New Mexico Laws
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New Mexico IPRA: Inspection of Public Records Act Guide (2026)
New Mexico IPRA requires inspection within 15 calendar days and a written explanation in 3 business days. Learn fees, the $1 per page cap, and fee shifting.
New Mexico Jury Duty Laws (2026): Pay, Exemptions and Employers
New Mexico jurors are paid $12 an hour plus mileage. See who can serve, the age-75 exemption, postponements, employer rules and what happens if you miss a summons.
New Mexico Knife Laws (2026): Switchblade Ban and Concealed Carry
New Mexico bans switchblade possession outright and restricts concealed carry of named knife types statewide. See the school, university, and preemption rules.
New Mexico Landlord-Tenant Laws (2026): Deposits, Notice, and Tenant Rights
New Mexico caps security deposits at 1 month for leases under 1 year, requires return within 30 days, mandates 24-hour entry notice, and bans rent control statewide.
New Mexico Landlord-Tenant Recording Laws: Rights for Renters and Landlords (2026)
Learn New Mexico landlord-tenant recording laws. Tenants can record in-person conversations without consent. Landlord surveillance limits, security cameras, and evidence rules.
New Mexico Laws on Recording Police: Your First Amendment Rights (2026)
Learn your rights to record police in New Mexico. The Tenth Circuit recognizes First Amendment protection for filming officers. Rules, limits, and what to do if stopped.
New Mexico Lemon Law (2026): How to Qualify & Get a Refund
New Mexico's Motor Vehicle Quality Assurance Act: 4 repair attempts or 30 business days out of service triggers lemon status. Learn your rights, remedies, and deadlines.
New Mexico License Plate Reader Laws (2026)
New Mexico ALPR law explained: the Driver Privacy and Safety Act, sharing bans, confidentiality, annual reports, and enforcement penalties.
New Mexico Manslaughter Laws: Voluntary, Involuntary and DWI Deaths
New Mexico voluntary manslaughter is a third degree felony (6-year basic sentence) and involuntary manslaughter a fourth degree felony. See DWI homicide rules.
New Mexico Marriage and Divorce Records: County and Court Only (2026)
New Mexico Vital Records handles neither marriage nor divorce. Marriage copies come from the county clerk, divorce decrees from the district court.
New Mexico Marriage License Requirements 2026: $55, No Wait
How to get a New Mexico marriage license: apply in person at any county clerk, $55 fee, no waiting period, no expiration, and return the certificate within 90 days.
New Mexico Medical Recording Laws: Patient Rights and HIPAA Rules (2026)
Learn New Mexico medical recording laws. Patients can record their own appointments. HIPAA privacy rules, telemedicine recording, hospital surveillance, and evidence use.
New Mexico Medical Records Retention Laws (2026 Guide)
New Mexico medical records retention laws: how long hospitals and doctors keep your records, HIPAA rules, and patient rights.
New Mexico Minimum Wage 2026: $12.00 Statewide, Santa Fe $15.40
New Mexico's minimum wage is $12.00 an hour statewide, with no 2027 state increase found. Albuquerque rises to $13.00 and Santa Fe to $17.50 on January 1, 2027.
New Mexico Name Change Laws: How to Legally Change Your Name
New Mexico repealed its publication requirement in 2023, but some official guides still say to publish. See the current process and $132 fee.
New Mexico Noise Laws (2026): Quiet Hours, Fines, Ordinances
New Mexico makes unreasonably loud conduct a petty misdemeanor and requires working mufflers. Quiet hours are local; city fines cap at $500 and county fines at $300.
New Mexico Non-Compete Laws (2026): Are Non-Competes Enforceable?
New Mexico enforces reasonable non-competes for most workers, but NMSA 24A-4-2 makes them unenforceable after employment ends for ten health care professions.
New Mexico Nursing Home Camera Laws: The Patient Care Monitoring Act
New Mexico long-term care camera law under the Patient Care Monitoring Act, NMSA 1978 §§24-26-1 to 24-26-12: consent, signage, and the fourth degree felony penalty.
New Mexico Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
New Mexico bans drinking and open containers for drivers and passengers under NMSA 66-8-138. Read the exemptions, glove compartment rule, and penalties.
New Mexico Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)
New Mexico names neither device in its Criminal Code. NMSA 30-7-2 reaches only concealed carrying, and whether either device is a deadly weapon goes to a jury.
