A. It is unlawful for a person to sell or otherwise convey ownership of a salvage or nonrepairable vehicle unless the certificate of title or ownership is branded or a comparable title, certificate or ownership document has been issued by another state or jurisdiction.

Ask a traffic law question, get an answer ASAP!
Thousands of highly rated, verified traffic lawyers.
Parking violations, accidents, DUI/DWI, licensing, registration, and more
Protect your vehicle and your rights with expert legal help now
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In New Mexico Statutes 66-3-10.1

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.

B. An owner of a nonrepairable vehicle shall sell or otherwise convey that vehicle only to a licensed wrecker of vehicles or a person licensed by a jurisdiction outside of this state to process vehicles by dismantling, wrecking, shredding, crushing or selling motor vehicle parts or scrap material or otherwise disposing of motor vehicles.

C. A nonrepairable vehicle shall not be repaired, reconstructed or restored for operation on the roads or highways of this state.

D. This section does not apply to:

(1)     a person whose motor vehicle has been stolen or taken without that person’s consent unless, if the motor vehicle is recovered, it is a salvage or nonrepairable vehicle; or

(2)     a person conveying ownership of a motor vehicle to an insurance company as a result of a total loss insurance settlement. For the purpose of this paragraph, “total loss insurance settlement” means the transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle by a person to an insurance company as a result of a settlement in which the motor vehicle is determined to be salvage or nonrepairable.