New Mexico Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide)

New Mexico prohibits mounting any nontransparent object on the windshield under NMSA 66-3-846, which means GPS devices, phone holders, and dashcams must stay off the glass. No exemption exists for navigation equipment. Mount these devices on the dashboard or a vent clip to remain compliant.

New Mexico takes a strict approach to windshield obstructions. Under state law, drivers may not attach nontransparent materials to the front windshield, the windows immediately to the left and right of the driver, or the rear window when it is used for driving visibility. This prohibition covers GPS devices, phone mounts, dashcams, and any other object that is not transparent.

Unlike many states that carve out specific exceptions for navigation devices or small electronic equipment, New Mexico law does not include a GPS or phone mount exemption. The safest way to use a navigation device or phone in New Mexico is to mount it on the dashboard or use a vent-clip mount.

New Mexico Windshield Obstruction Law

NMSA 66-3-846 is the primary statute governing windshield obstructions. The law states that 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 used for driving visibility.

The statute provides an exception for the rearmost window. If outside rearview mirrors are attached to both sides of the vehicle, the rearmost window is not considered necessary for driving visibility. This means items can be placed on the rear window as long as the vehicle has functioning exterior mirrors on both sides.

What Counts as Nontransparent Material

The law uses the phrase "sign, poster, or other nontransparent material." This broad language covers any object that blocks light from passing through the windshield, including:

• GPS navigation devices
• Smartphone mounts with phones attached
• Dashcams and other recording devices
• Suction cup mounts of any kind
• Parking permits or placards affixed to the glass
• Stickers, decals, and sun strips beyond legal limits

The statute reaches material placed "upon or in" the windshield or the covered windows. New Mexico has no separate provision on objects suspended from the rearview mirror, so an air freshener or similar hanging item is not covered by this language on its face.

NMSA 66-3-846(A) also contains no general exception for items required by law. The only exceptions in its text are sun screening material that complies with NMSA 66-3-846.1 and the rearmost window when outside rearview mirrors are attached to the vehicle. New Mexico's registration validating sticker is issued for placement on the registration plate or elsewhere on the vehicle as the department prescribes under NMSA 66-3-14, so no registration statute directs drivers to place a decal on the windshield.

Windshield Wipers

NMSA 66-3-846 also requires that every motor vehicle (except motorcycles) be equipped with a functioning windshield wiper that can be controlled by the driver. All windshield wipers must be maintained in good working order. A vehicle with inoperable wipers can be cited under this same statute.

GPS and Phone Mount Rules

New Mexico does not provide a specific exemption for GPS devices, smartphones, or navigation equipment mounted on the windshield. Because a GPS unit or phone is a nontransparent object, attaching it to the windshield violates NMSA 66-3-846.

This is stricter than many neighboring states. Arizona, for example, allows small devices in specified windshield zones. New Mexico makes no such accommodation.

Recommended Mount Locations

To comply with New Mexico law while still using a navigation device, drivers should consider these alternatives:

• Dashboard mount: A suction cup or adhesive mount on the dashboard surface keeps the device off the windshield entirely.
• Vent clip mount: Attaches the device to a dashboard air vent.
• Console mount: Places the device on or near the center console.
• Friction pad mount: A weighted pad that sits on the dashboard and holds the device without adhesive.

Any of these options keeps the device within the driver's line of sight without attaching anything to the windshield.

Dashcam Placement

Because dashcams are nontransparent devices, mounting one on the windshield in New Mexico creates legal exposure under NMSA 66-3-846. While dashcams are not specifically banned by name, the broad prohibition on nontransparent windshield materials applies.

Drivers who want to use a dashcam in New Mexico should mount the camera on the dashboard rather than attaching it to the windshield glass. Dashboard-mounted dashcams with a wide-angle lens can still capture road conditions effectively.

Audio Recording and Dashcams

New Mexico is treated as a one-party consent state for audio recording in practice. NMSA 30-12-1 makes interference with communications a crime, and its written consent exception is limited to a person acting under color of law investigating a crime, not private citizens generally. A driver recording audio in their own vehicle as a party to the conversation is generally understood to fall outside this statute's prohibition, but that rests on practical understanding rather than a consent right the statute grants to civilians.

If a dashcam records audio of passengers or other occupants, informing them about active audio recording is considered good practice regardless of the underlying legal framework.

Windshield Tinting Rules

NMSA 66-3-846.1 governs the use of sun screening material on vehicle windows. The rules are as follows:

Windshield Tint Strip

Sun screening material on the windshield must meet three requirements:

1. It must be nonreflective
2. It cannot be red, yellow, or amber in color
3. It may only be applied along the top of the windshield and cannot extend downward beyond the AS-1 line or more than 5 inches from the top, whichever is closer to the top

Side and Rear Windows

Under NMSA 66-3-846.1(B)(2), that 20% allowance applies only to a vehicle equipped with one right and one left outside rearview mirror. New Mexico's 20% VLT standard for side and rear windows is more permissive than many states. For comparison, New York requires 70% VLT on front side windows.

