New Mexico HVAC License Requirements
Yes. New Mexico licenses HVAC technicians through the NM RLD Construction Industries Division, Mechanical Bureau. It issues apprentice, journeyman and contractor credentials. Anyone who handles refrigerant also needs federal EPA 608 certification.
State HVAC license · By BrazeJobs Team · Updated
License tiers
| Apprentice | Registered |
| Journeyman | Journeyman mechanical certificates |
| Master | No state license (Qualifying Party) |
| Contractor | Mechanical contractor with qualifying party (MM-98 etc.) |
Requirements
| Exam | PSI exams |
| Continuing education | Required |
| Local license | No (state license covers) |
| Board | NM RLD Construction Industries Division, Mechanical Bureau |
Federal: EPA 608 certification
| Rule | Federal certification required to service or dispose of refrigerant equipment and to buy refrigerant |
Who: anyone who maintains, services, repairs or disposes of equipment that could release refrigerant (attaching gauges, adding or removing refrigerant). Types: Type I (small appliances), Type II (high- and very high-pressure), Type III (low-pressure), Universal (all types). Expiry: credentials do not expire. Buying refrigerant: sellers may sell only to certified technicians or employers of one, with limited exceptions (e.g. small cans of MVAC refrigerant). EPA does not issue cards; approved certifying organizations do. Universal requires a proctored core exam.
Exam
| Exam provider | PSI (for Construction Industries Division) |
| Questions | MM-3 HVAC: 100; Journeyman refrigeration: 50 |
| Time | MM-3: 245 minutes; JR: 120 minutes |
| Passing score | 75% |
PSI instructions for the Construction Industries Division; NM Business and Law: 50 questions, 130 minutes, 75%. Some exams closed book, some open book.
- Source: proctor2.psionline.com · checked November 6, 2026
Licensed in another state or the military
| Military spouses | Expedited licensure for service members, veterans, spouses and dependents with same-level license in good standing; fees waived 3 years |
- Source: rld.nm.gov · checked November 6, 2026
Apprenticeship
| Registering agency | State Apprenticeship Agency |
- Source: apprenticeship.gov · checked November 6, 2026
Mechanical code
| Code in force | 2024 New Mexico Mechanical Code (NMAC 14.9.2) |
Effective Aug 1, 2026; permits may use the 2021 code until Jan 1, 2027, then only the 2024 code.
- Source: rld.nm.gov · checked November 5, 2026