Ports of Entry Information
The New Mexico Motor Transportation Police (MTP) conduct the following statewide regulatory and enforcement activities:
- Enforces commercial vehicle safety compliance
- Inspects commercial vehicles for height and weight compliance, both gross weight and axle weight
- Issues State permits for oversize cargo
- Issues IFTA fuel permits and tax returns
- Issues trip permits
- Trains motor carrier personnel
The New Mexico MTP operates ports of entry located throughout the state. Operations at the New Mexico ports of entry include, but are not limited to:
- Verification of commercial motor vehicle required credentials.
- Regulation of oversize/overweight loads.
- Assessment and collection of taxes and fees relating to commercial motor vehicle operations.
- Commercial motor vehicle driver and mechanical inspections.
Vehicles Required to Clear a Port of Entry
New Mexico state law requires that all commercial motor carrier vehicles enter, leave, and travel through the New Mexico on designated highways, and must stop at every operating port of entry for manifesting and clearance stickers.
Commercial motor vehicles are defined as:
A self-propelled or towed vehicle 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 more than 15 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
[Note: This is the basic Motor Vehicle Code definition at Sec 66-1-4.3J. There are different definitions of commercial motor vehicle specific to CDL at 66-5-54C and 18.19.5.7 and 18.2.3 NMAC, and for DWI at 66-8-102T(2).]
Examples of commercial vehicles include trucks, semi-trucks, vans, coaches, buses, taxi cabs, box trucks, and trailers.