Fire protection licensing in New Mexico
New Mexico regulates fire protection work in two layers. The Construction Industries Division (CID) licenses the trades through PSI-administered exams: MS-12 for sprinkler, MS-14 for gaseous and chemical suppression, and ES-3 for low-voltage fire alarm. Every company that installs, inspects, services or tags fire protection systems also needs a State Fire Marshal certificate of fitness naming a CID-licensed qualified party. The licensing rules do not require NICET or ICC certification. The one place a national credential is named is fire and smoke damper inspection, which accepts CFPS.
What each trade needs in New Mexico
Fire alarm
ES-3 Low Voltage Special Systems (contractor) / ES-3J Journeyman
- Issued by
- NM Construction Industries Division (Electrical Bureau)
- Who needs it
- Contractor qualifying party or journeyman for fire alarm, telecom and CATV wiring up to 50 V (above 50 V needs an EE-98 or ER-1)
- What it takes
- Two years of experience plus a PSI trade exam (14.6.6.10 NMAC). The ES-3J journeyman exam covers NEC 2020 and NFPA 72-2010 (2023 bulletin).
State exam: PSI exam for CID
Sources: 14.6.6 NMAC Classifications and Scopes; PSI NM Journeyman Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 4/13/2023)
Fire sprinkler
MS-12 Fire Protection Sprinkler Systems (contractor) / MS-12J Journeyman
- Issued by
- NM Regulation & Licensing Dept., Construction Industries Division
- Who needs it
- Contractor qualifying party (MS-12); journeyman fitters (MS-12J), working under an MS-12, MM-4 or MM-98
- What it takes
- Four years of experience plus a PSI trade exam. The license covers water-based fire protection systems, tanks, and controls up to 24 V (14.6.6.11 NMAC).
State exam: PSI exam for CID. The MS-12J journeyman exam is open book with bound references (the 2023 bulletin lists NFPA 13-2007, 13R and 72-2010, plus NFPA 25 content).
Sources: 14.6.6 NMAC Classifications and Scopes; PSI NM Journeyman Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 4/13/2023)
Inspection, testing and maintenance
State Fire Marshal Certificate of Fitness (fire protection installation, maintenance and inspection companies)
- Issued by
- NM Dept. of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, State Fire Marshal's Office
- Who needs it
- Any company that installs, inspects, maintains, services, tags or repairs fire protection systems. Disciplines: suppression and fire pumps; detection and alarm; chemical suppression; portable extinguishers; fire and smoke dampers.
- What it takes
- For suppression, alarm and chemical systems: name a qualified party who holds a CID license (the 2025 form lists MS-12, MS-14, ES-3 or EE-98). For portable extinguishers: a fixed or mobile shop, trained personnel only, and the required manuals and tools. No exam. Mechanical fire and smoke damper inspection requires NFPA CFPS or another ANSI-accredited fire and life safety certification. Valid for up to two years (10.25.2 NMAC, amended July 18, 2023).
Sources: 10.25.2 NMAC Fire Protection Installation, Maintenance and Inspection; 10.25.12 NMAC Fire and smoke damper inspection; NM DHSEM Certificate of Fitness application (2025)
Special hazards suppression
MS-14 Dry Chemical Fire Protection (contractor) / MS-14J Journeyman
- Issued by
- NM Construction Industries Division
- Who needs it
- Contractor qualifying party or journeyman for gaseous and chemical suppression (CO2, clean agent, dry and wet chemical, including kitchen systems)
- What it takes
- Four years of experience plus a PSI trade exam. The license covers gaseous and chemical fire protection systems, including CO2 and clean agents (14.6.6.11 NMAC). The State Fire Marshal's certificate of fitness for chemical fire suppression systems requires a CID-licensed qualified party; the 2025 application form names MS-14 for dry chemical.
State exam: PSI exam for CID
Sources: 14.6.6 NMAC Classifications and Scopes; NM DHSEM Certificate of Fitness application (2025)
Practice for these credentials
These national exams are named in the requirements above. Each has a free sample test.
Certified Fire Protection Specialist
Broad generalist credential spanning all fire protection disciplines.
Named in: State Fire Marshal Certificate of Fitness (fire protection installation, maintenance and inspection companies)
Sources
Statutes, administrative codes and licensing agency pages, checked November 13, 2026. Rules change; the agency's current text governs.