New Mexico Phone Call Recording Laws: One-Party Consent Guide (2026)
Learn New Mexico phone call recording laws under N.M. Stat. Ann. § 30-12-1. Record your own calls legally. Interstate rules, business recording, and VoIP consent requirements.
New Mexico Police Body Camera Laws: Mandate & Liability
New Mexico requires officers who interact with the public to wear body cameras, keep footage 120 days, and can hold agencies liable for spoliation. See the law.
New Mexico Police Reports: How to Get a Crash Report, Incident Report, or Bodycam Video
How to request a New Mexico crash report from the DPS Law Enforcement Records Bureau, file an IPRA request, and get bodycam footage under 14-2-1.2.
New Mexico Pornography Laws (2026): Legality and Penalties
New Mexico has no general obscenity statute or adult-site age-verification law, but CSAM, harmful-to-minors, and nonconsensual image sharing remain crimes.
New Mexico Power of Attorney Laws: Durable, Medical, and Financial POA (2026)
New Mexico adopted the UPOAA: POAs are durable by default under N.M. Stat. 45-5B-104. Learn execution rules, agent duties, hot powers, and how the healthcare POA differs.
New Mexico Prenuptial Agreement Laws: Rules and Enforceability (2026)
New Mexico prenups fall under NMSA 40-3A. Learn the writing and acknowledgment rules, the limits on support waivers after Rivera, and when a prenup is unenforceable.
New Mexico Probate and Intestate Succession: What Happens Without a Will (2026)
New Mexico probate explained: Probate Court vs. District Court, community property intestate succession, small estate affidavit rules, and estate tax status.
New Mexico Property Records: How to Find Out Who Owns a Property (2026)
New Mexico property records: which counties offer online deed search, how to find a property owner, and certified copy fees by county.
New Mexico Public Recording Laws: Filming Rights in Public Spaces (2026)
Learn your rights to record in public in New Mexico. First Amendment protections, Open Meetings Act rules, government building filming, and public event recording.
New Mexico Punitive Damages Laws: Standards, Caps and Rules (2026)
New Mexico allows punitive damages with no general cap; medical malpractice claims arising on or after May 20, 2026 need clear and convincing proof and face caps.
New Mexico Quitclaim Deed: Requirements, Recording and Taxes
How a New Mexico quitclaim deed works: NMSA 47-1-30, notary and community property spouse rules, the $25 county clerk fee and the residential affidavit.
New Mexico Recording Laws (2026): One-Party Consent Rules
New Mexico is a one-party consent state under NMSA 30-12-1. Learn the recording rules for calls, in-person conversations, hidden cameras, and police.
New Mexico Restraining Order Laws (2026): How to Get an Order of Protection
Learn how to get a New Mexico Order of Protection in 2026: who qualifies, how long orders last, firearm surrender rules, and what to do if the order is violated.
New Mexico Ring Doorbell Laws: What You Need to Know in 2026
Learn about New Mexico Ring doorbell laws, including audio recording rules, video surveillance limits, HOA regulations, and penalties under NMSA 30-12-1.
New Mexico Scam and Fraud Laws: Where to Report, Right to Sue (2026)
New Mexico law lets a buyer who lost money or property to an unlawful trade practice sue for damages or $100, and fees if they win. Where to report, elder help, deadlines.
New Mexico School Recording Laws: Students, Parents, and Teacher Rights (2026)
Learn New Mexico school recording laws. Student and parent recording rights, school surveillance cameras, IEP meeting recording, FERPA protections, and classroom rules.
New Mexico Security Camera Laws: Home, Business, and HOA Rules (2026)
Learn New Mexico security camera laws for homes, businesses, and HOAs. No state registration required. Voyeurism restrictions, neighbor disputes, and audio recording rules.
New Mexico Self-Defense Laws: Stand Your Ground & Castle Doctrine (2026)
New Mexico has no stand-your-ground statute, but case law (State v. Couch 1946) and UJI 14-5190 establish no duty to retreat. NMSA 30-2-7 governs justifiable homicide.
New Mexico Severance Pay Laws (2026): Is Severance Required?
New Mexico does not require severance, and severance is not deducted from New Mexico unemployment benefits. See the wage, WARN and settlement rules.
New Mexico Sexting Laws: Legal Consequences and Penalties
Understand New Mexico's sexting laws: criminal penalties for adults and minors, revenge porn laws, and defenses available under New Mexico law.
