Vehicles Definitions
Revised December 1, 2017
Abandoned vehicle
a vehicle or motor vehicle that has been determined by a New Mexico law enforcement agency: (1) to have been left unattended on either public or private property for at least 30 days; (2) not to have been reported stolen; (3) not to have been claimed by any person asserting ownership; and (4) not to have been shown by normal record-checking procedures to be owned by any person
All-terrain vehicle (ATV)
a motor vehicle 50 inches or less in width, having an unladen dry weight of 1,000 pounds or less, traveling on three or more low-pressure tires and having a seat designed to be straddled by the operator and handlebar-type steering control
Assigned VIN
A unique vehicle identification number assigned to a motor vehicle by the division
Autocycle
a three-wheeled motorcycle on which the driver and all passengers ride in a completely or partially enclosed seating area and that is manufactured to comply with all applicable federal standards, regulations and laws and is equipped with:
- non-straddle seating;
- rollover protection;
- safety belts for all occupants;
- antilock brakes;
- a steering wheel; and
- pedals
Autonomous Vehicle
(also known as a driverless car, self-driving car or robotic car) is a vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment and navigating without human input.
Auto recycler
a person engaged in this state in an established business that includes acquiring vehicles that are required to be registered under the Motor Vehicle Code for the purpose of dismantling, wrecking, shredding, compacting, crushing or otherwise destroying vehicles for reclaimable parts or scrap material to sell
Bicycle
A bicycle is a device propelled by human power upon which any person may ride, having two tandem wheels, except scooters and similar devices.
Boat
a motorboat that is 10 feet in length or longer
Bus
every motor vehicle designed and used for the transportation of persons and every motor vehicle, other than a taxicab, designed and used for the transportation of persons for compensation
Camping body
a vehicle body primarily designed or converted for use as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping or travel activities
Camping trailer
a camping body, mounted on a chassis, or frame with wheels, designed to be drawn by another vehicle and that has collapsible partial side walls that fold for towing and unfold at the campsite
Certificate of Title
An official state issued document that identifies the owner(s) of a vehicle and includes specific details such as year, make, model, and VIN number.
CFR
Code of Federal Regulations: the codification of rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government
Chassis
The load bearing part of the frame which serves as the structural element of the body of a vehicle
Combination
any connected assemblage of a motor vehicle and one or more semitrailers, trailers or semitrailers converted to trailers by means of a converter gear
Combination gross vehicle weight
means the sum total of the gross vehicle weights of all units of a combination
Commerce
the transportation of persons, property or merchandise for hire, compensation, profit or in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise in this state or between New Mexico and a place outside New Mexico, including a place outside the United States
Commercial motor vehicle
a self-propelled or towed vehicle, other than special mobile equipment, used on public highways in commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle:
- is operated interstate and has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kilograms, or 10,001 pounds or more; or is operated only in intrastate commerce and has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 26,001 or more pounds;
- is designed or used to transport more than eight passengers, including the driver, and is used to transport passengers for compensation;
- is designed or used to transport sixteen or more passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or
- is used to transport hazardous materials of the type or quantity requiring placarding under rules prescribed by applicable federal or state law
Commercial motor vehicle (as used in the New Mexico CDL Act)
a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle:
- has a gross combination weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds inclusive of a towed unit with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds;
- has a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds;
- is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; or
- is of any size and is used in the transportation of hazardous materials, as provided in 49 CFR Part 383.5 (“Hazardous materialsmeans any material that has been designated as hazardous under 49 U.S.C. 5103 and is required to be placarded under subpart F of 49 CFR part 172 or any quantity of a material listed as a select agent or toxin in 42 CFR part 73.”)
