New Mexico Landlord-Tenant Laws: Complete Residential Guide (2025)

Residential landlord-tenant relationships in New Mexico are primarily governed by the Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act (UORRA) (NMSA 1978, Chapter 47, Article 8). The state generally balances landlord rights with tenant protections but implemented significant pro-tenant reforms in 2025 via Senate Bill 267.

Disclaimer: This guide provides general legal information for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a qualified New Mexico attorney for specific legal guidance. Information last verified: March 2026.

Key New Mexico Landlord Laws at a Glance

Security Deposits

New Mexico links security deposit limits to the length of the lease:

• Leases under 1 year: The deposit cannot exceed one month's rent, and paying interest to the tenant is not required.
• Leases 1 year or longer: The deposit can exceed one month's rent. However, if it does, the landlord must pay the tenant annual interest on the entire deposit amount.

Landlords must return deposits (minus itemized deductions) within 30 days of lease termination, provided the tenant has supplied a forwarding address. Landlords who fail to comply forfeit the right to keep any deposit.

For more detail, see our Security Deposits guide.

Eviction Process

The New Mexico eviction process relies on short notice periods:

• 3-Day Notice: Given for non-payment of rent or substantial lease violations (e.g., criminal activity).
• 7-Day Notice: Given for standard, curable lease violations. If the tenant repeats the violation within 6 months, a 7-day unconditional quit notice can be served.

Self-help evictions (changing locks, shutting off utilities) are illegal and can result in civil penalties for the landlord.

For more detail, see our Eviction Process guide.

Rent Increases

New Mexico enforces a statewide ban on local rent control ordinances (The Rent Control Preemption Act of 1991). While a 2025 bill (SB 216) attempted to repeal this ban, it was postponed indefinitely, meaning landlords are free to raise rent to market rates. However, a 30-day written notice is required for month-to-month tenancies or for increases at the end of a lease term.

For more detail, see our Rent Increases guide.

Major 2025 Legislative Changes (SB 267)

Signed into law in April 2025, Senate Bill 267 introduced critical updates to the UORRA:

• Late Fee Reduction: The maximum allowable late fee was slashed from 10% to 5% of the periodic rent. Late fees can no longer be charged on utilities or other non-rent charges.
• Screening Fee Rules: Landlords are capped at a $50 screening fee. Furthermore, applicants can only be charged one screening fee within a 90-day period across different landlords if they share the screening report. The fee must be refunded if the unit was already rented or screening didn't occur.
• Fee Transparency: All rental listings must now explicitly itemize all costs and mandatory fees upfront. Violations are now classified under the Unfair Trade Practices Act.

How Landager Helps

With the sweeping changes introduced by SB 267 in 2025, New Mexico landlords must audit their leases and listing practices. Landager ensures compliance by automatically capping late fee configurations at 5%, enforcing the new $50 screening fee limits, and generating transparent rental listings that comply with state disclosure laws.

Explore more New Mexico residential compliance topics:

• Security Deposits
• Eviction Process
• Required Disclosures
• Rent Increases
• Lease Requirements
• Maintenance Obligations
• Late Fees