New Mexico Solar License Requirements

New Mexico does not list a GS-3 solar installation contractor classification in its current CID classifications and scopes. Solar photovoltaic work follows the existing electrical and construction classifications. Under 14.5.2 NMAC, a person bidding or contracting for a solar PV electrical system must hold the applicable EE-98, EL-1, or ER-1 CID license, with a GB-98 path only in the rule’s stated circumstances. People installing the PV electrical system or related work need the corresponding EE-98J, EL-1J, or ER-1J journeyman certificate, or must work as apprentices under direct supervision. CID electrical plan review, permits, and inspections apply; structural modifications can trigger separate licensed-contractor, engineer, building-permit, and inspection requirements.

Regulatory Body

Authority over this credential rests with New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department — Construction Industries Division (CID), which issues and polices it under Construction Industries Licensing Act, NMSA 1978 § 60-13-3; 14.5.2 NMAC (permits); 14.6.6 NMAC (classifications and scopes).. CID licenses construction contractors and journeymen, administers permits and inspections, and assigns solar-PV contracting, installation, structural, and electrical work to the applicable existing license classifications.

Official portal: https://www.rld.nm.gov/construction-industries/
Address: 2550 Cerrillos Road, 3rd Floor, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Phone: (505) 476-4700

Eligibility Requirements

This guide does not establish a minimum applicant age; confirm any age requirement with the issuing authority. Check the current application for identification and tax-number requirements. There is no standalone solar-license application. A business must meet CID requirements for the electrical or general-construction classification it seeks, and local entity/business requirements can apply.

Good moral character

Follow the current CID qualifying-party and contractor application disclosures for the actual classification. No solar-specific review standard was identified.

Background investigation

Use the current CID application requirements for the selected electrical or construction credential; this audit found no standalone solar application or fingerprint rule.

Experience and Education

The cited source set does not publish a fixed year-based experience threshold for this credential. The controlling requirement is There is no solar-specific experience threshold. Experience, examinations, and qualifying-party requirements follow the requested EE-98, EL-1, ER-1, GB-98, GB-2, GS-13, or other applicable CID classification. CID says qualifying-party experience must be within the ten years before application..

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

CID qualifying-party application and experience affidavit for the requested classification
CID contractor license application, code bond, and business registrations
CID electrical plan-review, permit, inspection, and structural documents for the project

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PSI for CID qualifying-party examinations. The following examination requirements cover the pathways described in this guide; follow each part's classification, waiver, and local-scope conditions. Unpublished format details do not remove an examination requirement:

CID classification examination(s) and Contractor Business and Law examination for the applicable qualifying party — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 75%

Examination fee: CID says qualifying-party applicants must pass applicable classification examination(s) and Contractor Business and Law. Confirm current PSI exam names, fees, scheduling, and retake instructions for the selected electrical or construction classification.

Retake policy: Follow the current PSI/CID rules. No GS-3 solar examination or solar-specific retake procedure was identified.

Insurance and Bonds

No statewide contractor license surety bond is required for this credential in the cited sources. Project-specific, permit, or public-works bonds may still apply, so confirm bonding before bidding a given job.

General liability

Do not rely on a solar-specific liability amount. CID requires the licensed business to secure its required license bond; local authorities, owners, utilities, lenders, insurers, and contracts can require additional insurance.

Workers' compensation

CID says workers’ compensation coverage is required for all licensed entities. Confirm the actual coverage and exemption position with the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration or qualified adviser.

Additional financial requirements

No GS-3 solar financial-tier system was identified. Use the current CID contractor-application and bond requirements for the actual license classification.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	No separate amount recorded; confirm in the fee guidance
Initial license	No separate amount recorded; confirm in the fee guidance
Renewal cycle varies by jurisdiction	No separate amount recorded; confirm in the fee guidance

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for New Mexico solar.

Renewal and Continuing Education

No one statewide renewal cycle governs the New Mexico Solar PV Contractor Requirements — Electrical License and CID Permits; the controlling schedule is the issuing board's or the local jurisdiction's. No separate statewide renewal fee is listed in the cited sources. There is no solar credential to renew. CID contractor and journeyman renewal cycles and requirements depend on the underlying classification.

Continuing education: No solar-specific CID continuing-education rule was identified. Follow the renewal and continuing-education requirements of the electrical or construction license and journeyman certificate actually used.

Downloadable Asset

2026 New Mexico Solar License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

For this classification, New Mexico does not recognize the NASCLA Accredited Examination.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

There is no solar-specific reciprocity path in this audit. CID states that EE-98J is the only reciprocated journeyman classification; other contractor/QP credentials follow the current CID classification and examination rules.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published Solar license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Solar Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare New Mexico's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

Arizona Solar License Requirements — Arizona C-11 Electrical Contractor with Solar Qualification (Commercial PV)
Colorado Solar License Requirements — Colorado Solar PV — Electrical Contractor or Photovoltaic Installer Framework
Oklahoma Solar License Requirements — Oklahoma Electrical Contractor License for Solar PV Work
Texas Solar License Requirements — Texas — No State Solar License (TDLR Electrician + local permits)
Utah Solar License Requirements — Utah S202 Solar Photovoltaic Contractor — Specialty Contractor Path

