New Mexico · Roofing licensing · official-source guide
The New Mexico Construction Industries Division, part of the Regulation and Licensing Department, licenses roofing contractors at the state level under classification GS-21. Roofers can also work under a GB-2 residential or GB-98 general building license. The license goes to a business entity, needs a qualifying party who passes a 75 percent exam, and requires a ten thousand dollar bond.
State-level license
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Verify a licenseVerified against agency sources on 2026-09-28. Rules and fees change; confirm with the named authority before relying on this guide.
New Mexico licenses roofing at the state level. The issuing body is the Construction Industries Division, called CID, which sits inside the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department. CID describes its job as licensing contractors, enforcing the licensing laws, and requiring a license for any person who practices or offers to practice construction contracting. The rules that govern roofing sit in Title 14 of the New Mexico Administrative Code, which covers housing and construction. Part 3 sets general contractor license requirements, part 6 lists the classifications and their scopes, and part 5 covers fees and enforcement. The statute behind these rules is the Construction Industries Licensing Act, which the rules cite as Section 60-13 of the New Mexico Statutes Annotated. This matters for a roofer because the license is a state license, not a city registration. A license issued by CID is valid across the state, and the rules do not describe a separate city roofing license that replaces it. Cities still control building permits inside their limits, so you can hold the state license and still deal with a local permit office. The license is issued to a business entity, not to a person. An individual called a qualifying party holds a certificate that ties the entity to the trade. The next sections explain how that structure works, what roofing work the license covers, what it costs, and what you must show in your advertising. Before you rely on any figure on this page, confirm it against the current rules on the CID website, because fee schedules and rule text can change between verification dates.
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CID identifies each license by a code. The first letter names the field, and G stands for general construction. The second letter names the type of work, and S stands for specialties. Roofing is classification GS-21. The rule text describes it as installing, altering or repairing roof systems on new or existing roof decks to create a weatherproof and waterproof protective membrane, with or without insulation. The listed materials include asphalt, pitch, tar, sealants, felt, shakes, shingles, roof tile, slate, urethane or any other approved materials. The scope also covers the preparatory work needed to bring a deck or an existing roof to a condition where roofing can be installed and sealed or repaired. It includes cutting, shaping, fabricating and installing sheet metal such as cornices, flashing, skylights without alterations to structural framing, roof coatings, gutters, leaders, rainwater downspouts, pans, prefabricated chimneys near roof lines, and metal flues, where that work relates to and is incidental to a roofing project. The rule states that a license authorizes contracting only within the scope of the classifications on the license. Work outside that scope is a violation of the licensing act and grounds for discipline. For a roofing company, the practical lesson is to read the GS-21 scope against your actual job list. Gutters and flashing tied to a roof job fit inside it. Structural framing changes to a roof deck do not, and the rules place framing work in a different specialty classification. Sell only what your classification covers, and subcontract the rest to a properly licensed firm.
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GS-21 is not the only way to roof legally in New Mexico. The classification rules include two general building licenses that reach roofing. GB-2 is the residential general building license. It covers erecting, altering, repairing or demolishing residences and apartment houses with not more than four family units, and it includes all work described by the specialty classifications, provided the work is limited to residential construction. That means a GB-2 holder can do residential roofing without a separate GS-21. GB-98 is the general building license for residential and commercial buildings, and it includes all work authorized by the GB-2, GF-5, GF-7 and GS classifications. A GB-98 holder can therefore roof commercial buildings as well. The rules attach different experience levels to these licenses. GS-21 requires two years of foreman level practical or related trade experience. GB-2 requires the same two years. GB-98 requires four years of foreman level experience, of which two years must be commercial. The rules also set a prime contractor test. A licensed person may bid and contract as the prime contractor of a project only if the major portion of the work, measured by dollar amount, falls within the scope of the classifications on that license. Everything outside your scope must go to a validly licensed subcontractor. A roofing specialist who wins a full re-roof plus interior repairs should check that the roofing dollars make up the major portion of the contract, or hire licensed trades for the rest.
