Are New Mexico Vital Records Open to the Public?
It depends. Generally, vital records, such as birth, death, marriage, and divorce records, are restricted from public access for a fixed period. Until this statutory period elapses, the New Mexico Vital Statistics Act only allows persons who can demonstrate a direct, tangible interest to obtain vital records. These include the persons named on the record, immediate family members, the record custodian, employees, and persons armed with a court order.
What Information Shows Up in New Mexico Vital Records?
A New Mexico vital record contains information regarding significant events for New Mexico residents. Government agencies maintain these records, serving a range of legal, genealogical, and identification purposes. New Mexico's vital records include birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, and divorce statements.
What Information Do I Need to Search for New Mexico Vital Records Online?
Generally, persons who wish to search for vital records in New Mexico must possess the necessary details to perform a vital record search and retrieve the appropriate document. These details include names, dates, and locations relevant to the vital record.
How Do I Obtain New Mexico Vital Records?
Eligible persons or parties who want to obtain vital records in New Mexico may send requests to the appropriate record custodian. Generally, The New Mexico Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, under the New Mexico Department of Health, is the record custodian for birth and death records. County clerk's act as the record custodians for marriage and divorce records. Persons sending a request to either of these record custodians must present a valid identification or government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, Mexican Matricula, and passport.
Publicly available vital records are managed and disseminated by some third-party aggregate sites. These sites are generally not limited by geographical record availability and may serve as a convenient jump-off point when researching specific or multiple records. However, third-party sites are not government-sponsored. As such, record availability may differ from official channels. To find a record using the search engines on third-party sites, the requesting party will be required to provide:
- The location of the record in question, including the city, county, or state where the case was filed.
- The name of someone involved, provided it is not a juvenile.
Requesters must provide relevant information associated with the record to conduct an online search for vital records. Some of these include:
- The registrant's name
- Date of the event
- Place of the event
- City or county where the life event occurred
- First and last name of parents
- Presiding judge (for marriage or divorce records)
Are New Mexico Marriage Records Public Information?
Certified copies of New Mexico marriage records are restricted to persons named on the marriage record, immediate family members, and legal representatives. Public marriage records are available for marriages older than 75 years at the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
How Do I Obtain Marriage Records in New Mexico?
Persons who want to find marriage records in New Mexico must direct their requests to the County Clerk of the County in New Mexico, where the marriage was recorded and the license issued. Generally, the applicant must complete an application form or submit a written request for the marriage record of interest. Either way, the request must include the spouses' names and the marriage date. Furthermore, the requester will be required to pay the necessary application fees and provide a valid, government-issued photo ID.
Are New Mexico Divorce Records Public Information?
Divorce records in New Mexico are restricted from public access until the statutory period of confidentiality elapses. Generally, this period is 75 years, after which the divorce record is transferred to the state archives.
How Do I Obtain Divorce Records in New Mexico?
Persons who wish to obtain certified divorce records in New Mexico must provide a direct, tangible interest in the divorce record. All requests for divorce records go to the clerk's office in the District Court, where the divorce decree was issued.
Are New Mexico Birth Records Public Information?
New Mexico birth records are restricted from public inspection for the first 100 years of life. Thereafter, interested persons may obtain publicly available birth records. Until then, only eligible persons may order birth certificates and birth certificate replacements in New Mexico.
How Do I Obtain New Mexico Birth Records?
The New Mexico Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics is the designated custodian for birth records in New Mexico. Generally, intending requesters must complete and sign a birth record search application form. Then, the requester must attach a valid government-issued photo ID and prove their relationship to the person named on the birth record. The Bureau only processes in-person requests for birth records during business hours. Persons sending mail requests must enclose the application packet in a self-addressed, stamped envelope and mail it to:
New Mexico Bureau of Vital Records
P.O. Box 25767
Albuquerque, NM 87125
Phone: (866) 534-0051
Persons who wish to make the requests in person may visit the Bureau's offices in Gallup, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, or Socorro counties during working hours:
- Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.;
- Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.;
- Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m; and
- Tuesday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., respectively.
Gallup Office for Birth Records requests:
McKinley County Public Health Office
1919 College Drive
Gallup, NM 87301
Phone: (505) 722-4391
Sante Fe for Birth records requests:
1105 South Street Francis Drive
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Phone: (505) 827-0121
Albuquerque for Birth records requests:
Midtown Public Health Office
2400 Wellesley Dr. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87107
Phone: (505) 841-4100
Socorro for Birth records requests:
Socorro County Public Health Office
214 Neel Avenue NW
Socorro, NM 87801
Phone: (575) 835-0971
Note: The Socorro and Albuquerque county locations require applicants to schedule appointments. In contrast, Albuquerque operates on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Are New Mexico Death Records Open to the Public?
It depends. Death records in New Mexico are only open to the public 50 years after the death occurred. If that time limit has not elapsed, then they are not public death records. Only applicants directly related to the registrant may perform a death certificate search, and they must prove that they have the legal right to do so.
How Do I Obtain Death Records in New Mexico?
Persons who want to obtain death records in New Mexico may request them at the New Mexico Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics for a $5 fee. The requests can be made by mail or in person. Applicants can carry out a death record search by name, using the mail service instead of the Death record search application. However, they must also attach a copy of their government-issued ID to mail.
Information contained in the letter must include:
- The deceased's full name
- The date of death
- The city/county in which the death occurred
- The deceased's social security number, if known
- The name of the mortuary in charge of final arrangements
- The applicant's relationship to the deceased
- The reason for the certificate request
- The applicant's current name and signature
- The applicant's delivery information
Once the applicant has completed the requirements, they may mail it to:
New Mexico Bureau of Vital Records
P.O. Box 25767
Albuquerque, NM 87125
Phone: (866) 534-0051
Alternatively, the requestor can visit the Bureau office in Sante Fe county within business hours, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to make the order at:
Bureau of Vital Records & Health Statistics
1105 S. St. Francis Drive
Santa Fe, NM 87505
How Do I Find Sealed Vital Records in New Mexico?
Persons who wish to obtain sealed vital records in New Mexico must obtain a court order authorizing access to that sealed vital record. Generally, petitioners must demonstrate a tangible interest in the document of interest. One way to demonstrate interest is to provide a document showing that the petitioner has personal or property interests that can only be protected by obtaining that sealed vital record.
What are New Mexico Vital Statistics?
New Mexico's vital statistics refer to data pertaining to significant live events in the state, such as births, stillbirth, civil unions, marriages, deaths, and divorces. The New Mexico Bureau of Vital Records and Statistics, which operates under the NMDOH, is responsible for generating and maintaining these statistics. These statistics are useful for demographic analysis and monitoring, public health planning, disease control, and related functions.
