Vehicle registration plates of New Mexico
The U.S. state of New Mexico first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1912. Plates are currently issued by the Motor Vehicle Division of the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. Only rear plates have been required since 1961.
New Mexico is the only state that specifies "USA" on its license plates, so as to avoid confusion with the country Mexico, which it borders to the southwest.
Passenger baseplates
1912 to 1960
In 1956, the United States, Canada and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles at in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 issue was the first New Mexico license plate that complied with these standards.| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| Embossed green serial on white plate; diagonal "NM" at right | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 2100 | |||
| 1914 | Embossed white serial on green plate; vertical "N M 14" at right | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 3100 | First dated plate. | |
| 1915 | Embossed white serial on red plate; vertical "N M 15" at right | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 4700 | ||
| 1916 | Embossed silver serial on dark blue plate; vertical "N M 16" at right | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 8300 | ||
| 1917 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "N M 17" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 14500 | ||
| 1918 | Embossed light blue serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "N M 18" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 19000 | ||
| 1919 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; vertical "N M 19" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 17500 | ||
| 1920–23 | Dark blue serial on white porcelain plate; vertical "NM" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 49000 | Revalidated for 1921 with red diamond-shaped tabs, for 1922 with silver octagonal tabs, and for 1923 with yellow star-shaped tabs. | |
| 1924 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "N.M. 1924" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 39-000 | ||
| 1925 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "N.M. 1925" centered at bottom; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 47000 | Issued in pairs, for the front and the rear of the vehicle respectively. | |
| 1926 | Embossed red serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "NM" and "26" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 51000 | ||
| 1927 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "27" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 55-000 | First use of the full state name and Zia sun symbol. | |
| 1928 | Embossed beige serial on dark blue plate with border line; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "28" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 65-000 | ||
| 1929 | Embossed red serial on light yellow plate with border line; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "29" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 75-000 | ||
| 1930 | Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate with border line; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "30" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 71-000 | ||
| 1931 | Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "31" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 70-000 | ||
| 1932 | Embossed white serial with Zia sun symbol separator on green plate; "NEW MEX 32" at left | "SUNSHINE STATE" at bottom, offset to right | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 65-000 | ||
| 1933 | Embossed red serial on golden yellow plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "33" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 65-000 | ||
| 1934 | Embossed yellow serial on red plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "34" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 67-000 | ||
| 1935 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "35" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 76-000 | ||
| 1936 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "36" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 86-000 | ||
| 1937 | Embossed maroon serial on turquoise plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "37" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 91-000 | ||
| 1938 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "38" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 92-000 | ||
| 1939 | Embossed black serial on orange plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "39" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 93-000 | ||
| 1940 | Embossed yellow serial on red plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "1540" above and "1940" below; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | "CORONADO CUARTO CENTENNIAL" at top | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 96-000 | Commemorated the 400th anniversary of the expedition of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado. | |
| 1941 | Embossed red serial on golden yellow plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "41" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | "THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 99-000 | First use of the "Land of Enchantment" slogan. | |
| 1942–43 | Embossed black serial on white plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "42" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | "THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 12-345 123456 | 1 to approximately 102000 | Revalidated for 1943 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II. | |
| 1944 | Embossed white serial on black plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "44" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | "THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 79-000 | ||
| 1945 | Embossed white serial on blue plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "45" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | "THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 88-000 | ||
| 1946 | Embossed red serial on yellow plate; embossed Zia sun symbol at left with "46" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | "THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 94-000 | ||
| 1947 | Embossed yellow serial on maroon plate; embossed Zia sun symbol used as separator with "47" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | "THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1948 | Embossed white serial on azure plate; embossed Zia sun symbol used as separator with "48" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | "THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1949 | Embossed azure serial on waffle-textured white plate; embossed Zia sun symbol used as separator with "49" in the center; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom | "THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1950 | As 1948 base, but with "50" in the center of the Zia sun symbol | "THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1951 | As 1949 base, but on smooth metal, and with narrower dies and "51" in the center of the Zia sun symbol | "THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1952 | Embossed red serial with Zia sun symbol separator on white plate; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom; "52" at top left | "LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top, offset to right | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1953 | Embossed white serial with Zia sun symbol separator on red plate with border line; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom; "53" at top left | "LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top, offset to right | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1954 | Embossed red serial with Zia sun symbol separator on white plate with border line; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom; "54" at top left | "LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top, offset to right | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1955 | Embossed golden yellow serial with Zia sun symbol separator on maroon plate with border line; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom; "55" at top left | "LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top, offset to right | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1956 | Embossed white serial with Zia sun symbol separator on maroon plate with border line; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom; "56" at bottom left and bottom right | "LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" centered at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1957 | Embossed green serial with Zia sun symbol separator on white plate with border line; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom; "57" at bottom left and bottom right | "LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" centered at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1958 | Embossed red serial with Zia sun symbol separator on golden yellow plate with border line; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom; "58" at bottom right | "LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 1-12345 1/0-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | One-digit county plates had the slogan centered, while two-digit county plates had the slogan offset to the right. This practice continued until 1972. One-digit county plates additionally had "19" embossed at the bottom left. | |
| 1959–60 | Embossed golden yellow serial with Zia sun symbol separator on maroon plate with border line; "NEW MEXICO" centered at bottom; "59" at bottom right | "LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" at top | 1-12345 2-A1234 1/0-12345 | Coded by county of issuance | One-digit county plates additionally had "19" embossed at the bottom left. One-letter, four-digit serials issued in Bernalillo County after 2-99999 was reached. Revalidated for 1960 with white stickers on maroon tabs. |
1961 to present
Optional plates
Non-passenger plates
County coding, 1947–74
New Mexico established a numeric county-code system for its passenger and truck plates in 1947. Santa Fe County was assigned code 1, while the remaining counties were assigned codes 2 through 31 in order of the number of registered vehicles in the county. Following shifts in these numbers, codes 2 through 31 were re-allocated in 1948, after which they remained constant. Los Alamos County was created in 1949, and subsequently assigned code 32.The codes were discontinued on passenger plates in 1972, and on truck plates in 1975. From 1976 until sometime after 1996, the county of issuance was displayed on a sticker at the top of the plate.
| County | 1947 | 1948-74 |
| Santa Fe | 1 | 1 |
| Bernalillo | 2 | 2 |
| Eddy | 7 | 3 |
| Chaves | 3 | 4 |
| Curry | 5 | 5 |
| Lea | 4 | 6 |
| Doña Ana | 6 | 7 |
| Grant | 8 | 8 |
| Colfax | 10 | 9 |
| Quay | 11 | 10 |
| Roosevelt | 9 | 11 |
| San Miguel | 13 | 12 |
| McKinley | 12 | 13 |
| Valencia | 15 | 14 |
| Otero | 14 | 15 |
| San Juan | 18 | 16 |
| Rio Arriba | 19 | 17 |
| Union | 17 | 18 |
| Luna | 16 | 19 |
| Taos | 21 | 20 |
| Sierra | 22 | 21 |
| Torrance | 20 | 22 |
| Hidalgo | 24 | 23 |
| Guadalupe | 27 | 24 |
| Socorro | 25 | 25 |
| Lincoln | 26 | 26 |
| De Baca | 23 | 27 |
| Catron | 28 | 28 |
| Sandoval | 29 | 29 |
| Mora | 31 | 30 |
| Harding | 30 | 31 |
| Los Alamos | – | 32 |
Cibola County was created in 1981, after the codes had been discontinued.