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New Mexico does not license the individual roofer as a contractor. It licenses the business entity and ties it to a person. Under the general requirements in part 3, contractor licenses go only to qualified business entities that employ, or are owned by, one or more qualifying parties certified by CID for the classification of work the entity wants to do. Corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships each need their own license even if an owner already holds a certificate. Each must be legally authorized to do business in New Mexico to apply for, renew or keep a license. Sole proprietorships and partnerships must also be authorized to do business in the state. The license is not transferable, and only the named entity may use it. An entity may not contract under a name other than the one on the license. CID also refuses licenses to entities whose names contain words identifying a trade the entity is not qualified for, so a firm licensed only for roofing should not put another trade in its name. A qualifying party must be at least 18 years old and may only work under the certificate while attached to a licensed entity. In general, one person may not qualify more than one entity unless the entities share at least thirty percent common ownership. If a licensee loses its qualifying party, both must tell CID in writing within 30 days. When a license loses its qualifying party, it cancels automatically, and new bids or new work in that classification are treated as unlicensed.
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The experience rule for roofing appears in two places, and a careful applicant should read both. The classification rule for GS-21 requires two years of foreman level practical or related trade experience. The general qualifying party rule in part 3 says an applicant is not eligible to sit the qualifying examination until providing satisfactory work experience documentation covering four years within the 10 years immediately before applying. CID also credits accredited training. Technical training from an accredited college, a manufacturer accredited program, a technical vocational institute or an accredited apprenticeship program counts in place of experience, with each year of training applied as one half year of experience. Training can never supply more than half of the total experience requirement. The passing score on the qualifying examination is seventy-five percent or higher. An applicant who fails or misses an exam may take another regularly scheduled exam after reapplying and paying the fee, but may not repeat the exam more than twice in any 30 day period. CID or its designee administers the exams, and the state uses PSI as its portal for contractor licensing. The rule says an exam found to be obtained by cheating is void, fees are forfeited, and the person is barred from CID exams for one year. The bureau chief may waive the state specific trade exam for applicants who passed an accredited NASCLA general construction exam and meet all other requirements. Because the two experience figures differ, call CID before you file and ask which one it applies to a GS-21 applicant.
The fee rule for contractors is part 5 of the state code. Every applicant for an initial contractor license pays a non-refundable license application fee of $30.00, and the same $30.00 fee applies to each additional classification. The basic fee for an initial license or a renewal depends on the classification. For GA-98, GB-2, GB-98, GF-98, EE-98 or MM-98 the fee is $100.00 per year, or $200.00 for two years, for each classification. For any other classification the fee is $50.00 per year, or $100.00 for two years. GS-21 is not on the first list, so a GS-21 license falls under the $50.00 per year, or $100.00 for two years, rate. A GB-2 or GB-98 license is priced at the higher rate. If an applicant fails an examination for GB-2, GB-98, EE-98 or MM-98, or fails the business and law examination for any classification, the applicant may request a review of the exam for a non-refundable $25.00. An applicant who fails twice in any classification may request a special review for $40.00. The rule also lets the division raise examination fees by a multiplier of up to three, with commission approval, so the exam fee you pay to the testing portal can differ from older published numbers. The fee rule carries a 2004 effective date at the section level, and CID has authority to change fees. Treat these figures as the rule text on the verification date, and confirm the current schedule with CID or the PSI portal before you send a check. Permit fees for individual roofing jobs are a separate schedule.
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New Mexico ties licensure to proof of financial responsibility. Under the general requirements, each applicant must furnish a bond in the amount of ten thousand dollars, underwritten by a corporate surety authorized to transact business in New Mexico. The bond is required at initial licensure and as a condition of renewal, and its effective dates must cover the entire period of licensure. Keeping the bond in force is a condition of the license. The rule explains what the bond is for. Payment from the bond is used to cure division certified code violations that the licensee caused and did not correct. Claims against the bond must be made within two years after final inspection or within two years after issuance of a certificate of occupancy, whichever is earlier. The bond carrier must give CID and the licensee thirty days prior written notice before canceling, and CID then tells the licensee a new bond is required. If the licensee does not file a replacement as the statute requires, CID takes action to cancel the license. The rules also list failure to comply with the workers compensation laws as an event that can make a license invalid, and the discipline rule lists failure to maintain workers compensation insurance as a violation. The rules reviewed here do not state a minimum general liability insurance amount for GS-21 roofers. That does not mean you should skip liability coverage. Property owners and general contractors commonly ask for a certificate of insurance, and a roof job carries real exposure to water and fire damage.
