(The Center Square) – The New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division recently lifted suspensions for more than 100,000 New Mexico driver’s licenses.
The lifted suspensions come from the passage of SB 47, which prevents the state from suspending licenses “solely for failure to pay a fine or failure to appear in court,” according to a press release from the Motor Vehicle Division.
A spokesperson for the Motor Vehicle Division told The Center Square by phone that the drivers who had their licenses suspended still legally owe their fines. He did not have the figure that the drivers cumulatively owe in fines. He pointed The Center Square to the state legislature’s fiscal impact report of SB 47, which listed the bill’s fiscal impact as “indeterminate.”
Under the law, New Mexicans did not have to pay any reinstatement fee for their licenses to be suspended. However, those whose licenses expired during the suspension must pay for a new license. Anyone with a license that has been expired for more than five years must re-do the testing process. The law does not apply to commercial driver’s licenses.
People can check their license status by visiting mvdonline.com and using the e-services menu or buying a driver’s record.
MVD plans to email New Mexico drivers if their license has been unsuspended, provided the Division has the person’s email address on file. If the driver was active in the past year, the Division will send a notification by mail if it does not have the person’s email address.
