How to Obtain a Free State ID and Birth Certificate in New Mexico: Instructions and the Law
State policy in New Mexico helps youth experiencing homelessness obtain vital documents like birth certificates and identification cards for FREE. This resource includes instructions on how to obtain these vital documents and cites applicable law.
Who Qualifies for the Fee Exemptions?
New Mexico defines “homeless individual” as someone who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, including an individual who:
(a) lives in the housing of another person due to that individual’s loss of housing, economic hardship or other reason related to that individual’s lack of a fixed residence;
(b) lives in a motel, hotel, trailer park or camping ground due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations;
(c) lives in an emergency or transitional shelter;
(d) sleeps in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; or
(e) lives in an automobile, a park, a public space, an abandoned building, substandard housing, a bus station, a train station or a similar setting.
Who Can Request a Birth Certificate in New Mexico?
- If you are a youth:
- You can request your own birth certificate in New Mexico, even if you are unaccompanied (not living with a parent or guardian).
- If you are helping a youth:
- You can request a birth certificate on behalf of a youth if you are a
- Local educational agency homeless liaison
- School counselor, school nurse or social worker
- You can request a birth certificate on behalf of a youth if you are a
- Immediate family can also request a birth certificate for a youth. This includes the mother, father, sibling, and in some cases, grandparents.
How Do I Get A Birth Certificate for Free for Myself or a Youth in New Mexico?
Step One: Fill out a Homeless Self Attestation Form
The form can be filled out by a youth or a:
- Local educational agency homeless liaison
- School counselor, school nurse, or social worker
- Public or private governmental or nonprofit agency that provides services to homeless individuals
Step Two: Fill out a Birth Record Application Form
Step Three: Apply
- In person (faster) at the local public health office. Bring the forms and required identification documents for the person making the request.
- Or by mail. Enclose the forms along with a copy of valid identification for the person making the request to: New Mexico Vital Records, Post Office Box 26110, Santa Fe, NM 87502
For more information on applying for a birth certificate, visit the Department of Health website.
How Do I Get an Identification Card for Free in New Mexico?
Step One: Fill out an Attestation of Homelessness Status Form
The form can be filled out by a youth or a:
- Local educational agency homeless liaison
- School counselor, school nurse, or social worker
- Public or private governmental or nonprofit agency that provides services to homeless individuals
Step Two: Collect the necessary identification documents – see here for documents required both for a REAL ID and Standard ID card
Step Three: Bring the Attestation Form and your documents to a Motor Vehicles Division (MVD) Field Office
If you run into any trouble, here are the relevant laws to present to the local public health office (for a birth certificate) or the MVD (for an ID).
A. The fee for each search of a vital record to produce a certified copy of a birth certificate shall be ten dollars ($10.00) and shall include one certified copy of the record, if available. A fee shall not be charged for a certified copy of a birth certificate of a homeless individual.
F. For the purposes of this section, “homeless individual” means an individual:
(1) who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, including an individual who:
(a) lives in the housing of another person due to that individual’s loss of housing, economic hardship or other reason related to that individual’s lack of a fixed residence;
(b) lives in a motel, hotel, trailer park or camping ground due to the lack of a alternative adequate accommodations;
(c) lives in an emergency or transitional shelter;
(d) sleeps in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; or
(e) lives in an automobile, a park, a public space, an abandoned building, substandard housing, a bus station, a train station or a similar setting; and
(2) whose homelessness can be verified through an attestation, which shall not be required to be notarized, by one of the following:
(a) a public or private governmental or nonprofit agency that provides services to homeless individuals;
(b) a local education agency homeless liaison, school counselor or school nurse;
(c) a social worker licensed in this state; or
(d) the homeless individual.
N.M. Stat. § 66-5-408 A. and C.
A. Upon application for an identification card with a four-year term, there shall be paid to the department a fee of five dollars ($5.00). Upon application for an identification card with an eight-year term, there shall be paid to the department a fee of ten dollars ($10.00). A fee shall not be charged to an applicant for an identification card if the applicant is at least seventy-five years of age or a homeless individual.
C. As used in this section, “homeless individual” means an individual:
(1) who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, including an individual who:
(a) lives in the housing of another person due to that individual’s loss of housing, economic hardship or other reason related to that individual’s lack of a fixed residence;
(b) lives in a motel, hotel, trailer park or camping ground due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations;
(c) lives in an emergency or transitional shelter;
(d) sleeps in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; or
(e) lives in an automobile, a park, a public space, an abandoned building, substandard housing, a bus station, a train station or a similar setting; and
(2) whose homelessness can be verified through an attestation, which shall not be required to be notarized, by one of the following:
(a) a public or private governmental or nonprofit agency that provides services to homeless individuals;
(b) a local education agency homeless liaison, school counselor or school nurse;
(c) a social worker licensed in the state; or
(d) the homeless individual.
B. A local education agency homeless liaison, a school counselor and a school nurse each have a tangible and direct interest pursuant to Subsection A of this section in a certified copy of the birth record of a homeless child or youth who is enrolled in the local education agency and in a certified copy of the birth record of a younger sibling of a homeless child or youth who is enrolled in the local education agency.
C. A social worker in this state has a tangible and direct interest pursuant to Subsection A of this section in a:
(1) certified copy of the birth record of a homeless child or youth who is a client of the social worker; and
(2)certified copy of the birth record of a younger sibling of a homeless child or youth who is a client of the social worker.
D. For the purposes of this section:
(1) “homeless child or youth” means an individual who is twenty-five years of age or younger and lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, including an individual who:
(a) lives in the housing of another person due to that individual’s loss of housing, economic hardship or other reason related to that individual’s lack of a fixed residence;
(b) lives in a motel, hotel, trailer park or camping ground due to that individual’s lack of alternative adequate accommodations;
(c) lives in an emergency or transitional shelter;
(d) sleeps in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; or
(e) lives in an automobile, a park, a public space, an abandoned building, substandard housing, a bus station, a train station or a similar setting; and
(2) “unaccompanied youth” means an individual who is twenty-five years of age or younger, is not in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian and lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, including an individual who:
(a) lives in the housing of another person due to that individual’s loss of housing, economic hardship or other reason related to that individual’s lack of a fixed residence;
(b) lives in a motel, hotel, trailer park or camping ground due to that individual’s lack of a fixed residence;
(c) lives in an emergency or transitional shelter;
(d) sleeps in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; or
(e) lives in an automobile, a park, a public space, an abandoned building, substandard housing, a bus station, a train station or a similar setting.
A (7) the state registrar shall, upon receipt of a written application from an unaccompanied youth, issue a certified copy of that youth’s birth record to the youth, without requiring a signature of an adult.
Tools to spread the word and raise awareness
Whether you’re reaching out to professional colleagues, youth, or peers in New Mexico, this toolkit has everything you need! It includes sample emails, social media posts, and both printable and digital posters.