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Renewal is the licensee's own responsibility. Under the renewal rule, CID or its designee mails a renewal form at least 30 days before the license expires, but the rule says it is the sole duty of each licensee to renew on time whether or not the form arrives. The filing date is the postmark date for mailed forms or the receipt date for hand delivered ones. The signatures of all current qualifying parties must appear on the renewal form. If a renewal is not received on time, or is rejected for failing to meet requirements, the license is suspended and subject to cancellation under the licensing statute. The fee rule shows that licenses are priced per year or for two years, which tells you the renewal cycle offered. The rules also list what can make a license invalid. These include failure to renew, failure to keep the bond, failure to comply with workers compensation law, failure to stay compliant with the Parental Responsibility Act, loss of the qualifying party, and loss of authority to do business in New Mexico. When a license loses its qualifying party it cancels automatically, work already in progress may continue for no more than 120 days, and after that the permits issued to the licensee for that classification are canceled. The enforcement rule mentions continuing education hours as a possible disciplinary requirement, but the rules reviewed here do not set a routine continuing education requirement for GS-21 renewal. Confirm current renewal terms with CID.
New Mexico does not run a general reciprocity program for contractors, and roofing is not on any list of reciprocal classifications that CID publishes. The CID home page carries a notice about journeyman reciprocity. It states that the only journeyman classification reciprocated in New Mexico is EE-98J, residential and commercial electrical with 8,000 hours of experience. That notice covers electrical journeymen only and does not help a roofer. A roofing company that holds a license in another state needs its own New Mexico license, which means an entity license and a qualifying party certificate for GS-21 or an applicable general building classification. There are two routes that can shorten the path. First, the qualifying party rule lets the bureau chief waive the state specific written trade exam for a qualifying party who has passed an accredited NASCLA general construction exam at the passing score, provided all other qualifying party requirements are met. Second, the rules include an expedited certification process for military service members, spouses, dependent children and veterans who are licensed and in good standing elsewhere under requirements substantially equivalent to New Mexico's. CID must issue that certificate no later than 30 days after a complete application and any required background check, and the rule waives fees for the first three years for qualifying military applicants. An out-of-state roofer who wants storm work in New Mexico should finish licensing before signing contracts, because unlicensed contracting carries penalties described later on this page.
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New Mexico has a narrow handyman certificate rule, and it does not give roofers a broad small-job exemption. The handyman rule in part 2 defines a handyman as an individual who works on one undertaking or project at a time, whose work is casual, minor or inconsequential, and whose total compensation stays under a dollar cap set in that rule. The rule attaches conditions. The work cannot be part of a larger or major operation undertaken by the same individual or a different contractor. The individual cannot advertise or keep a sign, card or other device that suggests to the public that he is qualified to engage in the business of contracting. The individual must also file an annual declaration with the division stating that he is not a contractor under the licensing act. The rule excludes electrical wiring, plumbing and gas fitting from the exemption. For a roofing business the message is direct. A company that advertises roofing services, prints roofing on its truck, or sells re-roofs as a business is doing the thing the exemption forbids. A person who holds himself out to the public as a roofer cannot rely on the handyman exemption, no matter how small the jobs are. The dollar cap in the rule text is old, and the licensing statute is the controlling authority for the current amount, so this page does not repeat the number. Ask CID for the current threshold if you are an occasional worker and not a roofing company.
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The rules do not spell out a single required format for a license number on trucks or websites, but they do set firm limits on what a licensed contractor may say and how it must name itself. The discipline rule lists several violations that bear directly on roofing marketing. Contracting without displaying your full name as it appears on the license is a violation. Advertising a classification or trade in which you are not licensed is a violation. Advertising a service in a false, fraudulent or misleading manner is a violation. Using a false, fraudulent or deceptive statement in any document connected with bids, licensing, inspections or permitting is a violation. The naming rule from the licensing requirements adds that you may only contract under the name shown on the license, and that CID will not license an entity whose name includes a trade it is not qualified for. For a GS-21 roofer, this shapes ads and web pages in concrete ways. Use the exact legal name from the license on estimates, contracts and your site. Do not advertise siding, framing, concrete or other work that GS-21 does not cover unless you also hold that classification. Do not call yourself a general contractor if you hold only GS-21. Sanctions for these violations can include a letter of reprimand, denial, revocation, suspension or limits on the license, an administrative penalty, or required continuing education hours, and the commission may combine them. Check the current rule text for any license number display requirement before you print vehicle lettering.
