New Mexico

ORV Visible Identification

New Mexico requires visible identification on ORVs. Learn more about the requirements.

View our report to learn more about he 37 states that do require visible identification. Learn how New Mexico ranks compared to other states on visible identification requirements.

Recent Legislative Action

2009

SB379: Increases registration fees, mandates that 50% of ORV fund go to enforcement/education and creates balanced board including property owners. (5/1/09: Enacted)

2008

SJM13: Requires federal agencies to ensure traditional land uses (non-motorized) are not adversly impacted by ORV planning routes (6/2/08: Enacted)

SJM40: Requires state to study the costs of unregulated ORV use (2/11/08: Enacted)

Community Voices Demand Action in New Mexico

New Mexicans are increasingly voicing their concerns about a growing contingent of reckless riders who break the law, damage public and private land, injure themselves and others, and ruin hunting, fishing and hiking experiences for the rest of us.

• "I think ATVs are a lot of fun and there is a place for them. I'm out on horses and every time I'm out, I see someone on an ATV not on a trail, certainly not on a road. You can see tire tracks every where. Please, if you are an ATV enthusiast, stay on the road so you don't ruin it for everyone else. I see them way on side of a hill, not retrieving game, just out there." -- Lincoln County Commissioner, Jackie Powell, "Ranger eyes formal Grindstone trail", Ruidoso News (2/24/11)

• "It's fine to close superfluous roads, for example, but given the enormous number of people who use the area, wouldn't it make sense to increase the number of rangers to make sure the public observes the rules? That's been one of the real sore points in the recent debate over road closures in both of northern New Mexico's national forests: Responsible off-road vehicle enthusiasts and committed nonmotorized recreationalists alike question the Forest Service's ability to enforce any regulations, whether strict or lax." -- Albuquerque Journal Editorial Board, "Jemenez Forests Could Use TLC", Albuquerque Journal (8/25/10)

• "I know that in Colorado they're having the same kind of issues, and in Arizona they're having the same kind of issues. If you talk to any government official who deals with parks or mountains or wilderness areas, they're going to tell you these off-roaders are destroying the trails, they're destroying the forests, they're disrespecting the people who make a living off the land." -- Sen. Phil Griego, New Mexico state senator, "Off-roading recommendations presented to state lawmakers", Associated Press (1/8/09)

• “One year later, ORVs and ATVs are still uncontrolled on our national forest public lands, destroying fragile soils and riparian ecosystems that have been entrusted to the Forest Service ." -- New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry, "New Mexico seeks feds' help on off-road vehicles", New Mexico Business Weekly (7/6/10)

• "As use has increased, users have pioneered new routes and ventured into areas where vehicles seldom traveled in the past. Conflicts between ATV's and non-motorized users are increasing. The time has come to address this increasing use and develop a plan that will provide for the future enjoyment of the forest by motorized users and non-motorized users alike." -- Dick Markley, Gila National Forest Supervisor, Silver City Sun-News Op-ed, Silver City Sun-News (10/13/08)

• "OHVs are making accessible remote areas of the backcountry where sites, previously protected by virtue of their distance from established roads, are now being looted and vandalized at an alarming rate." -- Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, "Looting of artifacts rampant amid economic downturn", Land Letter (9/25/08)

• "...there are scientific explanations for why ORVs damage forest ecosystems in ways more extreme and rapid than mere human and animal foot traffic. Without understanding the damage their vehicles inflict on the forest, ORVers have little incentive to change their behavior—and the public has less incentive to request serious regulation of motorized recreation by the Forest Service." -- Valerie Gremillion, Santa Fe Reporter, "First Person: Off-Road Facts", The Santa Fe Reporter (9/2/08)

• "Illegal, loud and disruptive use of ATV's has been a longtime problem for residents of Tierra Contenta. Councilor Carmichael Dominguez has worked closely with the City's Constituent Services staff to educate the public about the proper use of ATVs. Councilor Dominguez said, ‘I support the enforcement efforts by [Santa Fe Police Department] and I am hopeful the Court will cooperate. I look forward to an improved quality of life for people in Tierra Contenta." -- "ATV ENFORCEMENT IN TIERRA CONTENTA", City of Santa Fe Press Release (8/14/08)

• "There certainly are responsible OHV users out there. But the kind of impacts we saw in the Jemez were not from a hunter going from a road to a hunting camp. This was people joy-riding up and down the banks of streams. That's not responsible use." -- Marcy Leavitt, water and wastewater division director for the New Mexico Environment Department, "Environment Department urges more control of off-road vehicles", Santa Fe New Mexican (7/3/10) 

• "We will have law enforcement out there. Is it enough? Probably not." -- Steve Romero, Pecos/ Las Vegas District Ranger, "ATV Opponents Question Enforcement; Forest Service Is Reducing Trails", Albuquerque Journal (8/13/08)

• "While some off-roaders are respectful, many are not. Some have threatened landowners who try to keep off-roaders off their property. Gangs of dirt bikers have even harassed volunteer groups working on Forest Service trail projects. Something needs to be done to protect our public and private land, watersheds and wildlife from the destructive behavior of off-roaders." -- Kevin Stillman, sportsman, "Column: Rogue Riders Spoil Forest for Rest of Us", Albuquerque Journal (9/19/10)

• "I hate these things. They're loud. They're obnoxious…If I'd had my druthers I'd have shot the guy. It's a good thing my arm was so screwed up or I might have." -- Bill Burgund, a retired police officer and amputee who was hit by an ORV rider and packs a sidearm on his daily walks, "'Off-Road Rage' Climbs as Trails Get More Crowded", The Washington Post (8/12/08)

• "I won't discount the yahoo factor -- anything goes out there. We've had Boy Scouts put up signs, and they don't last a week out there." -- Steve Henke, the BLM district manager in Farmington, "'Off-Road Rage' Climbs as Trails Get More Crowded", The Washington Post (8/12/08)

• "Whether people like it or not, there are going to be off-road vehicles on public lands. The question is: Where is it appropriate and where is it not? I think it is a growing problem that is going to continue because I see the Forest Service and the BLM having their budgets cut for enforcement at the same time we have an increase in the sale of off-road vehicles." -- Leo Hubbard, Rancher, Santa Fe New Mexican (3/20/08)

• "I think both of you said you have the authority you need to deal with [reckless ORV riders]... but it is my strong belief you don't have the resources...I would say BLM needs more resources to get the mapping done a lot quicker than 10 years. But even once the mapping's done, that's when the resource need even grows dramatically. The more off-road or off-highway vehicle use we're gonna have on the public lands and permit on the public lands, the more resources are gonna be required to properly monitor that and manage that." -- Sen. Jeff Bingaman, United States Senate, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (6/5/08)

• "The Hispanic rancher, the Native American rancher and the Anglo rancher were here long before there was a national forest, and they maintained the land. They want to continue to do that. They want to continue to pass the ability to ranch that land, manage that land, down to their grandkids and their great-grandkids." -- Sen. Phil Griego, Deseret Morning News (6/24/08)

Recent ORV-Related Media Coverage