OFFENSES RELATING TO REGISTRATION

NMSA 1978 ch. 66, art. 8, pt. 1

in effect

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-1 Fraudulent applications

66-8-1. Fraudulent applications Any person who fraudulently uses a false or fictitious name in any application for the registration of a vehicle or a certificate of title, or knowingly makes a false statement, or knowingly conceals a material fact or otherwise commits a fraud in any such application shall upon conviction be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment for not more than one year or both. 1953 Comp., § 64-8-1, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 499.

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-1.1 Fraud related to the issuance of documents by the department; penalties

66-8-1.1. Fraud related to the issuance of documents by the department; penalties A. It is a felony for a department employee or private retail agent or other contractor of the department to: (1) knowingly issue an identification card, driver's license, driving authorization card, vehicle or vessel registration or vehicle or vessel title to a person who is not lawfully entitled to issuance of that document; (2) knowingly accept and use fraudulent documents as a basis for issuing an identification card, driver's license, driving authorization card, vehicle or vessel registration or vehicle or vessel title; (3) knowingly alter a record of an identification card, driver's license, driving authorization card, vehicle or vessel registration or vehicle or vessel title without legal justification; or (4) solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, anything of value with the intent to influence a decision or action on an identification card, a driver's license, a driving authorization card, a vehicle or vessel registration or a vehicle or vessel title. B. A person convicted of violating this section is guilty of a fourth degree felony and shall be sentenced pursuant to the provisions of Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978. Laws 2007, ch. 319, § 65; 2016, ch. 79, § 14.

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-2 Improper use of evidences of registration

66-8-2. Improper use of evidences of registration No person shall lend to another any certificate of title, registration evidence, registration plate, special plate, validating sticker or permit issued to him if the person desiring to borrow the same would not be entitled to the use thereof, nor shall any person knowingly permit the use of any of the same by one not entitled thereto, nor shall any person display upon a vehicle any registration evidence, registration plate, validating sticker or permit not issued for such vehicle or not otherwise lawfully used thereon under the Motor Vehicle Code [66-1-1 NMSA 1978]. 1953 Comp., § 64-8-2, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 500.

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-3 False evidences of title and registration

66-8-3. False evidences of title and registration It is a felony for any person to commit any of the following acts: A. to alter with fraudulent intent any certificate of title, registration evidence, registration plate, validating sticker or permit issued by the division; B. to forge or counterfeit any such document or plate purporting to have been issued by the division; C. to alter or falsify with fraudulent intent or to forge any assignment upon a certificate of title; or D. to hold or use any such document or plate, knowing the same to have been so altered, forged or falsified. 1953 Comp., § 64-8-3, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 501.

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-3.1 Motor vehicle brokering; exceptions

66-8-3.1. Motor vehicle brokering; exceptions A. No person shall broker a motor vehicle unless: (1) the manufacturer's certificate of origin has been surrendered to the appropriate registration authority prior to brokering; (2) the person has an enforceable contractual right of delivery with the manufacturer of the vehicle or his representative; or (3) the manufacturer's certificate of origin is or will be assigned to a person described in Paragraph (2) of this subsection as the result of the transaction. B. The provision of Subsection A of this section shall not apply to a person holding a dealer's license on January 1, 1991 if: (1) the ownership of the business for which the person holds the license remains the same as the ownership was on January 1, 1991; (2) any change in ownership is the result of devise, bequest, intestate succession or a transfer between persons related within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity; (3) any change in ownership is the result of a corporate or other business reorganization and at least fifty-one percent of the beneficial ownership or voting control remains in the same person; or (4) after all stock transfers, fifty-one percent of the beneficial ownership or voting control remains in any person or persons owning stock on January 1, 1991. C. For the purpose of this section, the change in ownership of any corporation shall be deemed a change in ownership of any subsidiary corporation pro rata to the extent of the ownership of the subsidiary. D. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the activities of: (1) receivers, trustees, administrators, executors, guardians or other persons appointed by or acting under judgment, decree or order or any court; (2) public officers while performing their duties as such officers; (3) persons making casual sales of their own vehicles; (4) finance companies, banks and other lending institutions making sales of repossessed vehicles; (5) licensed brokers under the Manufactured Housing Act [Chapter 60, Article 14 NMSA 1978] who, for a fee, commission or other valuable consideration, engage in brokerage activities related to the sale, exchange or lease purchase of pre-owned manufactured homes on a site installed for a consumer; (6) persons who receive no compensation, profit or other valuable consideration as a result of the transaction; or (7) persons providing advertising services through newspapers, magazines, television, radio or other advertising media if they are only disseminating an advertisement paid for by another. E. For the purposes of this section, "broker" means selling, offering for sale, advertising for sale, negotiating or acting as agent in the sale of, or advertising to negotiate or act as agent in the sale of a motor vehicle. Laws 1991, ch. 179, § 1.

