Driving Without Insurance in New Mexico

Driving, or allowing the driving of, an uninsured vehicle is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $300, up to 90 days in jail, or both; a person is not convicted if they produce in court evidence of insurance valid when the citation was issued. A driver cited after an accident has the license plate removed and receives a 30-day temporary operation sticker; the plate is returned after proof of insurance and a $25 reinstatement fee (waived if proof of coverage in effect at the time is provided within 15 days). If the IIDB shows a vehicle as uninsured, the MVD sends a verification letter and, if not resolved within 30 days, suspends the registration; the owner must return the registration and plate within ten days of the suspension notice.

Owners and drivers must carry evidence of financial responsibility in the vehicle at all times while it is driven on New Mexico highways; when coverage is an insurance policy, evidence in print or on a portable electronic device is acceptable, and showing it on a device is presumed not to be consent to access other contents of the device. Insurers report policies to the New Mexico Insurance Identification Database (IIDB), and proof of insurance is required to register a vehicle.

New Mexico may require persons convicted of certain motor vehicle offenses, or who have failed to pay accident judgments or settlements, to file evidence of financial responsibility with the MVD, by filing evidence of an insurance policy, a surety bond, or a certificate of a cash deposit. The MVD may waive the filing requirement after one year of providing satisfactory evidence, unless an accident claim is pending or a judgment is unpaid.