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Working without a license, or outside your classification, exposes a roofer to both criminal and administrative action. The enforcement rule says CID may take administrative action against unlicensed contractors and seek an administrative penalty of $1,000.00 per violation when it does not criminally prosecute under the licensing statute. The rule cites Section 60-13-52 as the criminal provision. The rule also treats work performed after a license lapses as unlicensed. When a license is canceled because it lost its qualifying party, any bid or new work commenced afterward is unlicensed and subjects the licensee to discipline. For a sole proprietor who dies, or an entity that loses authorization to do business, work after that point counts as unlicensed activity that CID may prosecute. The rules also make aiding and abetting unlicensed contracting a violation that can cost a licensed firm its own license. That matters to a licensed roofer who subcontracts to, or lends a license number to, an unlicensed crew. The licensing rules bar licensees from letting another person use their license. Under the general provisions, an entity that permits another person to use its license, or knows of such use and does not promptly notify CID, faces discipline that can go as far as revocation. Storm chasers are a well known source of unlicensed roofing after hail events, and every one of these rules applies to them. A homeowner or property manager who hires an unlicensed roofer may also find that no bond stands behind the work.
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Hail and wind claims drive a large share of roofing sales, and New Mexico's licensing rules apply to that work like any other. A restoration contractor who replaces shingles, tile or membrane must hold a license that covers the roofing scope, whether GS-21 or a general building license that includes it. The scope rule matters here, because storm jobs often expand into gutters, flashing, skylights, decking and interior water damage. Gutters, flashing and roof coatings tied to the roof project fit inside GS-21, while structural framing alterations do not. Any work outside your classification must be subcontracted to a validly licensed firm. The discipline rule also bars performing, or holding yourself out as able to perform, services beyond the scope of your license and competence. Ads that promise complete storm restoration should be checked against what your license lets you do. The bond that CID requires exists to cure code violations left uncorrected, and it can be claimed for two years after final inspection or certificate of occupancy. That gives a homeowner a route to recourse on defective storm work only when the contractor was licensed and bonded. The rules reviewed for this page do not address door to door solicitation, cancellation rights, or deductible handling. Those subjects sit in consumer protection and insurance law that this verification pass did not confirm from a primary source, so they appear in the gaps list. Confirm them before you build a storm sales process.
Roofers who work insurance claims need a clear line between repairing a roof and negotiating the claim. The CID rules reviewed here do not regulate insurance adjusting, because that subject belongs to the state insurance regulator. This page could not fetch the insurance regulator's site or the adjuster statute from a primary source, so it does not state what the adjuster law prohibits or what license it requires. What the CID rules do say is relevant. The discipline rule makes it a violation to perform, or hold yourself out as able to perform, professional services beyond the scope of your license and field of competence. It also makes it a violation to advertise a service in a false, fraudulent or misleading manner. A roofing license under GS-21 covers installing, altering and repairing roof systems. It does not mention insurance claim negotiation, and nothing in the classification scope suggests that a roofing license carries claim adjusting authority. A roofer who tells homeowners that the company will handle the claim, argue the scope with the carrier, or get the claim paid should first check the state insurance regulator's rules on public adjusters and on contractor involvement in claims. Safe practice, in any state, is to give the homeowner a written estimate, let the homeowner speak to the insurer about coverage, and avoid promising to waive or absorb a deductible. Confirm the current New Mexico adjuster statute with the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance before you write claim language into your marketing or contracts.
