How to Access the New Mexico Public Records

In New Mexico, public records include papers, books, maps, and photographs that are created or received by an agency while pursuing some law. The New Mexico public records are stored and maintained by the Commission of Public Records. Its purpose is to protect and preserve the documents and facilitate general public to access them. It develops management programs for the records. The Commission also ensures that the rules established by the State agencies are in compliance with the law and thus accessible.

There are schedules for retention and disposition of these records. It helps the agencies to store and maintain the records. There are two record centers- at Santa Fe and at Albuquerque. When NM public records are requested by some agency, Santa Fe center pulls them out in twenty-four hours.

Search New Mexico Public Records

When you request for public records, you need to fill up requisition form to avail this service of State Records Center. The Records Management Division takes care of these forms and their availability. To know about these forms, visit http://www.vitalrecordsnm.org/fees.shtml.

The vital records, that is, the documents of vital events like birth, death, marriage and divorce, can be obtained from this department. Post 1919, all vital records of New Mexico can be collected from here.

Public records can be requested online as well. For birth certificates, go to http://www.vitalrecordsnm.org/birth.shtml. Birth certificate can be requested by immediate family members only. This category includes parents, grandparents of both the sides, siblings, spouse or children. If you want to get the birth record via mail, download the form from http://www.vitalrecordsnm.org/Forms/birthsearchapp.pdf, fill it up with correct information and send it at New Mexico Vital Records, Post Office Box 26110, Santa Fe, NM 87502. Enclose a check of $10 along with the application form.

To order death certificate via postal mail, download application form from http://www.vitalrecordsnm.org/Forms/Death%20Appl%20.pdf and send to print it. Furnish it with required and information and dispatch to New Mexico Vital Records , Post Office Box 26110, Santa Fe, NM 87502. Attach money order or a check of $5 in favor of New Mexico Vital Records.

To collect the certificate in person, you can visit the Santa Fe office on all working days from 8.30 am to 4.00 pm. The office address is New Mexico Vital Records, 1105 S St Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM, 87502. You can also call their toll free number for further assistance at 1 866 534 0041. It takes about four week to process the request.

For marriage and divorce records, you need to contact the Clerk of the county in which the license was issued or the divorce had been granted.

Other Records

Other public records, like criminal background, inmates, sex offender registry etc can be viewed or searched in their respective departments. For example, if you want to search for inmates in New Mexico prisons, visit the website for Department of Corrections. By providing name or number assigned by the Department, you can obtain information. For transcripts or any information related to professional licenses and its renewal, go to http://www.rld.state.nm.us/http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/LicenseeSearchIndex.html.