Vehicles of Historic and Special Significance

NMSA 1978 ch. 66, art. 11

in effect

NMSA 1978, § 66-11-1 Purpose

66-11-1. Purpose Recognizing the importance of constructive leisure pursuits by New Mexico citizens, this act [66-11-1 to 66-11-5 NMSA 1978] is intended to encourage responsible participation in the hobby of collecting, preserving, restoring and maintaining motor vehicles of historic and special interest. Further, New Mexico, recognizing that the current pattern of resource recycling leads to an ever-shortening period of existence for vehicles of historic or special interest establishes this act to ensure the preservation of our American heritage as it relates to the motor vehicle manufacturing industry. Further, this act recognizes that a vehicle representative of this heritage, being held by a hobbyist, finds significance as an historic or special interest vehicle through a personal relevance to the life of the collector holding it and through a general relevance as an example-artifact of the transportation history of New Mexico. 1953 Comp., § 64-41-1, enacted by Laws 1975, ch. 35, § 1.

NMSA 1978, § 66-11-2 Definitions

66-11-2. Definitions For the purposes of this act [66-11-1 to 66-11-5 NMSA 1978]: A. "collector" means the owner of one or more vehicles of historic or special interest who collects, purchases, acquires, trades or disposes of these vehicles or parts thereof for his own use in order to preserve, restore and maintain a vehicle for hobby purposes; B. "parts car" means a motor vehicle generally in nonoperable condition which is owned by a collector to furnish parts that are usually nonobtainable from normal sources, thus enabling a collector to preserve, restore and maintain a motor vehicle of historic or special interest; and C. "historic or special interest vehicle" means a vehicle of any age which, because of its significance, is being collected, preserved, restored or maintained by a hobbyist as a leisure pursuit. 1953 Comp., § 64-41-2, enacted by Laws 1975, ch. 35, § 2.

NMSA 1978, § 66-11-3 Storage provisions

66-11-3. Storage provisions A collector may store motor vehicles or parts thereof on his private property provided such vehicles and parts cars, and the outdoor storage areas, are maintained in such a manner that they do not constitute a health, safety or fire hazard and are effectively screened from ordinary public view by means of a solid fence, trees, shrubbery or other appropriate means. Such storage areas shall be kept free of weeds, trash and other objectional [objectionable] items. 1953 Comp., § 64-41-3, enacted by Laws 1975, ch. 35, § 3.

NMSA 1978, § 66-11-4 Special equipment

66-11-4. Special equipment A. Unless the presence of equipment named by the Motor Vehicle Code [66-1-1 NMSA 1978] was a prior condition for legal sale within New Mexico at the time the historic or special interest vehicle was manufactured for first use, the presence of such equipment shall not be required as a condition for current legal use. B. Any motor vehicle of historic or special interest, manufactured prior to the date when any emission controls were standard equipment on that particular make or model of vehicle is exempted from the laws requiring any inspection and use of such controls. C. Any safety equipment that was manufactured as a part of the vehicle's original equipment must be in proper operating condition when the vehicle is operated for highway purposes. 1953 Comp., § 64-41-4, enacted by Laws 1975, ch. 35, § 4.

NMSA 1978, § 66-11-5 Sale or trade

66-11-5. Sale or trade The sale or trade and subsequent legal transfer of a motor vehicle or parts car of historic or special interest shall not be contingent upon any condition that would require the vehicle or parts car to be in operating condition at the time of sale or transfer of ownership. 1953 Comp., § 64-41-5, enacted by Laws 1975, ch. 35, § 5.

Source: New Mexico Compilation Commission (nmonesource.com)URL: https://nmonesource.com/nmos/nmsa-unanno/en/item/18569/index.doFetched: 10/20/2026