1. A. The division shall not issue a commercial driver's license to a person unless that person can establish that New Mexico is the person's state of domicile and has passed a knowledge test and a skills test for driving a commercial motor vehicle and, for related endorsements, has passed a medical fitness test and has satisfied any other requirements of the New Mexico Commercial Driver's License Act [66-5-52 to 66-5-72 NMSA 1978].
2. B. The division may authorize a person, including an agency of this or another state, an employer, a private driver-training facility or other private institution or a department, agency or instrumentality of local government to administer the skills test or knowledge test specified by this section; provided that the person being authorized has completed entry-level driver training as required by federal law.

3. C. A commercial driver's license applicant who does not pass the skills test or knowledge test may repeat the:

   1. (1) knowledge test no more than twice a week; and
   2. (2) skills test no more than three times a year.
4. D. If the department determines that a commercial driver's license applicant has committed an offense in taking a test specified in this section, the division shall not issue a commercial driver's license to that applicant within one year of the department's determination.

History: Laws 1989, ch. 14, § 9; 2005, ch. 312, § 4; 2007, ch. 321, § 5; 2008, ch. 72, § 1; 2014, ch. 67, § 1; 2022, ch. 24, § 3.

ANNOTATIONS

The 2022 amendment, effective January 1, 2023, revised the qualifications for a person who is authorized to administer a skills test or knowledge test for driving a commercial motor vehicle; and in Subsection B, added "provided that the person being authorized has completed entry-level driver training as required by federal law".

The 2014 amendment, effective May 21, 2014, provided for the administration of the knowledge test; provided for repeating the knowledge and skills tests; in Subsection A, after "passed a knowledge", added "test"; in Subsection B, after "skills test", added "or knowledge test"; in Subsection C, in the introductory paragraph, after "applicant", deleted "shall not take a test specified in this section more than three times within one year" and added "who does not pass the skills test or knowledge test may repeat the"; and in Subsection C, added Paragraphs (1) and (2).

The 2008 amendment, effective May 14, 2008, eliminated the authority to waive any requirement of the commercial driver’s license test.

The 2007 amendment, effective April 2, 2007, required an applicant for a commercial driver’s license to establish that New Mexico is the person’s state of domicile.

The 2005 amendment, effective July 1, 2005, in Subsection A, provided that a license shall not be issued unless the person has passed a medical fitness test; added Subsection D to provide that an applicant shall not take a test more than three times in one year; and added Subsection E to provide that if the department determines that an applicant has committed an offense in taking a test, the division shall not issue a license to the applicant within one year of the department's determination.