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-4 Authority of division to suspend or revoke a registration

66-8-4. Authority of division to suspend or revoke a registration The division may suspend or revoke the registration of a vehicle or a certificate of title, registration evidence, or registration plate or any nonresident permit or other permit in any of the following events: A. when the division is satisfied that such registration or that such certificate, card, plate or permit was fraudulently or erroneously issued; B. when the division determines that a registered vehicle is mechanically unfit or unsafe to be operated or moved upon the highways; C. when a registered vehicle has been dismantled or wrecked; D. when the division determines that the required fee has not been paid and the same is not paid upon reasonable notice and demand; E. when a registration evidence, registration plate, or permit is knowingly displayed upon a vehicle other than the one for which issued; F. when the division determines that the owner has committed any offense under the Motor Vehicle Code [66-1-1 NMSA 1978] involving the registration, or the certificate, registration evidence, plate or permit; or G. when the division is so authorized under any other provision of law. 1953 Comp., § 64-8-4, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 502.

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-5 Suspending or revoking certificate or special plates of a manufacturer, dealer or auto recycler

66-8-5. Suspending or revoking certificate or special plates of a manufacturer, dealer or auto recycler The division may suspend or revoke a certificate or the special plate issued to a manufacturer, dealer or auto recycler upon determining that the person is not lawfully entitled thereto or has made or knowingly permitted any illegal use of such plate or has committed fraud in the registration of vehicles. 1953 Comp., § 64-8-5, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 503; 2005, ch. 324, § 20.

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-6 Owner to return evidences of registration upon cancellation, suspension or revocation

66-8-6. Owner to return evidences of registration upon cancellation, suspension or revocation Whenever the division cancels, suspends or revokes the registration of a vehicle, or a certificate of title, registration evidence, or registration plate, or any nonresident permit or other permit, or the license of any dealer or wrecker, the owner or person in possession of the same shall immediately return all evidences of registration, title or license so cancelled, suspended or revoked to the division. 1953 Comp., § 64-8-6, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 504.

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-7 Penalty for misdemeanor

66-8-7. Penalty for misdemeanor A. It is a misdemeanor for any person to violate any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code [66-1-1 NMSA 1978] unless the violation is declared a felony. B. Unless another penalty is specified in the Motor Vehicle Code, every person convicted of a misdemeanor for violation of any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code shall be punished by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300) or by imprisonment for not more than ninety days or both. 1953 Comp., § 64-8-7, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 505; 1989, ch. 320, § 3.

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-8 Sunday actions

66-8-8. Sunday actions Judicial proceedings under any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code [66-1-1 NMSA 1978] are valid when performed on Sunday, the same as on other days of the week. 1953 Comp., § 64-8-8, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 506.

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-9 Penalty for felony

66-8-9. Penalty for felony Any person convicted of violating any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code [66-1-1 NMSA 1978] declared a felony, and punishment is not specified, is guilty of a fourth degree felony and shall be sentenced pursuant to the provisions of Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978. Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 507; 1981, ch. 12, § 1.

NMSA 1978, § 66-8-10 Duplicate or replacement registration plate; citation; failure to comply

66-8-10. Duplicate or replacement registration plate; citation; failure to comply Any motor vehicle owner who has been issued a citation for an illegible registration plate and who fails to comply with the terms of the citation requiring the acquisition of a duplicate or replacement plate within thirty days of the date of the citation is guilty of a misdemeanor. 1953 Comp., § 64-8-10, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 508.

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