Chapter 66 — Chapter 66

Every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a mirror so located as to reflect to the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least two hundred feet to the rear of such vehicle. History: 1953 Comp., § 64-3-845, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 151.

wipers; windows must be transparent; exception. A. No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sign, poster or other nontransparent material upon or in the front windshield, the windows to the immediate right and left of the driver or the rearmost window if the latter is use…

requirements; violation; penalty. A. A person shall not operate on any street or highway a motor vehicle that is registered or required to be registered in this state if that motor vehicle has a sun screening material on the windshield or any window that does not comply with the …

A. When use is permitted, every solid rubber tire on a vehicle shall have rubber on its entire traction surface at least one-inch thick above the edge of the flange of the entire periphery. B. A person shall not operate or move on a highway a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer…

A. No motor vehicle sold as new on or after January 1, 1954, shall be registered in this state on or after that date unless it is equipped with safety glazing material of a type approved by the director wherever glazing material is used in doors, windows or windshields; nor shall…

On every bus, truck, truck tractor, road tractor and every driven vehicle in driveaway- towaway operation, of a width greater than eighty inches, except buses operating wholly within a municipality, there shall be: A. one of the following combinations of warning devices: (1) thre…

On every bus, except buses engaged in driveaway-towaway operations, school buses and buses operating wholly within a municipality, there shall be: A. at least one fire extinguisher with physical characteristics and fire extinguishing ability equivalent to or better than fire exti…

852 through 66-3-857 NMSA 1978; unattended vehicles. A. For the purposes of Sections 66-3-852 through 66-3-857 NMSA 1978 "motor vehicle" means every bus, truck, truck tractor, road tractor and every driven vehicle in driveaway-towaway operations, required by Section 66-3-859 [66-…

No motor vehicle shall be stopped, parked or left standing, whether attended or unattended, upon the traveled portion of any highway outside of a business or residence district, when it is practicable to stop, park or leave such vehicle off the traveled portion of the highway. In…

Whenever any motor vehicle is disabled upon the traveled portion of any highway or the shoulder thereof, when lighted lamps are required, except in cities, towns and villages where there is sufficient highway lighting to make it clearly discernible to persons and vehicles on the …

Whenever for any cause other than disablement or necessary traffic stops, any motor vehicle is stopped upon the traveled portion of any highway, or shoulder thereof, during the time lights are required, except within cities, towns and villages where there is sufficient highway li…

No driver shall attach or permit any person to attach a lighted fusee or other flame- producing emergency signal to any part of a motor vehicle. History: 1941 Comp., § 68-2555, enacted by Laws 1953, ch. 139, § 158.4; 1953 Comp., § 64-20-55; recompiled as 1953 Comp., § 64-3-855, b…

No driver shall use or permit the use of any flame-producing emergency signal for protecting any motor vehicle transporting explosives, any cargo tank motor vehicle used for the transportation of any flammable liquid or flammable compressed gas, whether loaded or empty; or any mo…

During the time when lighted lamps are not required, whenever a motor vehicle is disabled, stopped or parked upon the traveled portion of any highway or shoulder thereof, except within the business or residence district of cities, towns and villages, the driver of such vehicle sh…

transportation of compressed gases and corrosive liquids. A. The director is empowered and directed to formulate, adopt and promulgate rules and regulations containing reasonable standards of safety, having uniform force and effect throughout this state for the transportation of …

It is unlawful for any person to buy, sell, lease, trade or transfer from or to New Mexico residents at retail an automobile, which is manufactured or assembled commencing with the 1964 models, unless the vehicle is equipped with safety belts installed for use in the left front a…

All safety belts required in Section 66-3-874 NMSA 1978 shall be of a type and shall be installed in a manner approved by the division of motor vehicles. The division shall establish specifications and requirements for approved types of safety belts and attachments thereto. The d…

A. As used in this section, "slow-moving vehicle" means any vehicle which is ordinarily moved, operated or driven at a speed less than twenty-five miles an hour. B. Each slow-moving vehicle moved, operated or driven on a highway which is open for vehicular travel shall display a …

A. It is unlawful for a person to knowingly: (1) fail to install an airbag in a motor vehicle after representing to another person that the person will install an airbag in the motor vehicle; (2) install or reinstall a counterfeit or nonfunctional airbag in a motor vehicle; (3) i…

The department shall file each application received for registration of a vehicle. When satisfied as to the genuineness and regularity of the application and that the applicant is entitled to register the vehicle and to the issuance of a certificate of title, the department shall…

condition. A. A person shall not drive or move on any highway any motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer or pole trailer or any combination thereof unless the equipment upon every vehicle is in good working order and adjustment as required in the Motor Vehicle Code and the vehicle i…

service companies must be licensed; presumption of conducting business. A. A person, unless licensed to do so by the department, shall not carry on or conduct the active trade or business of: (1) a dealer in motor vehicles of a type subject to registration pursuant to the Motor V…

business. A. A person desiring to engage in the business of wrecking or dismantling vehicles for the purpose of reselling parts or scrap material shall apply to the department for an auto recycler license. A person possessing three or more wrecked, dismantled or partially wrecked…

A. Prior to taking actual possession of a vehicle that an auto recycler has purchased, the auto recycler shall verify with the department if the vehicle has been reported stolen by checking an electronic system maintained by the department. The auto recycler shall include the sel…

A. Except for recreational vehicles, the department, upon receiving an initial nonfranchise dealership application accompanied by the required fee and when satisfied that the applicant has completed eight hours of education as approved by the department and complies with the laws…

