Buying a car in New Mexico

Every figure below is sourced to New Mexico’s own revenue or motor vehicle publications and dated. Estimates only.

New Mexico at a glance

State sales tax
4%
Local tax is added on top in most states — treat this as a floor.
Trade-in credit
Reduces your tax
You are taxed on the price less your trade-in allowance.
Dealer doc fee
Not confirmed
We have not confirmed a cap for this state, so we do not claim one.
Title and registration
Not confirmed

Local tax in New Mexico

New Mexico does not apply its gross receipts tax to a vehicle purchase. A separate Motor Vehicle Excise Tax of 4% applies instead, due when the buyer applies for a certificate of title and collected by MVD or by the dealer on MVD's behalf. There is no municipal or county add-on. For non-dealer sales, if the declared price is below 80% of the N.A.D.A. average trade-in or wholesale value, the N.A.D.A. value is substituted. A 50% penalty for titling more than 90 days late raises the effective rate to 6%.