NEW MEXICO

The earliest registration of automobiles in New Mexico was by cities, of which at least two are known to have had ordinances by 1908.  The 1912 state law still allowed city registration and plates but limited them to resident owners only.  The 1913 state law outlawed city plates but did allow cities to register only the residents' state license numbers, and charge a maximum fee of 50c annually.  This eliminated pre-states entirely after the overlap period of 1912-13.

The first state law, 1912 Chapter 28, was passed June 8, 1912, just five months after statehood which occurred on January 6, 1912.  The law required a rather steep annual fee of $11 to the Secretary of State and an undated state-issued rear plate.  The license plate was also considered to be the title to the vehicle.  The annual fee was due October 1 for the license to be issued on or after November 1 each year.  Although an effective date was not explicity stated, issuance apparently began on August 16, 1912, for the 1912/13 registration year (November 1 to October 31).  It was planned that renewals would not be issued a new plate but use the same number instead, for a fee of $10.50.  However, the law was changed before any renewals could take place, so the permanent plate wound up being an annual issue for the 1912/13 year only.  And, contrary to popular collector opinion, it was not a two-year issue (1912-13) but a one-year plate (1912/13) that happened to be issued one and a half months early, and then later extended by two months.

Non-residents were allowed 60 days before having to register.  "The owner...shall not be required to pay any other or additional license in any incorporated city, town or village in the state other than that in which such owner resides."  This was the clause that allowed city pre-state plates to continue for an additional year, overlapping the state issue.  It was the duty of each County Assessor to report a list of all automobile owners on their tax rolls to the Secretary of State by September 1 of each year.  New Mexico had 26 counties as of 1910-15.  There was no mention of motorcycles in this first law, thus city prestates from Albuquerque and Sante Fe continued.

Registration began with #1 on August 16, 1912, and we know that #201 was issued September 14, 1912, at a fee of $11, while a very late number, #1885, was issued November 19, 1913, at a fee of only $3, because it fell under the provisions of the new 1913 law lowering the fees for most vehicles.  Although this was a one-year issue, it is helpful to note that #1 through #904 were technically issued during 1912, while #905 through #1898 were issued in 1913 up through December 22, 1913.  The highest known undated 1912/13 plate is #2087 (a leftover unissued plate), and a 1913 dated motorcycle plate #255 is also known.

A second state law was passed just nine months later, which effected several important changes to the first law.  1913 Chapter 19 was passed March 11, 1913, with no effective date stated, but placed into effect March 15, 1913.  This law changed the annual fee to $2, $4, $6, $8, $10 or $12 depending on the vehicle's horsepower.  This resulted in significant savings for the vast majority of automobile owners, and probably helped to raise the compliance rate.  The registration year was now January 1 to December 31, and the old licenses were automatically extended to December 31, 1913.  Annual dated rear plates were issued starting in 1914.  Half rates were allowed after July 1 of any year, which explains the $3 fee of #1885 issued in late 1913.

Non-residents were still allowed 60 days before having to comply with the law, but only if they displayed their home state plate.  Cities, towns and villages could now only register the state's plate numbers and charge no more than 50c each year.  City plates were forbidden, ending the overlapping pre-state era.  Dealers had to pay a $12 fee and display a state-issued plate bearing the Dealer's name and the word "DEALER".  Two such plates are known, both undated and both #14, with "DEALERS LICENSE" at top and "W.D. NEWTON" at bottom after the serial number.  Mr. Newton was an automobile dealer in Las Cruces.  A 1915 ledger owned by the State Archives lists Dealer registration #14 as being assigned to Mr. Newton, suggesting that these plates date from 1915.  Mr. Newton went on to receive Dealer plate #88 in 1916, the first year for dated Dealer plates.

Now motorcycles, in addition to all motor vehicles, were covered by the law.  Since the law providing for annual plates went into effect March 15, 1913, a dated 1913 motorcycle plate series was created;  plate #261 is the highest known to survive, though #177 was the highest number actually issued.

Records at the State Archives show the following number of registrations in 1914:  Passenger 3,090, Motorcycle 179, Dealer 79 (numbered 24 to 102).  The highest known 1914 plates are:  Passenger #3055, Motorcycle #179.