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Electrician license · New Mexico

How to get an electrician license in New Mexico: the official requirements

The Journeyman Electrician Certificate of Competence (EE-98J) license, the experience and training it takes, the exam and how to apply, from the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division.

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Updated Nov 9, 2026 · Requirements: each state's electrical licensing authority or its rules
Quick answer

In New Mexico, the state electrical license for individual electricians is issued by the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division. The journeyman electrician certificate of competence (EE-98J, journeyman residential and commercial electrical), issued by the Construction Industries Division. You may not work as a journeyman without one, and a journeyman may work in the trade only when employed by a licensed entity. Apprentice or trainee registration: An apprentice may work under the direct supervision of a validly certified journeyman who is employed by a validly licensed person or a holder of a valid annual permit. Experience and training: Four years. Under the statute you can sit the journeyman electrician exam after four years of accredited training, four years of apprenticeship, or four years of practical experience (two of them in commercial or industrial work), or after an approved electrical trade program plus two years of commercial experience. The Division's rule says the EE-98J certificate requires four years of experience, documented within the 10 years before you apply; accredited training counts as half a year of experience per year, for no more than half of the requirement. Licensing exam: A Division-approved exam on the rules governing the trade and your technical knowledge, administered by PSI. You can test only after your work experience documentation is accepted; the passing score is 75 percent. How to apply: Apply on the Division's journeyman certificate application form with the certification fee, and submit proof of your experience on the Division's forms. CID licensing paperwork is processed by PSI; the exam registration form is at the end of the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (Journeyman).

Requirements

New Mexico electrician license requirements

Data
New Mexico electrician license requirements (New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division)
RequirementNew Mexico
License you apply forThe journeyman electrician certificate of competence (EE-98J, journeyman residential and commercial electrical), issued by the Construction Industries Division. You may not work as a journeyman without one, and a journeyman may work in the trade only when employed by a licensed entity.
Apprentice or trainee registrationAn apprentice may work under the direct supervision of a validly certified journeyman who is employed by a validly licensed person or a holder of a valid annual permit.
Experience and trainingFour years. Under the statute you can sit the journeyman electrician exam after four years of accredited training, four years of apprenticeship, or four years of practical experience (two of them in commercial or industrial work), or after an approved electrical trade program plus two years of commercial experience. The Division's rule says the EE-98J certificate requires four years of experience, documented within the 10 years before you apply; accredited training counts as half a year of experience per year, for no more than half of the requirement.
Classroom hoursNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division.
Licensing examA Division-approved exam on the rules governing the trade and your technical knowledge, administered by PSI. You can test only after your work experience documentation is accepted; the passing score is 75 percent.
How to applyApply on the Division's journeyman certificate application form with the certification fee, and submit proof of your experience on the Division's forms. CID licensing paperwork is processed by PSI; the exam registration form is at the end of the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (Journeyman).
Background checkNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division.
State feesNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division.
License termUp to three years: a certificate of competence expires on the date the Division sets, not more than three years from the month it was issued.
Continuing education16 hours of approved continuing education in every three-year period between electrical code updates (8 hours of code changes and 8 hours of other industry-related instruction), with proof submitted with your renewal application.

Where the official source we read does not state something, the table says so rather than guessing. Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.

This page covers the electrical license issued by the state. Cities and counties can have their own registration, permit or license rules; ask the local building department where you will work.

Steps

How to get licensed in New Mexico

Data
  1. Work as an apprentice under the direct supervision of a certified journeyman employed by a licensed contractor.
  2. Build four years of qualifying experience, apprenticeship or accredited training in the electrical trade.
  3. Submit the Division's journeyman certificate application with proof of your experience on the approved forms.
  4. Once your experience is accepted, register for the journeyman exam with PSI.
  5. Pass the exam with a score of 75 percent or higher.
  6. Renew before the certificate expires (at most three years), with 16 hours of approved continuing education.
Next

Go further

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FAQ

Questions people ask

How do I get an electrician license in New Mexico?
In New Mexico, the state electrical license for individual electricians is issued by the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division. The journeyman electrician certificate of competence (EE-98J, journeyman residential and commercial electrical), issued by the Construction Industries Division. You may not work as a journeyman without one, and a journeyman may work in the trade only when employed by a licensed entity. Apprentice or trainee registration: An apprentice may work under the direct supervision of a validly certified journeyman who is employed by a validly licensed person or a holder of a valid annual permit. Experience and training: Four years. Under the statute you can sit the journeyman electrician exam after four years of accredited training, four years of apprenticeship, or four years of practical experience (two of them in commercial or industrial work), or after an approved electrical trade program plus two years of commercial experience. The Division's rule says the EE-98J certificate requires four years of experience, documented within the 10 years before you apply; accredited training counts as half a year of experience per year, for no more than half of the requirement. Licensing exam: A Division-approved exam on the rules governing the trade and your technical knowledge, administered by PSI. You can test only after your work experience documentation is accepted; the passing score is 75 percent. How to apply: Apply on the Division's journeyman certificate application form with the certification fee, and submit proof of your experience on the Division's forms. CID licensing paperwork is processed by PSI; the exam registration form is at the end of the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (Journeyman).
What experience do I need for a New Mexico electrician license?
Four years. Under the statute you can sit the journeyman electrician exam after four years of accredited training, four years of apprenticeship, or four years of practical experience (two of them in commercial or industrial work), or after an approved electrical trade program plus two years of commercial experience. The Division's rule says the EE-98J certificate requires four years of experience, documented within the 10 years before you apply; accredited training counts as half a year of experience per year, for no more than half of the requirement.
Is there an apprentice or trainee license in New Mexico?
An apprentice may work under the direct supervision of a validly certified journeyman who is employed by a validly licensed person or a holder of a valid annual permit.
Do I need to pass an exam for a New Mexico electrician license?
A Division-approved exam on the rules governing the trade and your technical knowledge, administered by PSI. You can test only after your work experience documentation is accepted; the passing score is 75 percent.
How long is a New Mexico electrician license good for?
Up to three years: a certificate of competence expires on the date the Division sets, not more than three years from the month it was issued.
How much does a New Mexico electrician license cost?
Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division.
Method

How this page is built

Each fact on this page comes from the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division and the rules it publishes (sources named below), read on the dates shown, with the exact wording we relied on kept on file. Requirements and fees change; the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division's current instructions govern. We re-read each state's sources every six months (next review by May 10, 2027).

What this page can't tell you
  • Not legal advice.
  • Licensing rules can change. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency.
  • Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.
  • This page covers the electrical license issued by the state. Cities and counties can have their own registration, permit or license rules; ask the local building department where you will work.
  • This page covers the individual license named above. Master, contractor, specialty, sign, residential, limited and out-of-state (reciprocity) licenses have their own rules.
Sources
  1. New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Licensing Act (Chapter 60, Article 13 NMSA 1978), compilation dated 7.1.21, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
  2. New Mexico Administrative Code 14.6.4 NMAC, Journeyman Certification (Construction Industries Division), as amended 01/13/2023, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
  3. New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division, How to Apply for a Construction Industries License, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
  4. New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division, Continuing Education, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.