Selling a car in New Mexico: the paperwork
| New Mexico seller rules at a glance | What applies |
|---|---|
| License plates | Seller removes them; turn in or transfer |
| Report the sale | Notice of Vehicle Sold, form MVD-10048 |
| Duplicate title | MVD-10901; $5 |
| Junk without a title | Title required |
Title questions, duplicate titles and release of liability forms are handled by the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). Compare these rules with other states on our seller rules by state page. After the sale, cancel your insurance once the car is gone. Our after-sale checklist covers each step.
No obligation.
Where we pick up in New Mexico
We buy cars in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe and Roswell, and in every other town in New Mexico a tow truck can reach. Pickup is free wherever the car is, from a city driveway to a farm lot, and you're paid before it's loaded.
We pick up in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe and across the rest of New Mexico.
How it works in New Mexico
Get your offer
Tell us the year, make, model and condition, or start with your VIN. Your cash offer is good for 7 days.
Pick a pickup time
Choose when and where. Towing is free anywhere in New Mexico, and pickup is usually within 24 to 48 hours.
Get paid on the spot
The driver checks the car and pays you. Then you sign the title, hand over the keys and the car is loaded.
Cities we serve in New Mexico
Local pickup details for these cities are below. We buy everywhere else in New Mexico too, from the suburbs to the smallest towns.
New Mexico car selling questions
Do I need a title to sell my car in New Mexico?
For a titled vehicle, yes: the title is how ownership passes to the buyer. To replace a lost New Mexico title, apply to the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) with MVD-10901. The fee is $5.
Can I junk a car without a title in New Mexico?
No. NMSA 66-3-119(A) requires anyone who sells or gives a vehicle as scrap or for dismantling to a licensed recycler to assign and deliver the certificate of title to that recycler. To replace a lost New Mexico title, apply to the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) with MVD-10901. The fee is $5.
Do I keep my license plates when I sell a car in New Mexico?
In New Mexico, the plates don't go to the buyer. Remove the plate. Within 30 days, move it to another vehicle of the same class or take it to MVD.
How do I tell the New Mexico DMV that I sold my car?
File the Notice of Vehicle Sold, form MVD-10048, with the state after the sale. It records that the car is no longer yours. Filing it protects you from tickets, tolls and liability for anything that happens after the car leaves.
Is pickup really free everywhere in New Mexico?
Yes. Towing is free anywhere in New Mexico a tow truck can reach, and nothing is deducted from your offer for it.
Sources
- NM MVD: Vehicle Titles
- NM MVD Procedures Manual: Chapter 4, Used Vehicles
- NM MVD: Buying a Vehicle
- NM MVD: Notice of Vehicle Sold (MVD-10048)
- NM MVD Procedures Manual: Chapter 8, Duplicate Title
- NM MVD: Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title (MVD-10901)
- NMSA 66-3-119, Vehicle to be dismantled, as amended by 2018 HB 52 (enacted text, NM Legislature)
Checked against these sources on November 6, 2026.
Last updated November 6, 2026.