Asbestos by State

State rules

New Mexico

New Mexico’s asbestos notices sit in the Environment Department’s Air Quality Bureau, which says the legislature adopted the federal NESHAP as 20 NMAC 2.78. Notices for renovation or demolition go to the bureau when the rule’s conditions are met, and both the owner and the contractor are responsible. The same page says contractors who remove asbestos must be licensed by the Construction Industries Division, a different office, at (505) 476-4700. Workplace handling questions go to the department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau at (505) 476-8720. EPA lists an Air Quality Bureau asbestos hotline at 1-800-224-7009. New Mexico is not an AHERA waiver state.

Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.

Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
Who runs the asbestos program
New Mexico Environment Department, Air Quality Bureau, with contractor licenses at the Construction Industries Division
Who must be licensed or accredited
The Air Quality Bureau takes NESHAP notices. The asbestos page says contractors who remove asbestos must be licensed by the Construction Industries Division.
Official program page
Official page →

The bureau says every demolition notice must include an asbestos survey by a qualified professional showing that potential asbestos-containing materials were tested. The survey must be conducted within three years of the start of asbestos removal. Renovation notices are required when regulated asbestos-containing material exceeds 260 linear feet, 160 square feet, or 35 cubic feet. Government-ordered demolitions use a separate form. Notices are emailed to asbestos.aqb@state.nm.us. Violations can go to district court for injunctive relief. Single-family coverage is not restated here beyond what the page says about NESHAP facilities.

The license is not issued by the air bureau. Removal contractors are sent to the Construction Industries Division. That split means a complete check is the CID license plus the air-bureau notice plus the survey. OSHA-style handling questions are sent to the occupational health bureau inside the same environment department, so New Mexico keeps worker consultation next to the air program rather than in a separate labor department. EPA’s hotline number is the public entry the federal contact list prints.

Schools follow AHERA because New Mexico is not on the waiver list. A school renovation above the renovation threshold still needs the air-bureau notice and a current survey. Ask for the survey date, the CID license, and a copy of the email that went to asbestos.aqb@state.nm.us. Do not treat a three-year-old survey as current if removal will start after that window. Worker-handling questions go to the occupational health bureau at (505) 476-8720.

Official resources in New Mexico

New Mexico Air Quality Bureau asbestos

Survey, notice thresholds, and the construction-license handoff.

EPA state asbestos contacts

Air Quality Bureau asbestos hotline listed by EPA.

EPA asbestos NESHAP overview

Federal standard adopted in New Mexico.

OSHA construction asbestos standard

Federal worker-protection rule.

Key facts for New Mexico

What to do next

  1. Attach a survey that is less than three years old before removal starts.
  2. Email the notice to the air bureau and confirm the CID license separately.
  3. Use the occupational health bureau for worker-handling questions.
  4. Call 1-800-224-7009 if you are unsure the project meets the renovation threshold.

Looking for your city or county in New Mexico?

We haven't found official program-level pages for New Mexico we can verify yet, so we don't show local numbers here rather than guess. Here's what to use instead, in order:

  1. General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across New Mexico, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
  2. Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.
    New Mexico Environment Department Air Quality Bureau
    Website →
    Phone: (800) 224-7009 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)
    Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the New Mexico page on USA.gov can point you to the right office.
  3. Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.

Helpful guides

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