Dealer
except as specifically excluded, means any person who sells or solicits or advertises the sale of new or used motor vehicles, manufactured homes or trailers subject to registration in this state; “dealer” does not include:
- receivers, trustees, administrators, executors, guardians or other persons appointed by or acting under judgment, decree or order of any court;
- public officers while performing their duties as such officers;
- persons making casual sales of their own vehicles;
- finance companies, banks and other lending institutions making sales of repossessed vehicles; or
- licensed brokers under the Manufactured Housing Act [60-14-1 NMSA 1978] who, for a fee, commission or other valuable consideration, engage in brokerage activities related to the sale, exchange or lease purchase of pre-owned manufactured homes on a site installed for a consumer
Declared Gross Weight
the maximum gross vehicle weight or gross combination vehicle weight at which a vehicle or combination will be operated during the registration period, as declared by the registrant for registration and fee purposes; the vehicle or combination shall have only one declared gross weight for all operating considerations
Distributor
a person who distributes or sells new or used motor vehicles to dealers and who is not a manufacturer
Emancipated minor
any person sixteen years of age or older who has entered into a valid marriage; is on active duty with any of the U.S. armed forces; or has received a declaration of emancipation from the children’s court of the district in which he resides
Emissions Testing
Emissions testing is required of motor vehicles registered or commuting in Bernalillo County. All 1989 and newer motor vehicles up to 10,000 lbs GVW must pass an emission test every two years and at change of ownership. Gas-electric hybrid vehicles are required to be tested every two years as well and can be tested at any certified Air Care Station.
Electric personal assistive mobility device
a self-balancing device having two non-tandem wheels designed to transport a single person by means of an electric propulsion system with an average power of one horsepower and with a maximum speed on a paved level surface of less than twenty miles per hour when powered solely by its propulsion system and while being ridden by an operator who weighs one hundred seventy pounds
Electric-Assisted Bicycle (E-Bike)
a vehicle having two or three wheels, fully operable pedals and an electric motor. Electric-assisted bicycles are classified as follows:
(1)”class 1 electric-assisted bicycle” means an electric-assisted bicycle equipped with a motor not exceeding seven hundred fifty watts of power that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty miles per hour;
(2)”class 2 electric-assisted bicycle” means an electric-assisted bicycle equipped with a motor not exceeding seven hundred fifty watts of power that provides assistance regardless of whether the rider is pedaling but ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty miles per hour; and
(3) “class 3 electric-assisted bicycle” means an electric-assisted bicycle equipped with a motor not exceeding seven hundred fifty watts of power that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty-eight miles per hour;
Electric Mobility Device
means a two- or three-wheel vehicle with an electric motor for propulsion that does not meet the definition of an electric-assisted bicycle and is capable of exceeding a speed of twenty miles per hour on motor power alone
Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Device
a self-balancing device having two nontandem wheels designed to transport a single person by means of an electric propulsion system with an average power of one horsepower and with a maximum speed on a paved level surface of less than twenty miles per hour when powered solely by its propulsion system and while being ridden by an operator who weighs one hundred seventy pounds
Electric Trolley
vehicle propelled exclusively by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, though not operated on rails
Electric Vehicle (EV)
A Vehicle that can be powered by an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery and is capable of being charged from an external source
Farm vehicle
a vehicle, owned by a person whose principal occupation is farming or ranching, which is used principally in the transportation of farm and ranch products to market and farm and ranch supplies and livestock from the place of purchase to farms and ranches in this state; provided that the vehicle is not used for hire
Financial Responsibility
the ability to respond in damages for liability resulting from traffic accidents arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle in amounts not less than specified in the Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act or having in effect a motor vehicle insurance policy; includes a motor vehicle insurance policy, a surety bond or evidence of a sufficient cash deposit with the state treasurer
Fleet
one or more motor carrier vehicles, either commercial or noncommercial but not mixed, that are operated in this and at least one other jurisdiction
Franchise (or franchised) dealer
a dealership that has a contract with a vehicle manufacturer that allows the dealership to sell the manufacturer’s products
Freight trailer
any trailer, semitrailer or pole trailer drawn by a truck tractor or road tractor, and any trailer, semitrailer or pole trailer drawn by a truck that has a gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds, but “freight trailer” does not include manufactured homes, trailers of less than one-ton carrying capacity used to transport animals or fertilizer trailers of less than 3,500 pounds empty weight
Gross combination weight rating (GCWR)
the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a combination; however, in the absence of a value specified by the manufacturer, the gross combination weight rating shall be determined by adding the gross vehicle weight rating of the power unit and the total weight of the towed unit or units and the load on those units
Gross Factory Shipping Weight
the weight indicated on the manufacturer’s certificate of origin
Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single vehicle
Hazardous Material
