New Mexico Bill of Sale — Free Template & Generator
New Mexico charges a 4% motor vehicle excise tax on the price — and checks the price. For a sale between individuals, the Taxation and Revenue Department uses the N.A.D.A. value instead “if the declared purchase price of the vehicle is lower than 80% of the N.A.D.A. average trade-in or wholesale value.” Title within 90 days, or the tax goes up by half. The generator below produces a bill of sale with the price, date, odometer and terms; the MVD’s own form is MVD-10009.
- Free
- No signup
- Word & PDF
- New Mexico pre-selected
How it works
- 01 New Mexico is already selected
The governing-law clause names the state; change it only if the sale happens elsewhere.
- 02 Enter the item and the parties
Vehicle, boat or general item — VIN and odometer, or HIN — plus price, payment method, seller and buyer.
- 03 Review clause by clause
The as-is terms, the seller’s title warranty and, for vehicles, the federal odometer statement.
- 04 Download, then file New Mexico’s paperwork
Word & PDF on your device; the state steps and forms are listed below, each cited to the source.
What New Mexico actually requires
New Mexico rules for a private sale
Last verified September 30, 2026- Excise tax 4% of the price — or of N.A.D.A. value
“The tax is 4% of the price paid for the vehicle less any trade-in credit. For non-dealer sales, however, the N.A.D.A. value is used if the declared purchase price of the vehicle is lower than 80% of the N.A.D.A. average trade-in or wholesale value.” The department adds: “We presume that every time a vehicle is titled, a sale has occurred and the motor vehicle excise tax is due.” Payment is due when the buyer applies for a certificate of title.
New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department — Motor Vehicle Excise Tax
- Late titling 90 days, then a 50% penalty on the tax
“A penalty of 50% of the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax is imposed on any person who lives in New Mexico and either: a) accepts transfer of a vehicle in New Mexico but fails to apply for a certificate of title within 90 days or b) accepts transfer outside the state and fails to apply for a certificate of title within 90 days of bringing the vehicle into New Mexico.” “The 50% add-on penalty has the effect of increasing the tax rate to 6%.”
New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department — Motor Vehicle Excise Tax
- When MVD-10009 is needed Whenever the title assignment is incomplete
The form “is needed if all required information on the form MVD-10030 Certificate of Title … is not complete (to include the purchase price, odometer disclosure statement and the assignment to the buyer by the seller including all required signatures) or if the assignment by owner and all reassignments by Dealer … have been used or completed.” The buyer takes the bill of sale and the title to an MVD field office; a vehicle titled in another state, or never titled, must be brought in for visual inspection.
NM Motor Vehicle Division — form MVD-10009, Bill of Sale, instructions
- Plates They stay with the seller — 30 days to reuse or return
New Mexico uses Plate-to-Owner: “plates are assigned to the owner (seller) rather than the vehicle. When disposing of a vehicle, the license plate must be removed by the seller before delivery is made to the purchaser. The seller then has thirty (30) days in which to register the removed plate with another vehicle of the same class or return it to a local MVD field office for cancellation.”
NM Motor Vehicle Division — form MVD-10009, Bill of Sale, instructions
- Buyer’s deadlines 30 days for the fees, 90 for the tax
The form warns of “an Additional Statutory Fee for Failure by Purchaser to Apply for Transfer Within 30 Days from Date of Sale”: “There is a penalty fee for not titling and registering vehicles or vessels within 30 days. There is an additional penalty if the unregistered vehicle is driven on New Mexico roads. There is an excise tax penalty if the vehicle or vessel is not titled within 90 days.” For a gift, the department requires a notarized Affidavit of Gift of Motor Vehicle or Boat, MVD-10018.
How this document fits New Mexico’s paperwork
Official form: MVD-10009 — Bill of Sale (State of New Mexico, Taxation & Revenue Department, Motor Vehicle Division). Needed when the title’s assignment is incomplete — missing the purchase price, the odometer disclosure or the seller’s signatures — or when there is no room left for reassignments. The seller sells “for the exact amount indicated”, warrants the vehicle free of liens and certifies the odometer reading; it carries the reminder “SELLER MUST REMOVE PLATE BEFORE TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP OF THIS VEHICLE.”
Write the real price on the bill of sale and on the title assignment. The 4% excise tax is charged on it — unless it is below 80% of the N.A.D.A. value, in which case the department uses the guide instead, so record any condition that explains a low price. If the title’s assignment is incomplete, MVD-10009 is the form the MVD expects. The seller removes the plate before handing over the car and has thirty days to reuse or return it. The buyer should title within thirty days to avoid the transfer fee, and within ninety at the latest.
FAQ
New Mexico bill of sale questions
- Is a bill of sale required in New Mexico?
- When the title’s assignment is incomplete — no purchase price, no odometer disclosure, or missing signatures — the MVD requires its Bill of Sale, MVD-10009. Otherwise the fully completed title carries the transfer, and a bill of sale is still the best record of what you agreed.
- How is the New Mexico excise tax calculated on a private sale?
- At 4% of the price paid, less any trade-in credit. For non-dealer sales, if the declared price is lower than 80% of the N.A.D.A. average trade-in or wholesale value, the N.A.D.A. value is used instead.
- What happens if I title a car late in New Mexico?
- After 30 days from the date of sale there is an additional statutory fee for the transfer. After 90 days a penalty of 50% of the excise tax applies, which the department notes effectively raises the rate from 4% to 6%.
- Who keeps the license plate in a New Mexico sale?
- The seller. Plates are assigned to the owner, not the vehicle, so the seller removes the plate before delivery and has 30 days to register it to another vehicle of the same class or return it to an MVD field office.
- Is a gifted car taxed in New Mexico?
- The department presumes a sale whenever a vehicle is titled. To claim a gift, the applicant submits a notarized Affidavit of Gift of Motor Vehicle or Boat, MVD-10018, in which donor and recipient affirm under oath that it was a gift.
- Is this legal advice?
- No. Free Contract Generator provides self-help templates and general information, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Vehicle-transfer rules are set by each state and change; confirm the current rule with the agency cited and consult a licensed attorney for advice about your situation.