New Mexico

New Mexico Licensing Overview

New Mexico licenses 66 out of 102 lower-income occupations (more than half of the occupations included in the study) . The state’s licensing laws are more burdensome than most other states. The state's licensing laws rank 10th in the nation. New Mexico licensed occupations includes occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. Few other states license Dietetic Technician (2 other), Teacher Assistant, Non-Instructional (5 other), Packer (7 other).

On average, New Mexico requires $273 in licensing fees, 495 days of education and about 2 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Midwife, Direct Entry.

Which occupation in a New Mexico is the most regulated?

Out of the 66 occupations that require an occupational license in New Mexico, a license for Preschool Teacher, Public School has the highest burden. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $944 in fees, 2 exams, 3 years experience, and 4 years of education.

Which occupation in a New Mexico is the least regulated?

Out of the 66 occupations that require an occupational license in New Mexico, licenses for Fisher, Commercial, Packer have the lowest burden.

Which occupational license in New Mexico is the most expensive?

An occupational license in New Mexico costs the most for Midwife, Direct Entry. A Midwife, Direct Entry license requires $1370 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 2 years of education.

Which occupational license in New Mexico is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in New Mexico costs the least for Bartender, Milk Sampler where the license costs $0.

Which occupational license in New Mexico takes the most time to obtain?

In New Mexico, an occupational license takes the most time (due to required education/experience) for Preschool Teacher, Public School. It takes 2555 days (7 years) total. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $944 in fees, 2 exams, 3 years experience, and 4 years of education.

Which occupational license in New Mexico takes the least time to obtain?

In New Mexico, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Teacher Assistant, Non-Instructional, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Gaming Cage Worker, Gaming Dealer, Gaming Supervisor, Slot Supervisor, Weigher, Landscape Contractor (Commercial), Landscape Contractor (Residential), Fisher, Commercial, Packer.

In New Mexico, which occupational licenses require exams?

In New Mexico, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: Preschool Teacher, Public School, Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential), HVAC Contractor (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential), Athletic Trainer, Travel Guide, Midwife, Direct Entry, Bill Collection Agency, Fire Alarm Installer, Security Alarm Installer, Pipelayer Contractor, Earth Driller, Water Well, Dietetic Technician, Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial), Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential), Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial), Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential), Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial), Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential), Mason Contractor (Commercial), Mason Contractor (Residential), Paving Contractor (Commercial), Paving Contractor (Residential), Door Repair Contractor (Commercial), Door Repair Contractor (Residential), Glazier Contractor (Commercial), Glazier Contractor (Residential), Insulation Contractor (Commercial), Insulation Contractor (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential), Veterinary Technician, Interpreter, Sign Language, Cosmetologist, Mobile Home Installer, Barber, Shampooer, Massage Therapist, Pharmacy Technician, Crane Operator, Makeup Artist, Skin Care Specialist, Manicurist, School Bus Driver, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Emergency Medical Technician, Truck Driver, Other, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Security Guard, Unarmed, Bartender, Pest Control Applicator, Milk Sampler. School Bus Driver requires 6 exams.

New Mexico’s licensing laws for lower-income occupations are some of the most arduous in the nation, ranking as the ninth most burdensome. The laws require, on average, $266 in fees, 520 days of education and experience, and about two exams. New Mexico also licenses more lower-income occupations than average—66 of the 102 studied here—making it the 11th most broadly and onerously licensed state.

New Mexico frequently licenses occupations that are unlicensed by other states, such as sign language interpreters (licensed by 21 other states), crane operators (17 others), bartenders (12 others), packers (five others), non-instructional teacher assistants (four others) and dietetic technicians (just one other). Dietetic technicians also face particularly steep burdens in New Mexico, where they must pay $180 in fees, sacrifice 835 days—more than two years—to education and experience, and pass an exam. Dietetic technicians operate nearly everywhere else without needing state licensure, calling into question whether New Mexico should license them at all—let alone so onerously.

New Mexico also imposes burdens on some occupations that seem excessive compared to those for other occupations that may present greater risks to the public. For example, the requirements to run a bill collection agency in New Mexico are $800 in fees, two years (730 days) of experience and one exam. Meanwhile, the requirements to become an EMT are $218 in fees, 180 hours (roughly 42 days) of education and two exams. It should not require 17 times more education and experience to run a bill collection agency than it does to become an emergency first responder. New Mexico could broaden employment opportunities in the state by reducing or repealing its illogical licensing requirements for bill collection agencies and other occupations, or—if government regulation is necessary—by replacing licenses with less restrictive regulatory alternatives.

