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New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language
Yes: New Mexico MVD accepts certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary.
Who may translate: Not specified in the rule
- $24.95 per page
- Usually 24 h for 1–3 pages
- Signed certificate of accuracy, PDF
- See the price before you pay
How we know · policy checked on October 21, 2026
New Mexico's driver license rule, 18.19.5 NMAC, lets applicants for a standard license (not acceptable for federal purposes) prove identity with a certified copy of a foreign birth certificate, and if it is not in English, with a notarized English translation; the rule does not say who must translate.
A certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary, with notarization added, meets it. A REAL ID needs US or immigration documents, so a translated foreign birth certificate does not count there.
New Mexico MVD at a glance
Does it accept eVerbary? Yes
18.19.5.15 NMAC accepts a certified copy of a foreign birth certificate with a notarized English translation and does not restrict who makes it (18.19.5 NMAC), so a notarized certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets it. Policy checked on October 21, 2026.
- Translation
- Notarized English translation (birth certificate)
- Who may translate
- Not specified in the rule
- Foreign license
- Not covered in 18.19.5 NMAC
- Price
- $24.95 per pageUp to 250 words, certification included
- Delivery
- 24 hoursStandard for one to three pages
- Certificate
- SignedCertificate of translation accuracy, PDF
Checked on October 21, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. Policies change: confirm on New Mexico MVD's own page before you submit.
Worth knowing about New Mexico MVD
Notarized translation
The rule asks for a notarized English translation of a foreign birth certificate.
Standard license only
Foreign birth certificates do not count for a REAL ID.
Consular IDs accepted
A consular ID card, such as Mexico's, also proves identity.
New Mexico MVD requirements in detail
Translation
A foreign birth certificate not in English must come with a notarized English translation (18.19.5.15 NMAC).
Who may translate
Not specified in the rule; it asks only that the English translation be notarized.
Which license
Standard driver's license or ID card that is not acceptable for federal purposes. For a REAL ID, identity must be shown with US documents or a foreign passport with a US visa and I-94 verified through SAVE (18.19.5 NMAC, driver licensing rule).
Original or copy
A certified copy of the foreign birth certificate issued by the place of birth, with the translation (18.19.5 NMAC, driver licensing rule).
Other foreign documents
For a standard license the rule also lists a consular identification card, a passport from your country of citizenship, an ITIN, and a court order for a name change or divorce showing the legal name, date of birth and court seal (18.19.5 NMAC, driver licensing rule).
Residency
Two documents with your name and New Mexico address, such as a utility bill dated within 60 days or a lease (18.19.5 NMAC, driver licensing rule).
Notarization
Required for the birth certificate translation; eVerbary adds it at checkout ($34.90 per order).
Standard license versus REAL ID in New Mexico
New Mexico issues two kinds of credential, and the rule for foreign documents depends on which one you apply for.
The REAL ID list in 18.19.5 NMAC is limited to US passports and birth certificates, immigration documents and a foreign passport with an unexpired US visa and an approved I-94, all verified through SAVE; there is no place in it for a translated foreign record.
The standard license or ID card, not acceptable for federal purposes, has a longer list (18.19.5.15 NMAC). One document with your name and date of birth is enough, or two if it lacks either.
A certified copy of a foreign birth certificate is on that list, with a notarized English translation when it is not in English, alongside a consular ID card, a passport from your country of citizenship and a court order for a name change or divorce.
What "notarized" means here
The rule does not explain who must translate or what the notary attests. In practice a notarized translation is a translation with the translator's signed statement of accuracy, signed before a notary.
Our certificate of translation accuracy can be notarized when you order ($34.90 per order), which covers the rule as written.
We could not read the MVD's own website today (it does not load from our location), so this page is based on the administrative code, which is the MVD's binding rule. If an MVD office asks for something more specific, follow the office; the code is the floor, not the ceiling.
Need a certified translation for New Mexico MVD?
$24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages. See the price before you pay.
Documents people usually translate
- Foreign birth certificates, for the standard license
- Foreign court orders for a name change or divorce
- Foreign marriage certificates, when an office asks to trace a name
- A passport from your country of citizenship, where the data page is not in English
What an eVerbary translation includes
- A complete English translation of every page, stamps, seals and handwritten notes included, laid out like the original so each line can be matched.
- A signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead, with our contact details, delivered as a PDF you can upload or print.
- $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included; 24 hours for one to three pages as standard. Regular clients who need it can get delivery in as little as 30 minutes, on request.
- Notarization added at checkout ($34.90 per order) when the office asks for a notarized translation.
Submitting the translation to New Mexico MVD
Bring the certified copy of the foreign birth certificate with the notarized translation to an MVD office when you apply, together with proof of residency (18.19.5 NMAC, driver licensing rule).
What we do not do
eVerbary translates documents; it is not the DMV and does not issue licenses, International Driving Permits or REAL ID decisions.
For the New Mexico MVD that means we translate, certify and notarize your documents; we do not provide consular ID cards or decide whether a document qualifies for a standard license or REAL ID.
How to order
- Scan or photograph every page of the document, front and back, including any stamps on the reverse.
- Upload it, choose the language and "certified", and see the price before paying.
- Receive the PDF, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages, and submit it with the copy of the original wherever the office asks for it.
Frequently asked questions
Does New Mexico MVD accept a translated foreign birth certificate?
Yes, for a standard license or ID card: a certified copy with a notarized English translation (18.19.5 NMAC, driver licensing rule).
Can I use a translated foreign birth certificate for a REAL ID?
No. The REAL ID list in the rule includes US birth certificates and immigration documents, not foreign birth certificates (18.19.5 NMAC, driver licensing rule).
Who can translate my birth certificate for the MVD?
The rule does not say who; it asks for a notarized English translation. A certified translation from a professional service, notarized, meets that wording.
Does New Mexico accept a consular ID card?
Yes, for a standard license: an identification card issued by a foreign consulate, such as the consulate of Mexico in El Paso or Albuquerque, is on the list (18.19.5 NMAC, driver licensing rule).
Sources
New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division's own pages, read on October 21, 2026.
Translating documents for New Mexico MVD?
Upload a scan of your license or certificate and see the price and delivery time before you pay.