a substance or material in a quantity and form that may pose an unreasonable risk to health, safety or property when transported in commerce
Highway
every way or place generally open to the use of the public as a matter of right for the purpose of vehicular travel, even though it may be temporarily closed or restricted for the purpose of construction, maintenance, repair or reconstruction
Horseless Carriage
a motor vehicle at least thirty-five years old that is owned as a collector’s item and used solely for exhibition and educational purposes
House trailer
a manufactured home
Ignition interlock device
a device, approved by the traffic safety bureau, that prevents the operation of a motor vehicle by an intoxicated or impaired person
Implement of husbandry
a vehicle that is designed for agricultural purposes and exclusively used by the owner in the conduct of agricultural operations
Independent dealer
a dealer who does not hold a franchise granted by a vehicle manufacturer to sell the manufacturer’s products; a used car dealer
International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA)
an agreement between the lower 48 states of the United States and the Canadian provinces that provides for the consolidated reporting of motor fuels (i.e., gasoline, diesel fuel, liquefied gas) taxes for qualifying commercial motor vehicles traveling in more than one state of the United States or province of Canada
International Registration Plan (IRP)
a registration reciprocity agreement among the contiguous states of the United States, the District of Columbia and provinces of Canada providing for payment of apportionable fees on the basis of total distance operated in all jurisdictions; a method of registering fleets of vehicles that travel in two or more member jurisdictions
Interstate
between two or more states (driving from one state to another)
Intrastate
within the state of New Mexico
Inventory
when referring to a vehicle dealer, a vehicle held for sale or lease in the ordinary course of business, the cost of which is used in calculating the dealer’s cost of goods sold for federal income tax purposes
Lessee
a person or entity that rents a vehicle from its owner, called the lessor, for a specific period of time in exchange for regular payments. The lessee has the right to use the vehicle according to the terms of the lease agreement, but they do not own it
Lessor
the legal owner of a vehicle and is responsible for maintaining ownership throughout the lease term. They can be an individual or a legal entity, such as a business or organization. The lessor is also responsible for determining the lease terms, including the length of the lease, monthly payments, mileage restrictions, and obligations at the end of the lease.
Lien
every chattel mortgage, conditional sales contract, lease, purchase lease, sales lease, contract, security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code [Chapter 55 NMSA 1978] or other instrument in writing having the effect of a mortgage or lien or encumbrance upon, or intended to hold, the title to any vehicle in the former owner, possessor or grantor
Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act (MFRA)
the act (at §§ 66-5-201 through 66-5-239) that requires residents of New Mexico who own and operate motor vehicles upon the highways of the state either to have the ability to respond in damages to accidents arising out of the use and operation of a motor vehicle or to obtain a motor vehicle insurance policy
Manufactured home
a movable or portable housing structure that exceeds either a width of eight feet or a length of forty feet, constructed to be towed on its own chassis and designed to be installed with or without a permanent foundation for human occupancy
Manufacturer’s certificate of origin (MCO) OR Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO)
Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO) or Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO) refers to the original ownership document for a vehicle. The document contains a variety of security features and is provided by the new vehicle dealer and contains specific vehicle information such as the year, make, and VIN. Upon the retail sale of the vehicle, the document is surrendered for the issuance of a jurisdiction title
Minor
anyone under 18 years of age
Moped
a two-wheeled or three-wheeled vehicle with an automatic transmission and a motor having a piston displacement of less than 50 cubic centimeters, that is capable of propelling the vehicle at a maximum speed of not more than 30 miles an hour on level ground, at sea level
Motorboat
any vessel propelled by machinery, whether or not machinery is the principal source of propulsion, but does not include a vessel that has a valid marine document issued by the bureau of customs of the United States government or any federal agency successor thereto; “motorboat” includes any vessel propelled or designed to be propelled by sail and that does not have a valid document issued by a federal agency, but does not include a sailboard or windsurf board
Motor carrier
any person or firm that owns, controls, operates or manages any motor vehicle with gross vehicle weight of 12,000 pounds or more that is used to transport persons or property on the public highways of this state
Motorcycle
every motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground, excluding a tractor
Motor home
a camping body built on a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis so designed that seating for driver and passengers is within the body itself
Motor vehicle
every vehicle that is self-propelled and every vehicle that is propelled by electric power obtained from batteries or from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails
Motor vehicle Excise Tax (MVET)
The Motor Vehicle Excise Tax applies to the sale of every motor vehicle that must be registered in the State of New Mexico
MVD Partner
any organization that, by entering into a Partner Agreement with TRD-MVD, is contracted to act as an agent of TRD-MVD, pursuant to §66-2-14, to perform MVD transactions using the Tapestry system
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
a U.S. Department of Transportation agency that works to reduce deaths, injuries, and economic losses from motor vehicle crashes. The NHTSA’s mission is to promote safer vehicles and driving practices.
