JUNE
2001
- The New Mexico legislature approves the first concealed carry law effective July 1, 2001.
NOVEMBER 2001
- NM DPS suspends implementation of concealed carry based on impending challenge to NM Supreme Court that the "opt out"
portion of the law for municipalities is unconstitutional
JUNE 2002
- NM Supreme Court rules the first concealed carry law is indeed unconstitutional
- NM DPS suspension of training and instructor certification becomes permanent
JULY 2003
- Second NM CCW law is passed
- Each gun desired on CCW permit had to be qualified with. Some students are qualifying with 7 or 8 different guns.
- Minimum age is 25
- License good for 2 years
- Cannot carry into any store selling liquor, including grocery stores and drug stores, such as Walgreens
DECEMBER 2003
- NM DPS announces first batch of approved NM CCW instructors.
JANUARY 2004
- NM DPS issues the first batch of Concealed Carry Licenses
MAY 2004
- Second challenge of the concealed carry law is put before the NM Supreme Court based on NM Constitution language regarding
"nothing herein"
- NM Supreme Court throws out the challenge, agreeing with the State that it was legal for the legislature to pass the concealed
carry law.
JANUARY 2005
- Second NM concealed carry law goes into effect
NOVEMBER 2005
- The age limit for license holders was lowered to 21 from 25.
- Licenses valid for 4 years instead of 2.
- License holders need to re-qualify on the range every 2 years (2-hour refresher training).
- License holders need to renew every 4 years and re-qualify on the range (4-hour renewal training).
- New application for renewal, $75 fee, new fingerprint cards, new releases, etc.
- They will be able to carry any firearm of the same type (revolver, semi-auto, derringer), of the same or smaller caliber than
that with which they qualified.
- Most law enforcement officers, currently employed and retired will be able to obtain a license with departmental training
instead of the private training required for all others. They will also be exempt for paying the application fee.
JULY 2007
- CCW holders can now carry into stores selling liquor for OFFSITE consumption, e.g., OK to carry concealed into grocery stores,
Walgreens, etc., unless a specifically posted prohibition exists.
JULY
2010
- NM concealed carry holders allowed to carry concealed into restaurants that serve only beer
and wine (unless specifically indicated otherwise via signage or personal notification).
NOVEMBER 2017
- NM DPS now allows regular photocopies of birth certificates to be submitted with the initial application package.
DECEMBER 2017
- NM DPS now allows 2-year (license mid-term) refresher training to take place online as well as shooting the course of
fire.