It's the Law: Before Going Out

All operators are required to obey laws that regulate your vessel’s registration and operation.

Registering Your Vessel   (66-12-4 NMSA 1978; 66-12-5 NMSA 1978; 66-12-8 NMSA 1978; BAR 8)

In New Mexico, all motorboats operating on state waters must be numbered and the Certificate of Number must be carried on board the vessel whenever the vessel is operated. The only exceptions are:

• Motorboats owned by the United States, New Mexico, or any subdivision of those governments
• Motorboats from another country using New Mexico waters temporarily

The Certificate of Number is obtained by submitting the proper applications, titles, and fees by mail or in person to the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). After your application is processed, you will receive your certificate, number, and decal.

The Certificate of Number (registration card) must be on board and available for inspection by an enforcement officer whenever the boat or PWC is operated.

The registration number and validation decal must be displayed as follows.

• Number must be painted, applied as a decal, or otherwise affixed to both sides of the bow.
• Number must read from left to right on both sides of the bow.
• Number must be in at least three-inch-high BLOCK letters.
• Number’s color must contrast sharply with its background.
• Letters must be separated from the numbers by a space or hyphen; for example: NM 3717 AA or NM-3717-AA.
• No other numbers may be displayed on either side of the bow.
• Decal must be placed on the port (left) side of the vessel and six inches to the right (rear) of the registration number.

If your vessel requires registration, it is illegal to operate it or allow others to operate it unless the vessel is registered and numbered.

Where to Title and Register Your Vessel

You can carry out your registration and titling transactions by mail or in person at the:

New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division
Joseph Montoya Building
P.O. Box 1028
1100 South St. Francis Drive
Santa Fe, NM 87504-1028
Or you can call the MVD at: 1-888-MVD-INFO

Other Facts about Titling and Registration (66-12-4 NMSA 1978; 66-12-5 NMSA 1978; 66-12-6 NMSA 1978; BAR 8)

• Every motorboat that is 10 feet in length or longer, operating on New Mexico waters, and owned by a person who lives in the state must be titled. It is a good idea for all vessels to be titled. If a vessel requires titling, the Certificate of Number will not be issued or renewed unless the boat is titled.
• Every Certificate of Number, except those issued to dealers and manufacturers, expires on December 31 of the third calendar year of its registration. The boat’s registration number will remain assigned to that boat for the life of the boat, except when a boat is transferred out of state, destroyed, or abandoned.
• The Certificate of Number is renewed every three years. Renewals must be received by Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) by 60 days after the old certificate’s expiration date. MVD does not notify owners of their validation decal expiration automatically.
• If a vessel’s Certificate of Number or title is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed, the owner must apply to the MVD for duplicates and pay the proper fees for duplicates.
• If ownership of the vessel changes, the new owner must file an application and receive a new Certificate of Number before the vessel may be operated.
• If a numbered vessel is destroyed, abandoned, or sold, the owner must notify MVD within 15 days. It is a good idea to remove the validation decal and numbers at that time.
• If you change your address, you must provide the MVD with the new address, the current Certificate of Number, and the proper fee. You will receive a new Certificate of Number that shows your new address, but the boat’s registration number will not change.
• Larger recreational vessels, owned by U.S. citizens, may (at the option of the owner) be documented by the U.S. Coast Guard. Call the USCG at 1‑800‑799‑8362 for more information.

Registration and Titling Fees   (66-12-5.2 NMSA 1978; 66-12-6.1 NMSA 1978; BAR 8.4)

Registration fees are for each three-year period and are the same for a first time and for all renewals. The fees are based on the length of the vessel.

Buying or Selling a Vessel   (66-12-5.2 NMSA 1978 66-12-6 NMSA 1978)

The procedure for buying or selling a vessel is essentially the same whether the “seller” is a marine dealer or the “buyer” is an individual purchasing a pre-owned boat from an individual “seller.”

If a vessel that is subject to registration and/or titling is sold or transferred to another person:

• The “buyer” must possess the title (or, in the case of a new boat, the certificate of origin) in order to transfer ownership.
• The “seller” must assign the title to the new owner (or, in the case of a new boat, assign the certificate of origin).
• The “buyer” must apply to the MVD and pay the proper fees for the Certificate of Number and/or title to be transferred to his or her name within 30 days from the date of purchase.

You may not sell or buy a vessel that requires titling without proper transfer of the title.