New Mexico Slip and Fall Laws: Proving Premises Liability Under Pure Comparative Negligence
New Mexico slip and fall law: pure comparative negligence, open-and-obvious abolished, no natural-accumulation rule, 3-year SOL, 90-day government notice of claim.
New Mexico Small Claims Court: $10,000 Limit, Fees and How to File
New Mexico small claims cases go to magistrate court, which hears claims up to $10,000. Learn fees, service rules, evidence, 15-day appeals and collection.
New Mexico Small Estate Affidavit: $50,000 Limit and Rules
New Mexico's small estate affidavit covers estates up to $50,000 after liens but can't transfer real estate. See the 30-day wait, MVD forms and probate options.
New Mexico Smart Glasses Recording Laws (2026)
New Mexico is a one-party consent state under NMSA 30-12-1. Learn what smart glasses audio and video recording laws apply, voyeurism rules, and penalties.
New Mexico Social Security Disability: Rates & Wait Times
Social Security disability in New Mexico: a limited state SSI supplement, automatic Medicaid on SSI approval, approval odds, and how long an ALJ hearing takes.
New Mexico Spousal Support (Alimony) Laws: How It Works (2026)
New Mexico spousal support (alimony) is governed by NMSA 1978, Section 40-4-7. No binding formula -- courts weigh 10 factors. Four types: rehabilitative, transitional, indefinite, and single sum. Discretionary awards.
New Mexico Squatters Rights and Adverse Possession Laws (2026)
New Mexico requires 10 years of possession, color of title, AND property tax payment to claim adverse possession under NMSA § 37-1-22. Learn the removal process and your rights as a property owner.
New Mexico Statute of Limitations: Filing Deadlines by Case Type
New Mexico statute of limitations for personal injury, contracts, malpractice, wrongful death, and criminal cases. Filing deadlines and statutes cited.
New Mexico Surveillance Camera Laws (2026 Guide)
New Mexico surveillance camera laws: home security, workplace cameras, neighbor disputes, audio recording rules.
New Mexico Theft Laws: $500 Felony Line, Shoplifting and Penalties
In New Mexico, larceny over $500 is a fourth degree felony. See penalties by value, shoplifting aggregation, organized retail crime and the civil shoplifting statute.
New Mexico Trade Secret Laws: UTSA, Remedies & Deadlines
New Mexico Uniform Trade Secrets Act (N.M. Stat. §§ 57-3A-1 to 57-3A-7): definitions, misappropriation, remedies, 3-year deadline, and federal DTSA overlap.
New Mexico Unclaimed Property: How to Search & Claim Your Money (2026)
New Mexico may be holding unclaimed money in your name. Here's how to search the state's free official database and file a claim, step by step.
New Mexico Unemployment 2026: $624 Max, Eligibility, How to File
New Mexico unemployment pays up to $624 a week in 2026 per US DOL tables, for up to 26 weeks. See eligibility, the waiting week, quits, appeals and taxes.
New Mexico Video Recording Laws: Surveillance, Filming, and Consent Rules (2026)
Learn New Mexico video recording laws. No general ban on filming in public. Voyeurism under § 30-9-20 and unauthorized intimate image distribution carry criminal penalties.
New Mexico Voyeurism and Hidden Camera Laws: § 30-9-20 Penalties (2026)
Learn New Mexico voyeurism laws under N.M. Stat. Ann. § 30-9-20. Recording someone's intimate areas without consent is a crime, even in public. Penalties, image sharing rules, and defenses.
New Mexico Warrant Search: How to Check If You Have a Warrant (2026)
Check if you have a warrant in New Mexico using the free, statewide Case Lookup tool, plus county sheriff resources like Bernalillo County's warrant search.
New Mexico Whistleblower Laws: Protections and How to Report
New Mexico's Whistleblower Protection Act shields public employees who report government wrongdoing. Learn about protections, remedies, the 2025 healthcare law, and filing deadlines.
New Mexico Will and Trust Laws: Witnesses, Holographic Wills (2026)
A New Mexico will needs two witnesses who sign in the presence of the testator and each other. Holographic wills are excluded, and there is no elective share.
New Mexico Window Tint Laws (2026): Legal VLT Limits
New Mexico allows 20% VLT on front side windows, among the darkest legal limits in the US. Learn sedan vs. SUV rules, windshield limits, medical exemptions, and penalties.
New Mexico Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide)
New Mexico windshield mounting laws: restrictions, penalties, and exemptions. Complete guide.