THE DRIVER LICENSE
Anyone operating a motor vehicle or
motorcycle on public roadways in the State of New Mexico must have a driver
license. You are also required to have a New Mexico driver license if
you are a resident.
Types of Driver Licenses Graduated License
System
If you are under the age of 18, you must participate in the graduated
driver license system until you meet the requirements for an unrestricted
license. The three different levels of Graduated driver license (GDL)
are:
Instructional Permit also known
as a learner's
permit
Provisional
License
Unrestricted Drivers License
Instructional Permit
A permit
allows you to operate a motor vehicle when supervised by another driver who is
at least 21 years of age and who is licensed to drive that type of
vehicle. In all vehicles except motorcycles, the licensed driver must
sit in the right front seat. On motorcycles, the licensed driver must
follow the learner.
To obtain an instructional permit you must be at
least 15 years of age and pass the knowledge test and vision test. If
you are under the age of 18, you must also have a consent form signed by your
parent or guardian. The driver must retain the permit for six months.
The
requirements and restrictions for an Instructional Permit are as
follows:
The minimum age
for an instructional permit is 15 years of
age.
A person 15 years or
older must be enrolled in and attending a driver education course approved by
the Traffic Safety Bureau and includes DWI education and practice
driving.
The driver must have an
approved instructor occupying the seat beside the driver;
or,
The driver is with a licensed
driver 21years of age or older who has been licensed for at least three years in
this state or any other state.
The
driver must retain the instructional permit for at least six
months.
Provisional License
A
provisional license allows you to drive without the supervision of another
driver except during the hours of midnight and 5:00am. Unless a
licensed driver that is 21 years old or older is in the vehicle, you may not
have more than one other passenger under the age of 21 who is not a member of
your immediate family in the vehicle.
The requirements and restrictions
for a Provisional license are as follows:
The driver must
complete not less than 50 hours of practice driving, including not less than 10
hours of nighttime driving. The parent or guardian shall certify that the driver
has completed the practice driving
part.
The driver must pass a written
and road test in addition to a vision
screening.
The minimum age to receive
a provisional license is 15 years and 6 months if the driver has held an
instructional permit for 6
months.
The driver must
have not been convicted of a traffic violation in the 90 days prior to applying
for a provisional license.
The
driver may not operate a motor vehicle upon public highways between the hours of
midnight and 5:00 AM. A provisional licensee may drive at any hour
if:
Accompanied by a licensed driver
twenty-one years or older.
Required
by family necessity as evidenced by a signed statement of a parent or
guardian.
Required by medical necessity as
evidenced by a signed statement of a parent or
guardian.
Driving to and from work as
evidenced by a signed statement from the licensees
employer.
Driving to and from school
or a religious activity as evidenced by a signed statement of a school,
religious official or a parent or guardian.
Required due to a medical
emergency.
Unrestricted Driver
License
The requirements and restrictions for an unrestricted driver
license are as follows:
The driver
must have held a provisional license for the 12- month period immediately
preceding the date of application for a driver
license.
The driver must not have
been convicted of a traffic violation 90 days prior to applying for a driver
license.
The driver must not have any
traffic violations pending at the time of the application for a driver license.
The driver must not have been
adjudicated guilty or have an offense pending involving the use of alcohol or
drugs during the provisional period.