A. A dealer, as defined in Section 66-1-4.4 NMSA 1978, shall apply to and be issued by the department a license to deal in recreational vehicles if the department finds the applicant is in compliance with department rules regarding registration of vehicles, certificates of title …

A. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a New Mexico licensed dealer or the holder of a security interest filed pursuant to Section 66-3-201 NMSA 1978 shall not sell a vehicle or offer a motor vehicle for sale at a location other than the licensed dealer's established pl…

license or use of temporary permits; hearing; appeal. A. The department may refuse to issue a license for just cause and may cancel or suspend a license or use of a temporary registration permit, demonstration permit or transport permit for violation of the Motor Vehicle Code. Th…

The provisions of the Criminal Offender Employment Act [28-2-1 to 28-2-6 NMSA 1978] govern any consideration of criminal records required or permitted by Sections 66-4-1 through 66-4-9 NMSA 1978. History: 1953 Comp., § 64-4-4, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 217; 1999, ch. 122, §…

A. A dealer licensee shall maintain a record in a form prescribed by the department of every vehicle of a type subject to registration pursuant to the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Code [66-1-1 NMSA 1978] that is bought, sold or exchanged by the licensee or received by the lice…

A. No license shall be issued to a dealer or auto recycler unless an established place of business as defined in the Motor Vehicle Code [66-1-1 NMSA 1978] is maintained by the dealer or auto recycler. Each license to carry on or conduct the business of a dealer or auto recycler b…

service companies; dealers of motorcycles only; bond. A. Before issuance of any dealer's license, wholesaler's license, distributor's license, auto recycler's license or title service company license, the applicant shall procure and file with the department a corporate surety bon…

ANNOTATIONS Repeals. — Laws 2003, ch. 410, § 9 repealed 66-4-8 NMSA 1978, as enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 221, relating to exemptions from licensing and bond provisions, effective June 20, 2003. For provisions of former section, see the 2002 NMSA 1978 on NMOneSource.com.

sections of the Motor Vehicle Code. A. Any person violating any provision of Sections 66-3-119, 66-3-121, 66-3-123 through 66-3-125, 66-4-1 through 66-4-7 and 66-4-9 NMSA 1978 or Section 1 [66-4-10 NMSA 1978] of this 2018 act is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a …

ANNOTATIONS Repeals. — Laws 1990, ch. 120, § 45 repealed 66-5-1 NMSA 1978, as enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 223, relating to definitions of "suspension", "revocation", and "cancellation", effective July 1, 1990. For provisions of former section, see the 1989 NMSA 1978 on NMOneS…

As used in Sections 66-5-8 and 66-5-9 NMSA 1978, "traffic violation" means: A. failure to obey traffic-control devices, as provided in Section 66-7-104 NMSA 1978; B. failure to obey traffic-control signals, as provided in Section 66-7-105 NMSA 1978; C. speeding, as provided in Se…

As used in Sections 66-5-25, 66-5-26, 66-5-30 and 66-8-102 NMSA 1978, "tribe" means an Indian nation, tribe or pueblo that is located wholly or partially in New Mexico and that has executed an intergovernmental agreement with the state pursuant to Section 66-5-27.1 NMSA 1978. His…

A. Within the forms prescribed by the department for applications and licenses of drivers of motor vehicles, a space shall be provided to show whether the applicant is a donor as provided in the Jonathan Spradling Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act [Chapter 24, Article 6B NMSA 1…

on secretary of state in accident cases.] That the acceptance by nonresidents of the rights and privileges conferred by existing laws to operate motor vehicles on the public highways of the state of New Mexico, or the operation by a nonresident, or his authorized chauffeur, or ag…

operator.] The manner of procuring and serving process in any cause, brought pursuant to the preceding section [66-5-103 NMSA 1978], shall be as follows, to wit: The plaintiff shall file a verified complaint in one of the district courts of the state, showing a cause of action ag…

A. The application of any person under the age of eighteen years for an instruction permit, provisional license or driver's license shall be signed and verified by the father, mother or guardian or, in the event there is no parent or guardian, by another responsible adult who is …

Any person who has signed the application of a minor for an instruction permit, a driver's license or provisional license may thereafter file with the division a verified written request that the license of the minor so granted be canceled. Thereupon, the division shall cancel th…

minor's application. The division upon receipt of satisfactory evidence of the death of the person who signed the application of a minor for an instruction permit, a driver's license or provisional license shall cancel the license and shall not issue a new license until such time…

A. The department shall examine every first-time applicant for a driver's license or a motorcycle endorsement and may examine other applicants for a driver's license or motorcycle endorsement. The examination shall include a test of the applicant's ability to read and understand …

A. The department shall, upon payment of the required fee, issue to every qualified applicant a license as applied for. Except as provided in Subsection B of this section, the license shall bear the applicant's full legal name; date of birth; sex; current New Mexico residence add…

Every licensee shall, as a condition of holding a driver's license, agree to notify the director of any change in his physical or mental condition that would impair the licensee's ability to operate a vehicle. History: 1978 Comp., § 66-5-15.1, enacted by Laws 1989, ch. 318, § 16.

History: Laws 2016, ch. 79, § 15; repealed by Laws 2019, ch. 167, § 17.

be accepted by federal agencies for official federal purposes; reimbursement. A. No later than six months from the effective date of this 2016 act, the department shall establish and begin to issue to qualified applicants licenses and identification cards that meet federal requir…

A. A standard driver's license or identification card shall be accepted by every state and local public agency and every public accommodation for all of the purposes for which such public agency or public accommodation would accept a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or identifi…

History: Laws 2019, ch. 167, § 15; repealed by Laws 2019, ch. 167, § 16.