- New Mexico requires a state contractor license from the Construction Industries Division for construction contracting.
- Four years of experience, documented within the 10 years before you apply. Accredited training can count for up to half.
- Plan for two exams: the trade exam and a business and law exam.
- Pay runs from about $17.39 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of plumbers to $42.16 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 12% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 2.3% projected nationally.
The path in New Mexico, step by step
New Mexico licenses plumbing work at the state level through the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Get four years of plumbing experience within the last ten years.
- Document your experience to qualify for the MM-1 trade exam.
- Pass the trade exam with 75 percent or better and complete the Business and Law course if it applies.
- Buy the $10,000 bond and arrange workers compensation if you have employees.
- Send the notarized contractor license application and fees to PSI in Albuquerque.
- Renew every three years.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: plumbing license in New Mexico.
Finding an apprenticeship in New Mexico
New Mexico runs Registered Apprenticeship through its own State Apprenticeship Agency, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor to register and oversee programs there. Its staff are state employees, and it may use the federal paperwork or forms of its own. Apprenticeship.gov lists the New Mexico State Apprenticeship Agency as the contact.
Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.
Across the country. Most plumbers learn the trade in a 4 or 5 year apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training plus some classroom instruction each year.
License levels and exams in New Mexico
The license to aim for: MM-1 Plumbing (or MM-98 Mechanical).
Trade exam. Yes. A trade exam given by CID or its designee. Passing score is 75 percent.
Business exam. Yes, where it applies. The license application asks for a certificate showing passing grades for the Business and Law course when your qualifying party is licensed for the first time.
Keeping it. Every three years. A license runs three years from the date it is issued.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| MM-1 | Plumbing, fixtures and piping, including small hot water heating systems. |
| MM-98 | All work in MM-1 through MM-4 plus some mechanical specialty work. |
What the New Mexico license costs
The fees the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application and certificate fee | $36 |
| MM-1 or other single classification fee | $150 |
| MM-98 classification fee | $300 |
What plumbers earn in New Mexico
The median plumber in New Mexico earned $29.54 an hour in May 2025, 36th of 51 states, with 2,830 on payrolls. The national median was $30.67.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of plumbers in New Mexico earned under $21.72 an hour and a tenth under $17.39. At the top, a quarter earned over $37.60 and a tenth over $42.16.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $17.39 | $36,160 |
| 25th percentile | $21.72 | $45,190 |
| Median | $29.54 | $61,440 |
| 75th percentile | $37.60 | $78,210 |
| 90th percentile | $42.16 | $87,700 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: plumber salary in New Mexico.
Jobs ahead in New Mexico
New Mexico's labor market office projects jobs for plumbers growing from 3,090 in 2022 to 3,460 in 2032, a change of 12%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 320 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 12% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 2.3% projected nationally, ranking 14th of the 50 states in the file.
These are the state's own long-term projections, published together on Projections Central for the occupation group plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters.
Starting your own plumber business in New Mexico
To contract on your own in New Mexico, the license is the MM-1 Plumbing (or MM-98 Mechanical).
Insurance. Workers compensation insurance is required of all licensees. A sole owner with no employees may be exempt.
Bond. A $10,000 bond from a surety authorized in New Mexico, covering the full license period.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the New Mexico median of $29.54 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $122.47 per billable hour. Try your own in the plumber labor rate calculator.
The full checklist is in how to start a plumbing business. The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.
Where this comes from
The license steps, fees and rules are from the official pages below, read on the date shown. Pay is the BLS May 2025 state estimate, the job outlook is New Mexico's own long-term projection, and the apprenticeship details are from the U.S. Department of Labor. A detail an official page did not confirm is left out.
- NM RLD Construction Industries Division (checked 2026-10-08)
- 14.6.6 NMAC license classifications (checked 2026-10-08)
- 14.6.3 NMAC construction industries licensing (checked 2026-10-08)
- NM CID Contractor License Application (PSI, linked from CID) (checked 2026-10-08)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2152
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2022 to 2032 (state labor market offices) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship System (Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agencies) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, State Offices (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Program (checked 2026-10-09)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (checked 2026-10-09)
Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become a plumber.