Plumber License from Georgia to New Mexico: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department — Construction Industries Division (CID); exams and licensing administered by PSI ↗
No — New Mexico has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Georgia plumbing license holders. You must apply to the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department — Construction Industries Division (CID); exams and licensing administered by PSI as a new applicant and meet New Mexico's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
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Verdict
Full re-application
New Mexico has no plumbing reciprocity or endorsement covering Georgia, so this is a full journeyman application either way. New Mexico requires every out-of-state plumber to pass the New Mexico Journeyman Plumber (JP) trade examination. The Construction Industries Division reciprocity program that waives the exam and the work-experience affidavit applies ONLY to the Electrical Journeyman (EE98J) classification for holders from the electrical reciprocal group (Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming); it does NOT apply to plumbing.. The productive plan: gather proof of the apprenticeship or on-the-job hours you logged in Georgia, register for New Mexico's journeyman exam, and treat your experience as exam preparation and as credit toward New Mexico's experience requirement. Budget a new-applicant timeline and order your certified license history early — it is the long-lead item.
What changes, Georgia → New Mexico
| Georgia (current) | New Mexico (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $80–$160 (Journeyman ~$80 ($70 application + $10 processing); master ~$160 ($150 application + $10 processing) per the Division's plumbing exam/initial-application form. Examination administered by PSI with a separate exam fee paid to PSI; that exam is waived only for a qualifying reciprocity applicant under Rule 121-2-.03. Fee figures obtained via search extraction of the Division's official forms because the sos.ga.gov fee-schedule PDF returned HTTP 403 on direct load) | $75 ($75 application fee per classification (paid to PSI, refunded if the application is not approved); a separate PSI examination fee applies per exam (amount not stated on the application); certificate valid three years) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time in weeks; the Division publishes exam dates and application deadlines and an application must be approved before the scheduled examination | No board-stated processing time; PSI notifies the applicant by email once experience is verified and eligibility cleared, after which the applicant schedules and passes the exam |
| Licensing authority | Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) | New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department — Construction Industries Division (CID); exams and licensing administered by PSI |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — New Mexico sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review New Mexico's initial-licensure requirements on the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department — Construction Industries Division (CID); exams and licensing administered by PSI website (linked below).
- Expect to meet New Mexico's education/experience requirements and pass its required exams — prior out-of-state licensure may still count toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees ($75 ($75 application fee per classification (paid to PSI, refunded if the application is not approved); a separate PSI examination fee applies per exam (amount not stated on the application); certificate valid three years)).
- Allow No board-stated processing time; PSI notifies the applicant by email once experience is verified and eligibility cleared, after which the applicant schedules and passes the exam.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does New Mexico accept a Georgia plumbing license?
No — New Mexico has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Georgia plumbing license holders. You must apply to the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department — Construction Industries Division (CID); exams and licensing administered by PSI as a new applicant and meet New Mexico's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam applies moving from Georgia to New Mexico?
New Mexico requires every out-of-state plumber to pass the New Mexico Journeyman Plumber (JP) trade examination. The Construction Industries Division reciprocity program that waives the exam and the work-experience affidavit applies ONLY to the Electrical Journeyman (EE98J) classification for holders from the electrical reciprocal group (Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming); it does NOT apply to plumbing..
What does the Georgia-to-New Mexico move cost and how long does it take?
$75 ($75 application fee per classification (paid to PSI, refunded if the application is not approved); a separate PSI examination fee applies per exam (amount not stated on the application); certificate valid three years); processing No board-stated processing time; PSI notifies the applicant by email once experience is verified and eligibility cleared, after which the applicant schedules and passes the exam, plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant.
Can I keep my Georgia plumbing license after I'm licensed in New Mexico?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Georgia credential active on its own renewal and continuing-education schedule and you hold both, which is common for plumbers working near a state line.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- NM CID / PSI — How to Obtain a Journeyman Certificate (JP = 4,000 hrs, $75/classification fee, reciprocity EE98J only) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NM Regulation & Licensing Dept — Construction Industries Division ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NMAC 14.6.4 — Journeyman certification (exam/experience; military expedited pathway; no plumbing reciprocity) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia Rules & Regulations 121-2 (Qualifications) incl. Rule 121-2-.03 Statewide License by Reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia Rules & Regulations 121-3 (Application for Licensure — 1-yr journeyman / 5-yr master experience, exam minimum score 70) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (board page) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers FAQ (reciprocity statement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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