Labeling Requirements

All vehicles with aftermarket sun screening material must display labels in the lower left corner of each treated window (when viewed from outside the vehicle). Labels must include the manufacturer's name, the date the material was manufactured, and the percentage of light transmission.

Medical Exemptions

NMSA 66-3-846.1(E) removes a qualifying vehicle from the sun screening rules entirely. The statutory requirements are narrow:

• An affidavit signed by a physician or an optometrist licensed to practice in New Mexico must state that the person has a physical condition making the nonconforming sun screening material necessary
• The exemption applies to a motor vehicle registered in New Mexico in the name of that person or the person's legal guardian
• The affidavit must be in the possession of the person with the condition, or the person's legal guardian, at all times while that person is being transported in the vehicle

The statute does not list qualifying medical conditions, does not set a minimum light transmission for an exempt vehicle, and does not impose a renewal period. Because the section does not apply to a qualifying vehicle at all, tint darker than the standard limits is permitted so long as the affidavit requirement is met.

Hands-Free Device Laws

NMSA 66-7-374 prohibits texting while driving. The law makes it illegal to read, view, or manually type on a handheld mobile communication device while driving a motor vehicle.

What Is Allowed

• Hands-free devices that allow composing, sending, or reading messages without using a hand (except to activate or initiate a function) are excluded from the prohibition
• GPS or navigation systems physically or electronically integrated into the motor vehicle are excluded
• Using a device to summon medical or emergency help is permitted
• Amateur radio operators with a valid FCC license may use amateur radio equipment

Penalties for Texting While Driving

New Mexico's texting law is a primary enforcement law, meaning officers can pull you over solely for texting while driving. However, New Mexico does not currently have a comprehensive hands-free law that prohibits all handheld phone use while driving. The prohibition is limited to texting and does not extend to voice calls made while holding the phone (for adult drivers).

Penalties for Windshield Violations

Violations of NMSA 66-3-846 (windshield obstruction) and NMSA 66-3-846.1 (illegal sun screening) are classified as penalty assessment misdemeanors under NMSA 66-8-116.

NMSA 66-8-116(A) sets the improper equipment assessment for sections 66-3-801 through 66-3-840 and 66-3-842 through 66-3-851, the range that contains both windshield sections, at $50. Paying that assessment resolves the citation without a court hearing. Under NMSA 66-8-116(C), an alleged violator may instead elect to accept a notice to appear in lieu of the notice of penalty assessment, which is what sends the case to court. If the violator is then convicted, the fine imposed cannot exceed the penalty assessment amount, and probation on a suspended or deferred sentence cannot exceed 90 days.

These violations do not carry license points in New Mexico. However, repeat violations could draw additional scrutiny during traffic stops.

Exemptions Summary

Comparison With Neighboring States

New Mexico is stricter than most of its neighbors regarding windshield-mounted devices:

This means drivers entering New Mexico from neighboring states should remove any windshield-mounted devices before crossing the state line to avoid a citation.

More New Mexico Laws

• New Mexico Lemon Law
• New Mexico Hit and Run Laws
• New Mexico Car Seat Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mount a GPS or phone on my windshield in New Mexico?

No. NMSA 66-3-846 prohibits nontransparent materials on the windshield, including GPS devices and phone mounts. New Mexico does not have a specific exemption for navigation devices. Mount your device on the dashboard, a vent clip, or the center console instead.

Is a dashcam legal in New Mexico?

Dashcams are legal to use in New Mexico, but they should be mounted on the dashboard rather than the windshield. Mounting a dashcam on the windshield may violate NMSA 66-3-846 because it is a nontransparent object. New Mexico is treated as a one-party consent state in practice, so audio recording with the dashcam is generally understood to be permitted when the driver is a party to the conversation, though this rests on practical understanding rather than the wiretapping statute (NMSA 30-12-1), whose written consent exception applies to law enforcement rather than private citizens.

What is the fine for a windshield obstruction in New Mexico?

A windshield obstruction violation under NMSA 66-3-846 is a penalty assessment misdemeanor. NMSA 66-8-116 sets the improper equipment penalty assessment for that range of sections at $50. The violation does not add points to your driving record, and illegal window tinting under NMSA 66-3-846.1 carries the same $50 penalty assessment.

How dark can I tint my windshield in New Mexico?

You cannot tint the main viewing area of the windshield in New Mexico. A nonreflective tint strip is allowed along the top of the windshield but cannot extend more than 5 inches down from the top or below the AS-1 line, whichever is closer to the top. The strip cannot be red, yellow, or amber. Side and rear windows may be tinted to 20% VLT, but only on a vehicle equipped with one right and one left outside rearview mirror.

Can I get a medical exemption for darker window tint in New Mexico?

Yes, in a narrow form. Under NMSA 66-3-846.1(E) the sun screening rules do not apply to a vehicle registered in New Mexico in the name of a person, or that person's legal guardian, who has an affidavit signed by a physician or optometrist licensed to practice in New Mexico stating that the person has a physical condition making the material necessary. The affidavit must be in the possession of that person or the legal guardian whenever the person is being transported in the vehicle. The statute does not list qualifying conditions and sets no renewal period.