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100+ Free NM CID MS-3 Practice Questions

Prepare for the New Mexico CID MS-3 Cesspools, Septic Tanks and Sewers Examination exam with instant access — no signup required.

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: NM CID MS-3 Exam

75%

Passing Score

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

50 Q

Official Exam Questions

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

120 min

Time Allowed

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

USD 68.88

PSI Exam Fee

PSI NM Contractor Bulletin 4/3/2026

NM CID MS-3 is a 50-question PSI cesspools, septic tanks, and sewers exam, 75% pass, 120 minutes, USD 68.88 (bulletin 4/3/2026).

Sample NM CID MS-3 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your NM CID MS-3 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under NMAC 14.6.6, an MS-3 septic tanks and sewer contractor’s authorized sewer work ends at which point relative to the building?
A.At the building drain inside the foundation wall
B.Two feet outside the building wall
C.Five feet beyond the outside wall of the building
D.Ten feet beyond the property line
Explanation: NMAC 14.6.6 MS-3 authorizes septic tanks, private sewage disposal, manholes, and sewer lines beginning at a public or private utility connection and ending at a point five feet beyond the outside wall of a building. The building drain itself and interior plumbing are outside this specialty. Incidental excavation, trenching, backfill, and plug-in electrical controls not exceeding 24 volts are included.
2How much experience does NMAC 14.6.6 require for the MS-3 septic tanks and sewer classification?
A.One year
B.Two years
C.Four years
D.No experience if the PSI exam is passed
Explanation: NMAC 14.6.6 lists MS-3 as a mechanical specialty that requires two years of experience. Four years is the experience bar for several full mechanical (MM) classifications, not this specialty. Passing the exam does not waive the experience requirement.
3Under the 2005 NMAC 20.7.3 liquid-waste rules used on the MS-3 exam, discharging untreated liquid waste into a cesspool is:
A.Allowed if the pit is at least 10 ft deep
B.Allowed on lots of 0.75 acre or larger
C.Allowed only when the public sewer is more than 200 ft away
D.Prohibited
Explanation: NMAC 20.7.3.201 (2005) forbids discharge of liquid waste or effluent into a cesspool or an effluent disposal well. A cesspool is an excavation or non-watertight unit that receives untreated water-carried waste and discharges it directly to soil. Seepage pits, which are lined absorption units, are a different device; 20.7.3.702 NMAC allows them where site restrictions prevent a conventional trench or bed.
4Incidental electrical work authorized under the MS-3 classification is limited to plug-in control panels, controls, and control wiring not exceeding:
A.12 volts
B.24 volts
C.50 volts
D.120 volts
Explanation: NMAC 14.6.6 limits MS-3 electrical work to incidental plug-in type control panels, controls, and control wiring not to exceed 24 volts. Line-voltage pump circuits, service equipment, and building wiring require an electrical classification. Fifty volts is the ES-3 low-voltage specialty threshold, not the MS-3 cap.
5NMAC 20.7.3, the New Mexico liquid-waste rule listed for the MS-3 exam, applies to on-site liquid-waste systems that receive how much flow?
A.1,000 gallons per day or less
B.2,000 gallons per day or less
C.5,000 gallons per day or less
D.No daily-flow limit if a CID permit is issued
Explanation: 20.7.3.2 NMAC applies to on-site liquid-waste systems that receive 5,000 gallons or less of liquid waste per day and that do not require a 20.6.2 NMAC discharge plan or an NPDES permit. The PSI bulletin still cites a 2005 edition, but 20.7.3 NMAC was repealed and replaced effective 9/1/2013 and amended 9/15/2014; the copy you download from srca.nm.gov reads 5,000 gpd. Flows above that limit leave this part and are referred to the ground water quality bureau.
6An on-site liquid-waste system permitted under NMAC 20.7.3 (2005) must be located:
A.Wholly on the same lot that is the source of the liquid waste
B.On any adjoining lot owned by the same person
C.Within 100 ft of the structure, even if across a property line
D.In a public right-of-way if a county easement is pending
Explanation: NMAC 20.7.3.201 (2005) requires the on-site system to be located wholly on the same lot that is the site of the source it serves. A lot may include a recorded perpetual easement that dedicates a contiguous servient parcel for disposal of waste generated on the dominant parcel, but the system is still tied to that legally defined lot. Adjoining ownership alone is not enough.
7Under NMAC 20.7.3.401 (2005), a homeowner who is not a CID-licensed contractor may self-install which of the following after obtaining the department permit?
A.A seepage pit authorized by variance
B.An advanced treatment unit with a mound
C.A permitted septic tank and a conventional trench or bed disposal field
D.A cluster system serving two adjoining houses
Explanation: The 2005 rule allows a homeowner to install or modify permitted septic tanks and conventional trench or bed disposal fields. Once the department certification program is in place, the homeowner must also pass that exam. The homeowner may not pay an unlicensed person to perform any phase, and seepage pits, advanced treatment, mounds, and cluster systems are not in the homeowner self-install scope.
8NMAC 20.7.3.201 (2005) requires a residential or commercial unit on an on-site liquid-waste system to connect to a public sewer:
A.Whenever a sewer main exists anywhere in the same county
B.If required by the local authority having jurisdiction
C.Only if the on-site system has already failed
D.Only after the septic tank is 20 years old
Explanation: The 2005 general-requirements section requires connection to a public sewer if the local authority having jurisdiction requires it. Holding-tank subsection 809 separately treats a sewer in an abutting thoroughfare, right-of-way, or easement as available and requires abandonment within 30 days of connection. Failure or tank age is not the 2005 connection trigger.
9The official PSI bulletin for the New Mexico CID MS-3 examination (CIB 865) describes which examination format?
A.40 closed-book questions, 70 percent, 90 minutes
B.50 open-book CBT questions, 75 percent (38 points), 120 minutes, English
C.60 oral questions, 80 percent, 3 hours, Spanish only
D.100 take-home questions, 60 percent, no time limit
Explanation: PSI CIB 865 (updated 4/3/2026) lists 50 questions, a 75 percent passing score (38 points), 120 minutes, a USD 68.88 fee, and open-book computer-based testing in English. Allowed references are NMAC 20.7.3 (2005), UPC 2021, and Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters, 8th edition (2013). Closed-book or take-home formats are not the published MS-3 delivery.
10Where there is no established on-site liquid waste system, 20.7.3.301 NMAC prohibits installing a conventional treatment system on a lot smaller than:
A.0.25 acre
B.0.50 acre
C.0.75 acre
D.2.00 acres
Explanation: Subsection C of 20.7.3.301 NMAC states that a conventional treatment system shall not be installed on a lot sized smaller than 0.75 acre where there is not an established on-site liquid waste system, except as provided in Subsection F of that section. Lot size is the total lot area plus or minus recorded liquid-waste disposal easements. The companion loading rule allows primary treatment only at 500 gallons per day per acre or less with a minimum lot size of 0.75 acre; a smaller lot or a heavier loading drives secondary or tertiary treatment.

