Academy · CEU requirements · NM
New Mexico pest control CEU requirements
How many CEUs does New Mexico require for pest control licence renewal?
It depends which licence you hold — New Mexico sets a different obligation for each tier, and they are not even measured the same way. Commercial Applicator (also public and non-commercial) owe minimum 4 ceus every year; Operator/Technician owe termite technicians: 4 hours approved wdo training annually; Private Applicator owe minimum 5 ceus per five-year certification. There is no single pooled number, which is the most common reason somebody arrives at renewal short.
Key factIssuing agency: New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA), New Mexico State University — Pesticide Compliance
Reviewed by LTK editorial team
- Requirement
- Set per licence tier — see the table below
- Cycle length
- 12 months
- Deadline
- Licences expire 31 December following issuance and recertification is annual, so CEUs are earned inside each licence year. CHANGE COMING: amended 21.17.53 NMAC takes effect 1 APRIL 2027 and restructures the 4 CEUs as 1 laws and rules + 1 core + 2 in EACH category held (category groups: 7A and 7B share a structural group; 7D, 8, 6A, 5 are ungrouped), and sets 7D consultants at 4 CEUs in 7D.
- Accepted formats
- NMDA-approved recertification training (workshops, seminars, classes), Retaking the original exams with 70% or above
- Agency
- New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA), New Mexico State University — Pesticide Compliance
- Application fee
- Not verified yet — we only publish it once it is
- Exam structure
- Commercial Applicator: document 2 years of pesticide application experience (or 20 college credit hours in biological/agricultural sciences plus 1 year), then pass the National Core exam (core plus NM laws and rules) and at least one category exam. Operator/Technician (employees of a Commercial Applicator who apply pesticides): pass the Operator exam, no category exams. A grade of 70 is passing on all exams (21.17.50.18 NMAC). 7D Wood-Destroying Pests needs one year of WDO experience and four hours of approved training before the exam, for applicators and technicians alike. Commercial Applicators must also file proof of financial responsibility.
What each licence tier owes
| Licence tier | Requirement | Detail that catches people out |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Applicator (also public and non-commercial) | Minimum 4 CEUs every year | One CEU is one hour of approved instruction, at least 45 minutes of contact time. Product sales meetings and in-house training are each capped at 1 CEU per certification period. Holders of 7D must ALSO attend 4 hours of approved WDO training annually or lose 7D. |
| Operator/Technician | Termite technicians: 4 hours approved WDO training annually | The current Part 53 does not set a separate operator CEU figure. A rewrite effective 1 April 2027 sets operators at 3 CEUs a year (1 laws and rules, 2 core or category). Do not publish that as current before that date. |
| Private Applicator | Minimum 5 CEUs per five-year certification | — |
Licences expire 31 December following issuance and recertification is annual, so CEUs are earned inside each licence year. CHANGE COMING: amended 21.17.53 NMAC takes effect 1 APRIL 2027 and restructures the 4 CEUs as 1 laws and rules + 1 core + 2 in EACH category held (category groups: 7A and 7B share a structural group; 7D, 8, 6A, 5 are ungrouped), and sets 7D consultants at 4 CEUs in 7D.
Sources
- https://nmdeptag.nmsu.edu/pesticides/certification-categories-pesticides.html
- https://nmdeptag.nmsu.edu/pesticides/commercial-applicators.html
- https://nmdeptag.nmsu.edu/pesticides/commercial-operator-technician-license.html
- https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title21/21.017.0050.html
- https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title21/21.017.0051.html
- https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title21/21.017.0053.html
- https://nmdeptag.nmsu.edu/media/pdf/nmac-21.17.53-integrated-changes.pdf
Common questions
- How many CEUs does New Mexico require for pest control licence renewal?
- Commercial Applicator (also public and non-commercial): Minimum 4 CEUs every year. Operator/Technician: Termite technicians: 4 hours approved WDO training annually. Private Applicator: Minimum 5 CEUs per five-year certification.
- Who issues pest control licences in New Mexico?
- New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA), New Mexico State University — Pesticide Compliance
- Do online courses count toward New Mexico CEU requirements?
- Accepted formats: NMDA-approved recertification training (workshops, seminars, classes), Retaking the original exams with 70% or above.
Something here out of date? Members report rule changes faster than agencies publish them. Tell us what changed
