Vehicles that must have a Certificate of Title in New Mexico generally include passenger vehicles, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, motor homes, buses, manufactured or mobile homes, trailers and off-highway vehicles, such as ATVs or snowmobiles. The Certificate of Title serves as proof of ownership and only one title is allowed to be issued and in existence at any one time for the same vehicle.
If you have only a Certificate of Title for your vehicle, you cannot drive the vehicle until it is registered, plated, and insured.
If your vehicle is from out-of-state, you will have to take the vehicle to the MVD so they can conduct a VIN inspection, or you will have to get a VIN inspection conducted by a Certified VIN Inspector. A list of Certified VIN Inspectors is available
here or
Download a PDF.
If your vehicle is currently titled in another state and there is a lien on it, the MVD must order the vehicle title from the lien holder. You will need to provide the MVD with the name and address of the lien holder.
The MVD titling system automatically checks vehicle information for matches through the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Data in the NCIC is provided by the FBI, federal, state, local and foreign criminal justice agencies, and authorized courts. The NCIC check can determine if the vehicle has been stolen or is wanted in conjunction with any criminal activity. The NCIC check must come back as ‘no record’ or ‘clear’ for MVD to proceed with titling the vehicle.
New Mexico is a ‘Vehicle Plate to Owner’ state. If the vehicle is sold, traded-in or given as a gift, the vehicle owner is responsible for removing the license plate from the vehicle. Within 30 days of the transaction, the vehicle owner shall take the plate to MVD to have it destroyed, or apply to have the plate assigned to another vehicle of the same class.