New Mexico title and registration, step by step
Which forms, which fees and which deadlines. For a car bought in the state and for one you bring from another.
In New Mexico the title is issued by New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). MVD works from the original paper title: the seller signs the assignment section of the title and copies are not accepted. If it is lost, a duplicate is requested with MVD-10901.
Where it happens. The first time you register a used car in your name you must go in person to an MVD field office (state or municipal). There are also MVD partner offices; municipal offices may charge an extra fee. If you cannot finish within the 30 days because documents are missing, ask for MVD-10282 (Notice of Additional Requirements): with that form 10 days old or less, MVD may waive the late transfer penalty. The date of the original Bill of Sale is what counts for the 30 days; a fresh Bill of Sale does not erase the penalty. Confirm the deadline and the event that starts it for your transaction: a purchase, receipt of the signed title or a move into the state can have different rules. Late-fee information in the state sources: $20.00.
Case 1: you bought a car in New Mexico (private seller)
What the seller hands you
- The title with the transfer section completed: your name and address, sale price, date, odometer reading and the seller's signature (both owners if two names are joined by "and").
- If there was a loan: a lien release from the bank, or the lien already removed from the title.
- A bill of sale with VIN, price and signatures. You need it for the sales tax.
What you bring to the office
- The state forms (below), completed.
- The signed title and the bill of sale.
- Applicable insurance or financial-responsibility documents: Minimum liability 25/50/10 (§ 66-5-208): $25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more people and $10,000 for property damage. There is no PIP requirement. If you use a surety bond or a cash deposit instead of a policy, the required total is $60,000.
- Valid photo ID.
- Payment: title, registration, plate and sales tax if not paid yet.
Case 2: you bring a car from another state
- Everything above, plus: Every used car with an out-of-state title needs a physical VIN inspection before it is titled in New Mexico (form MVD-10861). An MVD agent does it at a field office (not all offer it; some require an appointment) or an authorized VIN inspector at a partner office. It is valid for 90 days.
- The original out-of-state title (or the bank's letter if it holds it for the loan).
- Tax: Instead of sales tax, New Mexico charges the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET): 4% of the price paid, minus the trade-in value (§ 7-14-4). You pay it when you apply for the title (the dealer collects it or you pay MVD). In a private sale, MVD uses the higher of the stated price or 80% of the NADA average trade-in value. The dealer's paperwork fee is not part of the MVET "price paid" (3.11.4.7D NMAC). If the title carries a salvage brand, MVD accepts the stated price and does not apply the NADA floor. If the NADA value applied to you is higher than the car's real value, you can ask for a refund with MVD-10208 and supporting documents. Sales tax paid to another state on the same car is credited. A true gift pays no tax, with MVD-10018 notarized by both parties. No MVET is due from someone who bought the car out of state for personal use at least 30 days before moving to New Mexico (§ 7-14-6). If you do not apply for title within 90 days, there is a penalty of 50% of the tax (§ 7-14-8), which makes the effective rate 6%.
Forms
- MVD-10002 — Application for Vehicle Title and Registration
- MVD-10009 — Bill of Sale, with odometer statement
- MVD-10187 — Odometer Disclosure Statement
- MVD-10048 — Notice of Vehicle Sold (seller)
- MVD-10901 — Application for Duplicate Title
- MVD-10018 — Affidavit of Gift (no excise tax), signatures notarized
- MVD-10861 — VIN inspection (car with an out-of-state title; completed by the inspector)
Fees — confirm current amounts (MVD)
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Title transaction fee | $3.00 |
| Administrative fee (per transaction) | $2.00 |
| Title change (add or remove an owner, change of address) | $5 |
| Late transfer (title application after 30 days) | $20.00 |
| Vehicle excise tax (MVET) not paid within 90 days: penalty of 50% of the tax | 50% |
| Annual passenger car registration, first 5 model years (total with fees), effective July 1, 2026: up to 2,000 lb / 2,001–3,000 lb / 3,001 lb and over | $39.75 / $54.75 / $76.00 |
| Annual passenger car registration, 6th model year and older (total with fees), effective July 1, 2026: same weights | $31.75 / $44.75 / $62.25 |
| Standard plate (yellow, turquoise or Chile) | $0 |
| Replacement plate (plus the $2 administrative fee: $17 total) | $15 |
| Late registration renewal: up to 30 days / 31 days or more | $10.00 / 75% of registration fee |
Amounts come from the linked state sources and can change. This guide distinguishes source checkpoints from narrow claim reviews; confirm the total for your transaction before you go. A dash means an amount has not been confirmed here.
