Opinion ID: 1303924
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Applicability of Statutory Bar.

Text: NMSA 1978, Subsection 60-13-30(A) (Repl.Pamp. 1984) provides: No contractor shall act as agent or bring or maintain any action in any court of the state for the collection of compensation for the performance of any act for which a license is required by the Construction Industries Licensing Act without alleging and proving that such contractor was a duly licensed contractor at the time the alleged cause of action arose. We long have held that this statute bars an unlicensed contractor from bringing or maintaining a suit on the contract, see, e.g., Nickels v. Walker, 74 N.M. 545, 549, 395 P.2d 679, 682 (1964); Fischer v. Rakagis, 59 N.M. 463, 468, 286 P.2d 312, 315 (1955), or in quantum meruit, see, e.g., Campbell v. Smith, 68 N.M. 373, 378, 362 P.2d 523, 526 (1961); Kaiser v. Thomson, 55 N.M. 270, 274, 232 P.2d 142, 144-45 (1951). Our more recent decisions do not alter this rule but, in accordance with the clear implication of the statutory language, allow recovery by a person who is not a contractor within the meaning of the statute, see, e.g., Latta v. Harvey, 67 N.M. 72, 76, 352 P.2d 649, 651 (1960) (employee is not a contractor); cf., e.g., Marsh v. Coleman, 93 N.M. 325, 326-27, 600 P.2d 271, 272-73 (1979) (well driller expressly excluded from definition of contractor) (lien claim), and allow recovery for the performance of acts for which no license is required, see, e.g., Olivas v. SibCO, Inc., 87 N.M. 488, 490, 535 P.2d 1339, 1341 (1975) (cleaning up work site); cf., e.g., B & J Crane & Rigging, Inc. v. Beker Resources Corp., 587 F.2d 1065, 1068 (10th Cir.1978) (rental of equipment) (decided under New Mexico law). Although we have construed this statute narrowly in order to prevent its use as a shield against paying a just obligation, Olivas v. SibCO, Inc., 87 N.M. at 489, 535 P.2d at 1340; cf. Peck v. Ives, 84 N.M. 62, 66, 499 P.2d 684, 688 (1972) (adopting substantial compliance doctrine), and although we have examined statutory purposes when construing the ambiguous provisions of other licensing statutes, we cannot look beyond the express language of Section 60-13-30. Cf. Measday v. Sweazea, 78 N.M. 781, 784, 438 P.2d 525, 528 (Ct.App. 1968) (distinguishing Kaiser v. Thomson from plumbing permit requirement); cf. also Dow v. United States ex rel. Holley, 154 F.2d 707, 710-11 (10th Cir.1946); Kennoy v. Graves, 300 S.W.2d 568, 569-70 (Ky. 1957); Gene Taylor & Sons Plumbing Co. v. Corondolet Realty Trust, 611 S.W.2d 572, 575 (Tenn. 1981); Fillmore Products, Inc. v. Western States Paving, Inc., 561 P.2d 687, 689-90 (Utah 1977) (suit allowed in absence of express statutory bar). It clearly bars suits by unlicensed contractors even when they seek compensation for construction work fully and satisfactorily performed.