New Mexico Public Records

3 Examples of Excluded Data in New Mexico Public Records

New Mexico public records are fairly substantial. They contain a great deal of information on the people, businesses, and government in New Mexico. Yet like most states, New Mexico public records do exclude some information that is not deemed relevant to public use. Some of these examples include:

  • Medical Records - Any medical records, including mental health records, are not considered to be a matter of public record. These records are considered to private, so New Mexico public records law excludes their inclusion.
  • Current Law Enforcement Records - Any records of ongoing criminal cases or cases where the individual did not end up getting charged with a crime may be excluded from public records. Criminal histories, however, are included in public record.
  • Trade Secrets - Businesses are not required to give away trade secrets, because trade secrets could cause the downfall of said businesses. Though much business information is included, trade secrets are considered a worthwhile exclusion.
  • New Mexico public records do contain a great deal of information. You can find a lot of information on people, companies, and government offices that the law has decided are a matter of public record. However, you cannot find all of the information you need. Only the information that is considered of interest to the public.

    New Mexico Birth Records

    In 1919, the Department of Vital Records and Health Statistics was created to register the Births and Deaths occurring in New Mexico. Before then the birth records were collected by various institutions such as the counties and churches. Some of the records have been shifted to the Department Vital Records and Health Statistics.If you wish to access your New Mexico Birth Records then you would have to submit an application to the New Mexico Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Records & Statistics at P.O. Box 26110, Santa Fe, NM 87502. The application can be mailed to the address or delivered personally to the office but it has to have a personal check or money order made payable to NM Vital Records. The latest fees involved can be inquired through telephone or via internet at www.VitalRecordsNM.org.New Mexico Birth Record copies are only issued to the registrant’s Immediate Family which includes the parents, siblings, children, current spouse or maternal or paternal grandparents. State laws also require a photographic ID of the applicant so you also need to present a government issued ID to get the copies of the Birth records. The ID can be anything from a driver’s license to a passport.

    New Mexico Death Records

    The New Mexico Department of Health is responsible for maintaining the vital records, to include death, birth and marriage. New Mexico death records are not considered to be a portion of the public record, and law prohibits granting death certificates to anyone that is not part of the direct family, to include, parents, brothers and sisters, children, grandparents either maternal or paternal, and the current spouse. If you qualify under one of these standings then you can request a certified copy of the death record in New Mexico.

    You may request a certificate via mail, in person, or by the internet. By mail you will need to know the decedent’s name, the county and city of death if possible, and the date of death, you will also have to state your relationship to the person who has passed away, the reason you are requesting the certificate, such as to file an insurance claim, and your mailing address.

    If you choose to order through the internet understand that you are going through a third party program. If you plan to order your certificate in person, it could benefit you to print and fill out the death search application prior to going in.