Apply for a Construction Industries License · New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.