National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS)
allows titling agencies to instantly and reliably verify the information on a paper title against the electronic data from the state that issued the title. NMVTIS protects consumers from fraud and unsafe vehicles and prevents the resale of stolen vehicles. NMVTIS also assists states and law enforcement in deterring and preventing title fraud and other crimes.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Is an intergovernmental military alliance of 32 member states – 30 European and 2 North American that exists to protect the people and territory of its members
Natural gas vehicle
a vehicle powered by natural gas instead of gasoline or diesel fuel
Neighborhood electric car
a four-wheeled electric motor vehicle that has a maximum speed of more than twenty miles per hour but less than twenty-five miles per hour and complies with the federal requirements specified in 49 CFR 571.500
NMAC
New Mexico Administrative Code; the official compilation of current rules (regulations) filed by state agencies; rules are a special category of law written by state agencies to support, clarify, or implement specific laws (statutes) enacted by the legislature; for example, the driver’s license rules can be found at 18.19.5 NMAC
NMSA or NMSA 1978
New Mexico Statutes Annotated, 1978 compilation (the last time the state’s statutes were reorganized); often included in statutory citations [for example: “articles 1-8 of Chapter 66 NMSA 1978 may be cited as the Motor Vehicle Code”; and “Sec. 66-5-2 NMSA 1978 requires that an individual be licensed in order to drive a motor vehicle in New Mexico”]; this manual generally omits the “NMSA” or “NMSA 1978”, instead referring to statutes by section number alone and uses § or §§ for Section or Sections (e.g. §66-5-2 or §§ 65-1-32 and 65-1-33)
Nonrepairable vehicle
a vehicle of a type otherwise subject to registration that:
- has no resale value except as a source of parts or scrap metal or that the owner irreversibly designates as a source of parts or scrap metal or for destruction;
- has been substantially stripped as a result of theft or is missing all of the bolts on sheet metal body panels, all of the doors and hatches, substantially all of the interior components and substantially all of the grill and light assemblies and has little or no resale value other than its worth as a source of a vehicle identification number that could be used illegally; or
- is a substantially burned vehicle that has burned to the extent that there are no more usable or repairable body or interior components, tires and wheels or drive train components or that the owner irreversibly designates for destruction or as having little or no resale value other than its worth as a source of scrap metal or as a source of a vehicle identification number that could be used illegally.
The declaration by an insurance company that a vehicle is a nonrepairable vehicle makes the vehicle a nonrepairable vehicle regardless of the relative amounts of repair costs versus fair market value. (18.19.3.52 NMAC)
Nonrepairable vehicle certificate
a vehicle ownership document conspicuously labeled “NONREPAIRABLE” issued to the owner of the nonrepairable vehicle
Nonresident
every person who has not established residency in this state
Odometer
a device for recording the total mileage traveled by a vehicle from the vehicle’s manufacture and for so long as the vehicle is operable on the highways
Odometer Statement
A U.S. Federal and State requirement when transferring ownership of a motor vehicle. This requires the transferor to attest to the accuracy of the odometer reading at the time of the vehicle’s sale, transfer, or assignment.
Off-highway motorcycle
a motor vehicle traveling on not more than two tires and having a seat designed to be straddled by the operator and that has handlebar-type steering control
Off-highway motor vehicle (OHV)
any motor vehicle operated or used exclusively off the highways of this state and that is not legally equipped for operation on the highways of this state
The Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Act expands the definition of off-highway motor vehicle to include a motor vehicle designed by the manufacturer for operation exclusively off the highway or road, including:
- all-terrain vehicle;
- off-highway motorcycle;
- snowmobile;
- recreational off-highway vehicle; or
- by rule of the department, any other vehicles that may enter the market that fit the general profile of vehicles operated off the highway for recreational purposes
Owner
a person who holds the legal title of a vehicle and may include a conservator, guardian, personal representative, executor or similar fiduciary, or, in the event that a vehicle is the subject of an agreement for conditional sale or lease with the right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee or lessee, or, in the event that a mortgagor of a vehicle is entitled to possession, then such conditional vendee or lessee or mortgagor.
