Trespass
Section 30-14-1 — posted land without written permission, or any land after consent is refused
- Knowingly entering or remaining on posted private property without written permission from the owner or the person in control of it.
- Knowingly entering or remaining on another's unposted land knowing the owner or occupant has denied or withdrawn consent. Posting at every vehicle entryway is sufficient notice.
- Knowingly entering or remaining on state or local government land knowing the custodian has denied or withdrawn consent.
Who handles this in New Mexico: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the New Mexico directory.
Criminal trespass is a misdemeanor. Entering another's land without permission and damaging the realty is a misdemeanor too, with civil liability for double the value of the damage. Removing or destroying a no trespass sign is a petty misdemeanor, or a misdemeanor when the damage to the sign is more than $1,000.
An owner posting land puts notices along its boundaries and at each road or way in, every five hundred feet if it is not fenced, at least one hundred forty-four square inches, printed legibly in English, with the name and address of the person who can grant permission.
Sources for this section (2)
- NMSA 1978, § 30-14-1 — Criminal trespass
- NMSA 1978, § 30-14-6 — No trespassing notice; sign contents; posting; requirement; prescribing a penalty for wrongful posting of public lands
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of November 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New Mexico attorney.