New Mexico Landlord Guide — Get Your Action Plan in 60 Seconds

Tenant behind on rent? Damage beyond wear and tear? Holding over after the lease ended? Describe the situation in your own words and get a plain-English breakdown, severity rating, step-by-step next steps, and ready-to-send notices — specific to New Mexico law.

New Mexico landlord law, at a glance

• Security deposit: you must return it within 30 days of move-out, with an itemized statement for deductions.
• Tenant entry: Landlords must generally give 24-hour notice before entering, except in emergencies.
• Eviction: you must go through the courts. Self-help eviction is illegal.

New Mexico returns deposits within 30 days after termination of the rental agreement or the tenant's departure, whichever is later (N.M. Stat. § 47-8-18). There is no statutory rent grace period; as of a June 2025 law change, late fees are capped at 5% of rent per rental period (reduced from 10%). Landlords must give 24 hours' notice before entry, and N.M. Stat. § 47-8-36 bars excluding or dispossessing a tenant without a court order, including lock changes and utility interference.

Free legal help in New Mexico

• New Mexico Legal Aid — (833) 545-4357 — Free legal help statewide incl. landlord-tenant/eviction; intake line 1-833-LGL-HELP.
• Law Help New Mexico — State LawHelp portal: free legal information, fact sheets, org directory, clinics.
• State Bar of New Mexico Lawyer Referral Service — LAST RESORT: bar referral service (may charge).
• Call or text 211 for free local referrals.

Common questions