Park Model RV
a recreational vehicle or trailer that is: (1) built on a single chassis; (2) mounted on wheels or was originally mounted on wheels but the wheels have been removed; (3) primarily designed to resemble the appearance of a housing structure for temporary, semi-permanent or seasonal use as living quarters; and (4) made to comply with the certification requirements of a nationally recognized standards and conformity assessment system that promotes and facilitates voluntary consensus standards for the park model recreational vehicle industry
Personal representative
(of a decedent’s estate) includes executor, administrator, successor personal representative, special administrator and persons who perform substantially the same function under the law governing their status.
Personal watercraft
a class A motorboat less than 16 feet, designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing or kneeling on the vessel rather than the operator sitting or standing inside the vessel. Examples include jet skis, sea doos, wave runners and similar devices
Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV)
A vehicle that uses batteries to power an electric motor, as well as another fuel such as gasoline or diesel, to power an internal combustion engine. PHEV’s can charge their batteries from an external source along with regenerative braking
Pole trailer
a vehicle without motive power, designed to be drawn by another vehicle and attached to the towing vehicle by means of a reach or pole or by being boomed or otherwise secured to the towing vehicle and ordinarily used for transporting long or irregularly shaped loads such as poles, structures, pipes and structural members capable, generally, of sustaining themselves as beams between the supporting connections
Proof of Residency (POR)
an official document or form, such as a utility bill that establishes a person’s residency per NMAC Section 18.19.5.12
Proof of Insurance or Financial Responsibility (POI)
Insurance document (or State Treasurer’s Bond) that proves satisfaction of the Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act (NMSA at §§ 66-5-201 through 66-5-239).
Reconstructed vehicle
any vehicle assembled or constructed largely by means of essential parts, new or used, derived from other vehicles or which, if originally otherwise assembled or constructed, has been materially altered by the removal of essential parts, new or used
Recreational off-highway vehicle
an off-highway motor vehicle designed for travel on four or more non-highway tires, for recreational use by one or more persons, and having: (a) a steering wheel for steering control; (b) non-straddle seating; (c) maximum speed capability greater than 35 miles per hour; (d) gross vehicle weight rating no greater than 1,750 pounds; (e) less than 80 inches in overall width, exclusive of accessories; (f) engine displacement of less than 1,000 cubic centimeters; and (g) identification by means of a 17-character vehicle identification number
Recreational travel trailer
a camping body designed to be drawn by another vehicle
Recreational vehicle
a vehicle with a camping body that has its own motive power, is affixed to or is drawn by another vehicle and includes motor homes, travel trailers and truck campers
Registration
registration certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of New Mexico certifying that a vehicle can be driven on public roads and connects a vehicle to both a state and an owner.
Registration Number
the number assigned on a license plate upon registration by the division to the owner of a vehicle or motor vehicle required to be registered by the Motor Vehicle Code
Resident
every person who has established residency in this state. We accept as proof of New Mexico residence address either: a) a current New Mexico DL or ID; or b) two documents that would be required to prove residency for a DL or regular ID per NMAC Section 18.19.5.12
Salvage vehicle
a vehicle:
- other than a nonrepairable vehicle, of a type subject to registration that has been wrecked, destroyed or damaged excluding, pursuant to rules issued by the department, hail damage, to the extent that the owner, leasing company, financial institution or the insurance company that insured or is responsible for repair of the vehicle considers it uneconomical to repair the vehicle and that is subsequently not repaired by or for the person who owned the vehicle at the time of the event resulting in damage; or
- that was determined to be uneconomical to repair and for which a total loss payment is made by an insurer, whether or not the vehicle is subsequently repaired, if, prior to or upon making payment to the claimant, the insurer obtained the agreement of the claimant to the amount of the total loss settlement and informed the claimant that, pursuant to rules of the department, the title must be branded and submitted to the department for issuance of a salvage certificate of title for the vehicle
The declaration by an insurance company that a vehicle is a salvage vehicle makes the vehicle a salvage vehicle regardless of the relative amounts of repair costs versus fair market value. (18.19.3.52 NMAC)
School bus
a commercial motor vehicle used to transport preprimary, primary or secondary school students from home to school, from school to home or to and from school-sponsored events, but not including a vehicle operated by a common carrier or a government-owned transit authority that is not used exclusively for the transportation of pupils
Semitrailer