Burden Rank	Occupation	Number of States that License	Fees	Education/Experience (Days)	Education	Experience	Exams	Minimum Grade	Minimum Age
1	Preschool Teacher, Public School	50	944	2555	4 years	3 years	2	0	18
2	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial)	37	537	1460	None	4 years	4	0	18
2	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential)	36	537	1460	None	4 years	4	0	18
4	HVAC Contractor (Commercial)	37	324	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
4	HVAC Contractor (Residential)	35	324	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
6	Athletic Trainer	49	680	1460	4 years	None	2	0	0
7	Travel Guide	37	550	1095	None	3 years	1	0	21
8	Midwife, Direct Entry	37	1370	730	2 years	None	2	12	0
9	Bill Collection Agency	29	800	730	None	2 years	1	12	18
10	Fire Alarm Installer	39	503	730	None	2 years	3	0	18
10	Security Alarm Installer	37	503	730	None	2 years	3	0	18
12	Pipelayer Contractor	27	324	730	None	2 years	3	0	18
13	Earth Driller, Water Well	51	200	730	None	2 years	3	0	20
14	Dietetic Technician	2	180	835	2 years	450 clock hours	1	0	0
15	Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial)	24	324	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
15	Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential)	30	324	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
15	Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial)	25	324	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
15	Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential)	30	324	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
15	Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial)	26	324	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
15	Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential)	30	324	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
15	Mason Contractor (Commercial)	26	324	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
15	Mason Contractor (Residential)	31	324	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
15	Paving Contractor (Commercial)	24	324	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
15	Paving Contractor (Residential)	28	324	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
25	Door Repair Contractor (Commercial)	24	255	730	None	2 years	1	0	18
25	Door Repair Contractor (Residential)	29	255	730	None	2 years	1	0	18
25	Glazier Contractor (Commercial)	26	255	730	None	2 years	1	0	18
25	Glazier Contractor (Residential)	30	255	730	None	2 years	1	0	18
25	Insulation Contractor (Commercial)	24	255	730	None	2 years	1	0	18
25	Insulation Contractor (Residential)	30	255	730	None	2 years	1	0	18
25	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial)	26	255	730	None	2 years	1	0	18
25	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential)	31	255	730	None	2 years	1	0	18
33	Veterinary Technician	36	450	730	2 years	None	2	0	0
34	Interpreter, Sign Language	22	305	420	60 credit hours	None	2	12	18
35	Cosmetologist	51	263	373	1600 clock hours	None	3	0	17
36	Mobile Home Installer	37	269	422	12 clock hours	1800 clock hours	1	0	0
37	Barber	51	325	280	1200 clock hours	None	3	0	17
38	Shampooer	33	150	280	1200 clock hours	None	3	0	17
39	Massage Therapist	45	275	152	650 clock hours	None	2	12	18
40	Pharmacy Technician	44	162	140	600 clock hours	None	1	12	0
41	Crane Operator	16	438	117	None	500 clock hours	4	0	18
42	Makeup Artist	37	225	140	600 clock hours	None	3	0	17
42	Skin Care Specialist	51	225	140	600 clock hours	None	3	0	17
44	Manicurist	51	225	93	400 clock hours	None	3	0	17
45	Teacher Assistant, Non-Instructional	5	94	0	None	None	0	12	18
46	School Bus Driver	51	18	7	30.5 clock hours	None	6	0	18
47	Bus Driver, City/Transit	51	18	0	None	None	5	0	18
47	Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer	51	18	0	None	None	5	0	18
49	Emergency Medical Technician	51	207	35	150 clock hours	None	2	0	17
50	Truck Driver, Other	51	18	0	None	None	4	0	18
51	Coach, Head (High School Sports)	47	79	3	17 clock hours	None	0	12	0
52	Vegetation Pesticide Applicator	51	240	21	3 credit hours	None	3	0	0
53	Security Guard, Unarmed	34	94	1	8 clock hours	None	1	0	18
54	Bartender	12	0	1	4.5 clock hours	None	1	0	21
55	Pest Control Applicator	51	185	21	3 credit hours	None	2	0	0
56	Gaming Cage Worker	30	75	0	None	None	0	0	21
56	Gaming Dealer	29	75	0	None	None	0	0	21
56	Gaming Supervisor	31	75	0	None	None	0	0	21
56	Slot Supervisor	29	75	0	None	None	0	0	21
60	Child Care Home, Family	44	59	11	45 clock hours	None	0	0	18
61	Milk Sampler	43	0	1	1 day	None	1	0	0
62	Weigher	24	150	0	None	None	0	0	0
63	Landscape Contractor (Commercial)	47	75	0	None	None	0	0	0
63	Landscape Contractor (Residential)	48	75	0	None	None	0	0	0
65	Fisher, Commercial	43	25	0	None	None	0	0	0
65	Packer	7	25	0	None	None	0	0	0

New Mexico Occupational Licensing

66 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

10th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$273