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New Mexico maintains a public license lookup for contractors. The Regulation and Licensing Department's Verify a License page sends Construction Industries Division searches to the PSI portal at public.psiexams.com. That portal offers two searches. The individual search takes a certificate number, or a first and last name, with an optional city and zip code. The company search lets you choose a company type, and contractor is one of the listed types, then enter a license number or a business name. The portal notes that you must type at least the first word of the business name, including any symbols such as A-H or B & H, and at least 3 characters to search. Homeowners, property managers and general contractors can use it to confirm that a roofing firm holds a current license and which classification it carries. A GS-21 or GB-2 or GB-98 entry indicates roofing authority. A roofer can use the same tool to show a prospect that the license is current, and it is worth checking your own listing to be sure the name and classification read the way you advertise them. Because the name on the license must match the name on your contracts and ads, a mismatch in the portal is a warning sign. The Regulation and Licensing Department also publishes disciplinary actions and enforcement actions on its site, which lets a buyer look for prior complaints. If a lookup shows a license as expired, suspended or missing the classification you need, ask the roofer to resolve it before you sign.
State licensing does not replace local building permits. This page did not confirm from a city source what the City of Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho or Santa Fe require for a roofing permit, so it does not describe their fees, forms or inspection steps. What the state rules do show is the way CID handles permits. The fee rule includes a building permit fee schedule with a valuation basis, and the licensing rule says permits issued to a licensee are canceled when a license cancels, after the 120 day wind-down for work in progress. That tells you that permits and licenses are linked. A lapsed license can kill open permits and block inspections. For business registration, the general requirements say a corporation, LLC, LP or LLP must be legally authorized to do business in New Mexico to apply for, renew or keep a contractor license. A name change requires an amended registration certificate from the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, a rider from the bonding company, and the state filing that records the change, and it is not effective until CID approves and posts it. Working under the new name before then may be a violation. A roofer expanding across the state should call the building department in each city or county before bidding, because local permit rules, inspection rules and fees are set locally and change. Ask each office whether a state GS-21 license alone satisfies its contractor requirement, and whether any local business license also applies.
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These are common details other guides publish about New Mexico, but we could not verify them from the agency source. Confirm them directly before relying on them.
Yes. The Construction Industries Division of the Regulation and Licensing Department licenses roofers under classification GS-21. A GB-2 residential or GB-98 general building license also covers roofing work within its scope. The license is issued to a business entity tied to a qualifying party.
Roofing is classification GS-21. The rule covers installing, altering or repairing roof systems with materials such as asphalt, shingles, tile, slate or urethane, plus incidental flashing, gutters, coatings and metal work. It requires two years of foreman level practical or related trade experience.
Under the fee rule, an initial license costs a $30.00 application fee plus the basic fee. For GS-21 the basic fee is $50.00 per year or $100.00 for two years. GB-2 and GB-98 cost $100.00 per year or $200.00 for two years.
CID requires a bond of ten thousand dollars from a corporate surety authorized in New Mexico. It is required at initial licensure and each renewal, and it must cover the entire licensed period. The bond pays to cure uncorrected code violations.
The passing score is seventy-five percent or higher. An applicant who fails may reapply and retake the exam, but not more than twice in any 30 day period. The bureau chief may waive the state trade exam for applicants with a passing accredited NASCLA general construction exam.
Yes, within limits. GB-2 covers residential work and includes the specialty classification scopes. GB-98 covers residential and commercial buildings and includes all GB-2 and GS work. The prime contractor rule still requires the major portion of a project to fall within your license scope.
No roofing reciprocity is published. CID's notice says the only journeyman classification it reciprocates is EE-98J for electrical. Out-of-state roofers need a New Mexico entity license and qualifying party certificate, though the trade exam may be waived with a passing NASCLA exam.
Unlicensed contracting can be prosecuted under Section 60-13-52. When CID does not prosecute, the commission may seek an administrative penalty of $1,000.00 per violation. Licensed firms that aid unlicensed contracting can also face discipline.
No. CID lists advertising a classification or trade in which the contractor is not licensed as a violation. Advertising in a false, fraudulent or misleading manner is also a violation, and you must contract under the full name shown on the license.
Use the Construction Industries Division search on the PSI portal, linked from the Regulation and Licensing Department's Verify a License page. Search by company license number or business name, or by individual certificate number or name, and check the classification listed.
No. The handyman rule bars anyone who advertises or keeps a sign or card suggesting he is qualified to engage in contracting. It also requires an annual declaration and excludes work that is part of a larger operation. A roofing business does not fit.
You and the qualifying party must notify CID in writing within 30 days. The license cancels automatically once it is no longer qualified, and new bids or work in that classification count as unlicensed. Work in progress may continue for no more than 120 days.
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