STATE LICENSE
ConditionalNew Mexico Regulation & Licensing Departm…
The CILA's definition of contracting reaches anyone who alters or repairs a building for others (NMSA § 60-13-3(A)), and § 60-13-12 requires a license classified for the work. 14.6.6 NMAC has no painting classification — its only painting scope is GA-4 striping of roads and parking lots — and states that any CID-regulated specialty not listed is issued a GS-29. GB-2 and GB-98 licensees may paint within their scopes.
Painting work that stays within the handyman exemption — casual, minor jobs one at a time, up to $7,200 in compensation a year, no advertising, and an annual declaration to CID — needs no license. Separately, any paid renovation that disturbs paint in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities falls under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, which requires a certified firm and lead-safe work practices.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
CID licenses contractors statewide under the Construction Industries Licensing Act; the license is the trade credential everywhere in New Mexico. Permits and inspections are issued by CID or, where a city or county runs its own building department, by that jurisdiction under codes adopted pursuant to NMSA § 60-13-44. A municipality may not require a licensed contractor to post an additional license bond (§ 60-13-51).
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every New Mexico county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
14.6.6 NMAC lists no painting classification; ask CID's General Construction Bureau whether your work needs a GS-29.
EPA's RRP rule applies to paid renovation of pre-1978 housing whether or not the state licenses painters.
Painting stripes on roads and parking lots is the GA-4 classification; GB-98 also covers driveway and parking-lot striping.
A practical sequence for a new painting contractor in New Mexico. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Acting as a contractor without the license the CILA requires is a misdemeanor prosecuted in magistrate or metropolitan court; a second conviction doubles the penalty, and CID says a violator becomes eligible for licensure one year after conviction.
A contractor may not sue to collect compensation for licensed work without alleging and proving it was licensed when the claim arose, and an unlicensed contractor has no right to file a mechanic's lien.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Whether CID requires a GS-29 specialty license for this work on its own — 14.6.6.9(D) NMAC says unlisted CID-regulated specialties are issued GS-29 but publishes no list of them · Current form name and any fee for the annual handyman declaration CID requires under § 60-13-3(D)(14)(c) · License application fee: CID's licensing page lists a $36 application fee paid to PSI, while 14.5.5.8 NMAC as posted by the State Records Center still lists $30; license-fee amounts here ($100 or $200 per two-year term) come from 14.5.5.8 NMAC and may have been changed by a later rule not retrieved · Whether New Mexico runs an EPA-authorized RRP program or EPA administers RRP directly in the state (EPA administration assumed) · EPA RRP firm fee and recertification interval as currently published
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.