a vehicle without motive power, other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that some significant part of its weight and that of its load rests upon or is carried by another vehicle
Snowmobile
a motor vehicle designed for travel on snow or ice and steered and supported in whole or in part by skis, belts, cleats, runners or low-pressure tires
Special mobile equipment
a vehicle not designed or used primarily for the transportation of persons or property and incidentally operated or moved over the highways, including but not limited to farm tractors, road construction or maintenance machinery, ditch-digging apparatus, well-boring apparatus and concrete mixers
Specially Constructed Vehicle
a vehicle of a type required to be registered under the Motor Vehicle Code not originally constructed under a distinctive name, make, model or type by a generally recognized manufacturer of vehicles and not materially altered from its original construction
Street (or highway)
a way or place generally open to the use of the public as a matter of right for the purpose of vehicular travel, even though it may be temporarily closed or restricted for the purpose of construction, maintenance, repair or reconstruction
Taxicab
a motor vehicle used for hire in the transportation of persons, having a normal seating capacity of not more than seven persons
Temporary Permit
A temporary registration issued to allow operation or transport of a motor vehicle in or out of the State of New Mexico
Title service company
a person, other than the department, an agent of the department, a licensed dealer or the motor transportation division of the department of public safety, who for consideration issues temporary registration plates or prepares and submits to the department on behalf of others applications for registration of or title to motor vehicles
Traffic safety bureau
the Traffic Safety Bureau of the New Mexico Department of Transportation
Trailer
any vehicle without motive power, designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle, and so constructed that no significant part of its weight rests upon the towing vehicle
Travel trailer
a trailer with a camping body and includes recreational travel trailers and camping trailers
Truck
a motor vehicle designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property
Truck camper
a camping body designed to be loaded onto, or affixed to, the bed or chassis of a truck. A camping body, when combined with a truck or truck cab and chassis, even though not attached permanently, becomes a part of the motor vehicle, and together they are a recreational unit to be known as a “truck camper”; there are three general types of truck campers:
- “slide-in camper” means a camping body designed to be loaded onto and unloaded from the bed of a pickup truck;
- “chassis-mount camper” means a camping body designed to be affixed to a truck cab and chassis; and
- “pickup cover” or “camper shell” means a camping body designed to provide an all-weather protective enclosure over the bed of a pickup truck and to be affixed to the pickup truck
U.S.C.
United States Code or U.S. Code: The Code of Laws of the United States of America, the official compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal statutes of the United States
Utility trailer
any trailer, semitrailer or pole trailer, but does not include freight trailers, manufactured homes, trailers of less than one-ton carrying capacity used to transport animals or fertilizer trailers of less than 3,500 pounds empty weight
Validating sticker
the tab or sticker issued by the division to signify, upon a registration plate, renewed registration and/or registration renewal date (aka validation sticker)
Vehicle
every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, including any frame, chassis, body or unitized frame and body of any vehicle or motor vehicle, except devices moved exclusively by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks
Vehicle Collector
An individual who is the owner of one or more vehicles of historic or special interest who collects, purchases, acquires, trades or disposes of these vehicles or parts thereof for the person’s own use in order to preserve, restore, and maintain a similar vehicle for hobby purposes.
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
composed of characters that act as a unique identifier for a vehicle. A VIN displays the car’s unique features, specifications and manufacturer.
Vessel
every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water
VIN Inspection
An established process in which the vehicle identification number is verified by and MVD Agent or Law Enforcement
Weight Distance Tax (WDT)
The tax imposed by the Weight Distance Tax Act (Section 7 Article 15A NMSA 1978). The WDT is imposed upon the registrants, owners and operators for the use of the highways of this state by all motor vehicles having a declared gross weight or gross vehicle weight in excess of 26,000 and registered in this state, registered under proportional registration or qualified under the provisions of Sections 65-1-32 and 65-1-33 NMSA 1978.
Wholesaler
any person, except a person making a casual sale of the person’s own vehicle, who sells or offers for sale vehicles of a type subject to registration in this state, to a vehicle dealer who is licensed under the Motor Vehicle Code or who is franchised by a manufacturer, distributor or vehicle dealer; provided, however, that if any person except a person making a casual sale of the person’s own vehicle also sells a vehicle at retail, that person shall be deemed to be a dealer and is subject to the dealer-licensing provisions of the Motor Vehicle Code.