New Mexico Vital Records

United States New Mexico Vital Records

New Mexico Birth, Marriage and Death Records

Introduction to Vital Records

Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. United States Vital Records has additional research guidance on researching and using vital records. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the New Mexico Vital Records State Department of Health or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.

Vital Records Reference Dates

New Mexico vital records start the following years:

	Births	Marriages	Deaths
Earliest	1907*	County Formation	1907*
Statewide Registration	1920	-	1920

* New Mexico counties were required to keep birth and death records beginning on this date.

New Mexico Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online

The following is a list of online resources useful for locating New Mexico Vital Records which consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths. Check New Mexico Vital Records Online for more information about the resources listed below. Most online resources for New Mexico Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index always consult the original record to confirm the information in the index.

Family Search Historical Records

• New Mexico Births and Christenings, 1726-1918 - Free
• New Mexico Marriages, 1751-1918 - Free
• New Mexico Deaths, 1889-1945 - Free
• New Mexico Deaths and Burials, 1788-1798; 1838-1955 - Free

Wiki articles describing FamilySearch Historical Records collections are found at:

• New Mexico, County Death Records (FamilySearch Historical Records) - Free
• New Mexico Death Records (FamilySearch Historical Records) - Free
• New Mexico Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records) - Free
• New Mexico Births and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records) - Free
• New Mexico Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records) - Free

Other

• New Mexico Links from fhlfavorites.info - Free
• New New Mexico Databases listed on Rootsweb.com - Free
• USGenWeb.org New Mexico Site - Free
• The Vital Records Search and Information Directory for New Mexico - Free/$
• See Joe Beine's links to online New Mexico Birth & Marriage and Death Records - Free/$
• Find vital record links on Linkpendium's New Mexico Genealogy and History page - Free/$ 
• ProGenealogists' Genealogy Slueth page contains a list of Vital Records websites, including New Mexico. Press Ctrl + F on the keyboard to search for New Mexico or NM - Free/$
• Search the New Mexico Birth, Marriage & Death Records at Ancestry.com - $ 
• Order New Mexico Certificates online -$
• Wikiprocedure - Procedures to get birth, death, marriage and divorce certificate.

Birth Records

In 1907 each county in New Mexico was required to keep birth and death records. Records dating from the 1880s are available for a few counties. All of these records have been sent to the Vital Statistics Bureau (address below). To locate death records for the years 1899-1949, see the online New Mexico Death Index Project.

Statewide registration of vital statistics began in 1920 and was generally complied with by 1930. Delayed registrations of births are also available from 1935. You can obtain birth and death certificates by writing to:

New Mexico Department of Health
Vital Records Division
Post Office Box 25767
Albuquerque, NM 87125
Telephone: 1-866-534-0051

The current fees for obtaining copies of the state's records are listed in Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces  Copies of this booklet are available at the Family History Library and at many Family History Centers. You must have written authorization from the family in order to obtain a copy of a birth or death certificate. The Family History Library does not have copies of these records.

Birth and death certificates can be obtained in person through the Santa Fe State Office:

Bureau of Vital Records & Health Statistics
1105 St. Francis Drive
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Telephone: 505-827-0121

Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. Note: The counter is closed 8:30 am to 9:00 am on the 2nd Thursday of each month.

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

New Mexico Births and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Adoption Records

open / closed / state statues

Marriage Records

Marriage records were usually kept from the date each county was organized. You can obtain copies of the records from the clerk's office in the county where the marriage was performed.

Marriage records for Bernalillo, Chavez, Eddy, San Juan, Oterro, Quay, Roosevelt, and Curry counties for 1880 to 1920 have been published in Some Marriage Records of the State of New Mexico.

Many of the marriages for the state are searchable online at no cost in the Western States Marriage Index.

Gretna Greens. When a New Mexico couple's marriage is not in their home county, search for it in alternate places like Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada, or Yuma, Yuma, Arizona.

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

New Mexico Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Divorce Records

Divorce records are available only from the clerk of the district court in the county where the decree was granted.

Death Records

New Mexico Death Certificates (1919 to date) are restricted records available only to immediate family members or those who present tangible proof of a legal interest unless they are at least fifty years old. See New Mexico Department of Health website for information.

NMSA 24-14-27 C states:

"When one hundred years have elapsed after the date of birth or fifty years have elapsed after the date of death, the vital records of these events in the custody of the state registrar shall become open public records, and information shall be made available in accordance with regulations that provide for the continued safekeeping of the records; provided that vital records of birth shall not become open public records prior to the individual's death."

Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:

• New Mexico Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)
  
• New Mexico Death Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
  

Substitute Records

New Mexico Church Records

New Mexico Cemetery Records

New Mexico Census

New Mexico Newspapers

New Mexico Military Records

New Mexico Periodicals

New Mexico History

Tips

• Information listed on vital records is given by an informant. Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) of the record. The closer the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) and whether or not the informant was present at the time of the event can help determine the accuracy of the information found on the record.
• If you are unable to locate vital records recorded by governments, search for church records of christening, marriage, death or burial. A family Bible may have been used to record births, marriages and deaths.
• Privacy laws may restrict your access to some vital records. Copies of some vital records recorded in the last 100 years may be unavailable to anyone except a direct relative.
• Search for Vital Records in the Family History Library Catalog by using a Place Search and then choosing Vital Records. Search for New Mexico to locate records filed by the State and then search the name of the county to locate records kept by the county.

Archives, Libraries and Societies

New Mexico Archives and Libraries

New Mexico Societies

Inventory of Vital Records

You can learn more about the history and availability of vital records in Guide to Public Vital Statistics Records in New Mexico.