Arkansas to New Mexico: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
New Mexico has no reciprocity agreement with Arkansas. Your Arkansas 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 HVAC or mechanical 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 HVAC technician or mechanical contractor receives no exam waiver 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 MM-3 classification within the past ten years (out-of-state experience is accepted), then must pass the 100-question MM-3 trade exam ($68.88, 75% to pass) and the Contractor's Business and Law exam ($68.88) or complete a commission-approved business and law course in its place. Once the certificate of qualification is issued, the individual or business applies for the MM-3 contractor's license ($30 application and $6 certificate fee; $150 for the three-year license term, or $300 for MM-98) with a $10,000 code bond and must carry workers' compensation coverage. Anyone who personally services refrigerant-containing equipment also needs federal EPA Section 608 certification, which CID requires of JR journeymen.
CID's pages describe no substantial-equivalence or endorsement review for contractors from any state; the statutory reciprocity authority in NMSA 60-13-14(C) has not been exercised for mechanical classifications as far as any official page shows. A qualifying party may also obtain the parallel JR journeyman certificate without new work-verification forms.
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 MM-3 classification within the ten years immediately before application (NMSA 60-13-14(B)(8); 14.6.6.11 NMAC)
What you'll do to get licensed in New Mexico
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($36). Qualifying party application and work-experience affidavit fee paid to PSI.
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. MM-3 Heat, Vent and Air Conditioning exam administered by PSI: 100 questions, 245 minutes, open book, 75% to pass.
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($68.88). PSI fee for the MM-3 trade exam, first attempt or retake.
- 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). MM-3 contractor's license application fee, non-refundable, plus a $6 certificate fee ($36 total, as listed on the RLD page).
- 7License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($150). MM-3 contractor's license fee for the three-year license term; MM-98 is $300 (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 three-year license term (14.6.3.8(C) NMAC).
- 9Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Workers' compensation coverage is required for all licensed entities.
- 10Other. Hold EPA Section 608 technician certification to handle refrigerant; federal law requires it, but it is not a condition of this state license (if applicable).
Published fees on this path total $323.76, 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 · $68.88
- Law / code exam
- Exam fee · $68.88
- Other · if applicable
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 HVAC technicians
New Mexico master HVAC technician · “MM-3 HVAC Contractor (qualifying party certificate of qualification)”
Statewide license
New Mexico has no 'master HVAC' license. Its highest heating and cooling credential is the MM-3 Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning contractor classification (install, alter, repair, service and maintain HVAC air-handling and refrigeration equipment, piping and ductwork, with controls at 24 volts or less); the broader MM-98 Mechanical classification covers MM-3 plus plumbing, gas fitting and process piping. CID issues the contractor's license to the contracting entity and a personal, non-transferable certificate of qualification to the qualifying party, the individual who passed the MM-3 trade exam and the Contractor's Business and Law exam, so this site maps the MM-3 qualifying party to the master level. A qualifying party needs four years of experience in the classification within the ten years before application. Even with an MM-3 license the hands-on work must still be done by or under a certified JR or JSM journeyman. CID publishes reciprocity only for EE-98J electrical journeymen; no reciprocity or exam waiver is published for mechanical qualifying parties or contractors, although NMSA 60-13-14(C) allows the division to enter into reciprocal agreements with states having equivalent requirements.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the New Mexico master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Arkansas?
- 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 HVAC technician license from Arkansas?
- Published fees on this path total $323.76, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Arkansas 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 Arkansas?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from New Mexico to Arkansas, the mechanism is endorsement.
Sources
- EPA Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements · 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F (Clean Air Act §608) · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Other · verified September 15, 2026
- 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
- 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
- NM CID / PSI - How to Obtain a Journeyman Certificate and Application for Journeyman Certificate (updated Aug 2025) · PSI Services for the NM Construction Industries Division · Form · 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 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.