New Mexico (NM) Registration Question

[Anglers B Us]

I've been going round and round via email with a couple employees at the state mvd about what is required to be installed in a retired school bus so it can be registered as an RV. I asked, does it need a bed, a toilet, a sink or just my word that I'll be using it to sleep and camp in? They have no clue! They send me docs pertaining to rebuilding a vehicle from salvage or home building one from scratch.? Does anyone know the "RV" requirements for NM?

[PNW_Steve]

All I have found online the MVD site is:
Vehicle Procedures Manual - NM Motor Vehicle Division

It doesn't speak at all to conversion.

Hopefully we have NM members that can share their experience.

If not, you may consider going the VT route. Get it titled as an RV then take your VT RV title back to NM.

Another member from IL (?) posted success using this method.

Good luck.

[Anglers B Us]

Thanks PNW_Steve. I'm hoping someone with NM MVD experience will chime in as well. VT is 4,800 miles round trip and that's not going to happen.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by Anglers B Us

Thanks PNW_Steve. I'm hoping someone with NM MVD experience will chime in as well. VT is 4,800 miles round trip and that's not going to happen.

VT titling and registration can be done by mail. A number of members here have had good success getting a VT RV title with no hassles.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f18/ho...ion-15292.html




Regarding NM:

I have been searching the board for NM info and it is pretty slim and dated.

Do we have any other New Mexico members who have been down this road?

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Anglers B Us

Thanks PNW_Steve. I'm hoping someone with NM MVD experience will chime in as well. VT is 4,800 miles round trip and that's not going to happen.

I think Vermont registration can be handled through the mail.

[Stngllhm]

Any updates I am trying to figure out what I need to do in NM. Or did you go through VT

[Anglers B Us]

I'm in a holding pattern until I have all my ducks in a row. Still no new info that would make me move forward with a purchase.

[Stngllhm]

I thought I would share. When I was at mvd office I asked them about changing my coach’s title to a rv title and what they told me is as long as it is a New Mexico title already they will just switch it over when I transfer it. I will update when finished my other dealings with New Mexico mvd do not give me confidence it will be this easy but maybe

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Stngllhm

I thought I would share. When I was at mvd office I asked them about changing my coach’s title to a rv title and what they told me is as long as it is a New Mexico title already they will just switch it over when I transfer it. I will update when finished my other dealings with New Mexico mvd do not give me confidence it will be this easy but maybe

If it's not converted why would you change the title to RV? Your insurance will probably not insure it because they will want conversion verification.

Can I change my Corvette title to say it's a School Bus?

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Anglers B Us

I've been going round and round via email with a couple employees at the state mvd about what is required to be installed in a retired school bus so it can be registered as an RV. I asked, does it need a bed, a toilet, a sink or just my word that I'll be using it to sleep and camp in? They have no clue! They send me docs pertaining to rebuilding a vehicle from salvage or home building one from scratch.? Does anyone know the "RV" requirements for NM?

The requirements are pretty much the same in every state. Seems it is less important to DMV than it is with the insurance companies. The 6 requirements are listed below, you only need to have any 4 of the 6 at your discretion to qualify it as an RV.


Cooking appliance with onboard fuel source
Gas or electric fridge
Toilet with exterior evac
Heat/AC with power other than engine
Potable (drinkable) water supply
110v power supply

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by o1marc

If it's not converted why would you change the title to RV? Your insurance will probably not insure it because they will want conversion verification.

Can I change my Corvette title to say it's a School Bus?

your vette would need a lot of upgrades before it would pass inspection as a school bus

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Sleddgracer

your vette would need a lot of upgrades before it would pass inspection as a school bus

Why, apparently all I have to do is tell them my bus is an RV and they will issue title reflecting that with no inspection?

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Why, apparently all I have to do is tell them my bus is an RV and they will issue title reflecting that with no inspection?

I guess I was more thinking about licensing/insuring it as a bus

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Sleddgracer

I guess I was more thinking about licensing/insuring it as a bus

Which is my whole concern with changing titles to RV when government employees don't do their job, end up causing issues for insuring the thing now.

I wish we could keep titling and registering completely separate.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Which is my whole concern with changing titles to RV when government employees don't do their job, end up causing issues for insuring the thing now.

I wish we could keep titling and registering completely separate.

I feel fortunate that, here in WA, my insurance company has been very clear that they don't care whether the title says bus or RV. They provide a commercial for personal use policy until the conversion is done to their standards and then switch to RV insurance.

Here, any vehicle that weighs over 26k lbs requires a CDL except for RV's, fire trucks and military vehicles. Getting my buses registered as RV's allows me to drive them without a CDL.

Keep in mind that things vary considerably by state and by insurance carrier.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

I feel fortunate that, here in WA, my insurance company has been very clear that they don't care whether the title says bus or RV. They provide a commercial for personal use policy until the conversion is done to their standards and then switch to RV insurance.

Here, any vehicle that weighs over 26k lbs requires a CDL except for RV's, fire trucks and military vehicles. Getting my buses registered as RV's allows me to drive them without a CDL.

Keep in mind that things vary considerably by state and by insurance carrier.

I'm in a similar boat, although State Farm would not write a commercial for personal use policy here in Ga. I could care less right now what my title says because I have valid insurance. When I'm done converting, if Progressive doesn't cancel me, I will renew at only $171/yr. My bus no longer weighs 26K, right now it's 19400. As I understand it, I, as the owner, can dictate what the GVWR is to be. So I will change it to actual weight when its done, even though I'm exempt from weight and brake rules.

[Stngllhm]

Originally Posted by o1marc

If it's not converted why would you change the title to RV? Your insurance will probably not insure it because they will want conversion verification.

Can I change my Corvette title to say it's a School Bus?

I’m trying to figure what relevance if any your statement has. The first step of course is getting the title to say it is an rv. The bus is being converted I’m about half done. Another reason to have the title say rv is so you don’t have to register it as a commercial vehicle and so you don’t need a cdl to drive it. I can drive it either way but when the title says rv it is legal for my wife to drive. I may be wrong but if the title says rv it should easier to get insurance.

[Stngllhm]

Originally Posted by o1marc

I'm in a similar boat, although State Farm would not write a commercial for personal use policy here in Ga. I could care less right now what my title says because I have valid insurance. When I'm done converting, if Progressive doesn't cancel me, I will renew at only $171/yr. My bus no longer weighs 26K, right now it's 19400. As I understand it, I, as the owner, can dictate what the GVWR is to be. So I will change it to actual weight when its done, even though I'm exempt from weight and brake rules.

Unfortunately my coach empty should still be over 26000lbs

[Stngllhm]

so it was as easy as I was told while transferring the title they changed it over to a motor home. Insurance will want proof of the conversion so that will be the next step.