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Separate PV electrical and structural scope. Identify PV electrical equipment, racking/mounting, roof or ground structural work, service/interconnection work, storage, and any plumbing/mechanical solar-thermal work. The “solar” label does not replace classification-specific licensing.
Choose the CID electrical contractor path. For solar PV electrical-system bidding or contracting, use EE-98, EL-1, or ER-1 as applicable; 14.5.2 NMAC describes the limited GB-98 path. The licensed entity must have CID-certified qualifying party coverage for its classification.
Use properly certified installers. PV electrical installation and related work must be done by an EE-98J, EL-1J, or ER-1J journeyman as applicable, or by an apprentice under direct supervision. Do not substitute a private solar certificate for the CID credential.
Meet CID QP and business requirements. The qualifying party completes the applicable experience, classification exams, and Contractor Business and Law exam. The business then completes its CID license, bond, workers’ compensation, and registration requirements.
Prepare electrical plans and obtain CID permit. CID requires electrical plan review, permit, and inspection for PV. The rule specifies site-plan, panel-layout, one-line, conductor, equipment-listing, grounding, and system-calculation documents for review.
Address structural triggers. For roof-mounted PV, conduct the structural analysis required by 14.5.2 NMAC when its load/design triggers apply. Reinforcement or a new unlisted support structure requires sealed engineering details, building permits, inspections, and work by the appropriate GS-13, GB-2, or GB-98 contractor.
Confirm local and utility processes. CID permits do not eliminate local planning, zoning, utility-interconnection, site, fire, or other project requirements. Confirm the authority having jurisdiction and utility process before construction.
Maintain licenses, permits, and inspections. Keep the contractor license, qualifying party, bond, workers’ compensation, plans, permit, inspection, and local/utility records current through closeout.

Application Checklist

Ahead of submission to CID, confirm every item on this short list:

Break the project into PV electrical, structural/racking, storage, service, and any solar-thermal scopes
Select the CID electrical contractor classification that covers the PV contract
Designate a CID-certified qualifying party and meet QP examination/experience requirements
Use matching CID journeymen or directly supervised apprentices for PV installation
Complete CID business-license, bond, workers’ compensation, and registration requirements
Submit CID electrical plan-review and permit documents
Identify any engineering, GS-13/GB-2/GB-98, building-permit, and inspection requirements for structural work
Confirm local planning/zoning and utility interconnection processes
Retain licenses, plans, permits, inspection, and closeout records

Common Filing Mistakes

The following pitfalls summarize the issues most likely to delay, return, or derail a New Mexico Solar application based on the published board instructions and source materials cited on this page.

Applying for a nonexistent GS-3 license

CID’s current rules assign solar PV work to existing electrical and construction classifications. Select the classification based on the actual work.

Using a private solar certificate instead of CID authority

A private credential does not replace the CID contractor/QP and journeyman classifications required by 14.5.2 NMAC.

Treating racking as automatically electrical work

The PV rule allows properly licensed people to work on support structures/racking only within their license scope and subject to the listing/labeling requirements. Structural work can require separate credentials and engineering.

Skipping plan review or permit

CID requires electrical plan review, permit, and inspection for PV systems. Coordinate the specified submittals before installation.

Assuming CID approval completes the project

CID licensing and permits do not replace local planning, zoning, building, fire, inspection, or utility interconnection requirements.

Study and Reference Materials

The following references are cited by the regulator, used in the application process, or commonly used to prepare for the trade scope. Listed for reader convenience; CLR receives no compensation for these recommendations.

14.5.2 NMAC solar PV provisions — New Mexico CID. Current contractor, journeyman, permit, submittal, structural, and inspection requirements for PV systems.
14.6.6 NMAC classifications and scopes — New Mexico CID. Use the current electrical and construction classifications when selecting the contractor path.
CID electrical plan review and adopted-code materials — New Mexico CID. Use current plan-review, permit, and code requirements before submitting the project.
Project jurisdiction and utility materials — Local authority/utility. Confirm local land-use, fire, building, inspection, and interconnection requirements.

Other New Mexico Trade Licenses

Looking at a different trade? CLR also publishes these New Mexico licensing guides:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does New Mexico have a GS-3 solar contractor license?

No. This audit found no GS-3 solar classification in CID’s current classification rule. Solar PV contracting is assigned to existing EE-98, EL-1, or ER-1 electrical classifications, with the rule’s limited GB-98 path.

Who can contract for solar PV installation in New Mexico?

14.5.2 NMAC requires the person bidding or contracting for solar PV electrical-system installation to hold the applicable EE-98, EL-1, or ER-1 CID license. The rule identifies a GB-98 route only in its stated circumstances; confirm the complete scope before contracting.

Who may install solar PV electrical equipment?

CID requires an EE-98J, EL-1J, or ER-1J journeyman certificate, as applicable, for people installing the PV electrical system or related work, unless they are apprentices working under direct supervision.

Do New Mexico solar projects need permits?

Yes. CID’s current FAQ says electrical plan review, permit, and inspection are required for a photovoltaic system. Local project approvals and utility interconnection can also apply.

When does a PV project need structural engineering?

14.5.2 NMAC lists specific roof-load, point-load, truss/rafter/joist, and unique-design triggers. Where structural modifications or a new unlisted support structure are required, sealed engineering details, building permits, inspections, and the appropriate construction contractor are required.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.