Sales tax
Instead of sales tax, New Mexico charges the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET): 4% of the price paid, minus the trade-in value (§ 7-14-4). You pay it when you apply for the title (the dealer collects it or you pay MVD). In a private sale, MVD uses the higher of the stated price or 80% of the NADA average trade-in value. The dealer's paperwork fee is not part of the MVET "price paid" (3.11.4.7D NMAC). If the title carries a salvage brand, MVD accepts the stated price and does not apply the NADA floor. If the NADA value applied to you is higher than the car's real value, you can ask for a refund with MVD-10208 and supporting documents. Sales tax paid to another state on the same car is credited. A true gift pays no tax, with MVD-10018 notarized by both parties. No MVET is due from someone who bought the car out of state for personal use at least 30 days before moving to New Mexico (§ 7-14-6). If you do not apply for title within 90 days, there is a penalty of 50% of the tax (§ 7-14-8), which makes the effective rate 6%.
If you sell: protect yourself
Listed seller-notice or transfer document: MVD-10048 (Notice of Vehicle Sold). Check its conditions and the state process below. The plate belongs to the owner: the seller removes it at the sale and has 30 days to put it on another vehicle of the same class or cancel it with MVD (§ 66-3-101(B)). The buyer gets a plate when titling and registering at MVD, or an MVD temporary permit of up to 30 business days while the paid application is processed. Keep copies of the title, filed notices and handover date to answer later registration, toll or ownership questions.
Mistakes that cost
- Missing the deadline. Check the deadline and consequence for your transaction; filing periods and penalties do not all start from the same event.
- Title with cross-outs or correction fluid. Ask the issuing agency which correction or replacement document it accepts before using it.
- Buying with an "open" title (signed by a previous owner, not the person selling to you). Confirm the ownership chain and the documents the agency requires before paying.
- Showing up without in-state insurance. Confirm the insurance or financial-responsibility documents required for your situation.
Keep the records; check the official process
Sources
- NM MVD — Register Your Vehicle (new and used)
- NM MVD Vehicle Procedures Manual — Chapter 6: Fees, Penalties and Excise Tax
- NM MVD Fees Manual (vehicles), file revised 08/24/2026
- NM MVD — Fees summary (title changes, plate replacement)
- NM MVD Vehicle Procedures Manual — Chapter 4: Used Vehicles (VIN inspection, plate to owner)
- NM MVD Vehicle Procedures Manual — Chapter 2: General Information (temporary permits, out-of-state VIN inspections)
- NM MVD Vehicle Procedures Manual — Chapter 8: Special Title Situations (duplicate title)
- NM MVD — Standard Plates
- NM MVD — Insurance
- NM MVD — Frequently Asked Questions (registration fees, emissions in Bernalillo County)
- NMSA 1978, Chapter 66 — Motor Vehicles (current edition, New Mexico Compilation Commission)
- NM Taxation and Revenue Department — Motor Vehicle Excise Tax
- MVD-10002 — Application for Vehicle Title and Registration
- MVD-10009 — Bill of Sale, with odometer statement
- MVD-10187 — Odometer Disclosure Statement
- MVD-10048 — Notice of Vehicle Sold (seller)
- MVD-10901 — Application for Duplicate Title
- MVD-10018 — Affidavit of Gift (no excise tax), signatures notarized
- MVD-10861 — VIN inspection (car with an out-of-state title; completed by the inspector)
This guide informs; it is not legal or financial advice, nor an offer, quote or appraisal. Every figure carries its source and date; check it is still current before you decide.