Is it legal to own a pet armadillo?
Prohibited
New Mexico bans importing armadillos for the general public under its species importation rules.
NM · State hub
New Mexico
Every QuirkMaps topic for New Mexico, grouped by category. Each answer links to the official source it comes from.
Exotic pets
Vehicles
Can car dealerships open on Sundays?
Sunday sales allowed
New Mexico has no state law that stops licensed car dealers from selling on Sunday.
Do adults have to wear motorcycle helmets?
Only some riders
New Mexico requires helmets only for motorcycle riders and passengers under 18.
Do you need a front license plate?
Rear plate only
New Mexico requires only a rear license plate on a passenger car.
Is it legal to pump your own gas?
Self-serve allowed
New Mexico allows self-service gas; state law refers to self-service islands and the state fire code covers self-service stations.
Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
Allowed with limits
New Mexico has no express train-horn ban, but every horn must make a harmonious sound, and sirens, whistles and bells are banned.
Is there an annual vehicle safety inspection?
No safety inspection
New Mexico does not require safety inspections of passenger cars.
Home & property
Are fireworks legal?
Aerial fireworks allowed
New Mexico lets the public buy and use consumer fireworks, including aerial items and firecrackers, though cities and counties may ban those two groups.
Food & drink
Are happy hour drink specials legal?
Allowed with limits
New Mexico allows drink discounts but bans unlimited-drink deals, two-for-one offers, and drinks sold at less than half price.
Is there a bottle deposit?
No bottle deposit
New Mexico has no bottle deposit law, so shoppers pay no refundable deposit on cans or bottles.
Where can you buy liquor?
Private licensed stores
New Mexico liquor is sold by privately owned businesses holding state liquor licenses, including package stores, grocery stores and convenience stores.
Time & calendar
Does the state observe daylight saving time?
Observes DST
New Mexico observes daylight saving time and has not enacted a law to change it.
Money & taxes
Are groceries taxed?
Groceries exempt
New Mexico lets grocery stores deduct food sales from gross receipts, so groceries aren't subject to its gross receipts tax.
Does the state have a lottery?
Has a state lottery
New Mexico has a state lottery, run by the New Mexico Lottery Authority.
Does the state have a sales-tax-free weekend?
Has a tax-free period
New Mexico holds an annual back-to-school gross receipts tax holiday over a weekend in late July or early August.
Voting & elections
Do you need an ID to vote?
No ID document required
New Mexico voters can identify themselves at the polls by stating their name, registration address and year of birth, without showing a document.