About the NM CID MS-3 Exam

The New Mexico CID MS-3 examination covers cesspools, septic tanks, and sewers. The official open-book PSI exam has 50 scored questions, a 75% passing standard (38 points), and 120 minutes allowed. Allowed references include New Mexico Liquid Waste Disposal Regulations NMAC 20.7.3 (2005), UPC 2021, and Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters (8th, 2013). NMAC 14.6.6 MS-3 (Septic tanks and sewer) requires two years of experience and covers septic tanks, private sewage disposal systems, manholes, and sewer lines from a utility connection to a point five feet beyond the outside wall of a building, plus incidental 24-volt controls. PSI lists the fee at USD 68.88 (bulletin updated 4/3/2026). This English-language MCQ bank is a study aid, not an official PSI form.

Questions

50 scored questions

Time Limit

120 minutes

Passing Score

75% (38 of 50 points)

Exam Fee

USD 68.88 (PSI Services LLC (for New Mexico Construction Industries Division))

NM CID MS-3 Exam Content Outline

10%

General Knowledge

General knowledge (5 items)

30%

Installation and Materials

Installation and materials (15 items)

24%

Septic Tanks

Septic tanks (12 items)

20%

Disposal Absorption Fields

Disposal absorption fields (10 items)

8%

Building Sewers

Building sewers (4 items)

8%

Alternative Disposal

Alternative disposal (4 items)

How to Pass the NM CID MS-3 Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 75% (38 of 50 points)
  • Exam length: 50 questions
  • Time limit: 120 minutes
  • Exam fee: USD 68.88

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NM CID MS-3 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Installation, septic tanks, and absorption fields are 37 of 50 official items. Study NMAC 20.7.3 with UPC 2021 private-sewage chapters.
2This bank is an English-language MCQ study aid, not an official PSI form

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the NM MS-3 exam?

The official PSI examination has 50 scored questions. Passing is 75% (38 points) within 120 minutes (bulletin updated 4/3/2026).