New Mexico DWI Temporary License: How Long You Can Drive on the Pink Slip

Your License Gets Confiscated — But You Can Still Drive

During a DWI arrest in New Mexico, the officer confiscates your physical plastic driver's license and hands you a paper Notice of Revocation. This notice is commonly called the "pink slip," and it serves a dual purpose: it notifies you that the MVD intends to revoke your license, and it functions as a temporary driving permit.

The temporary permit is valid for exactly 20 days from the date of service — which in nearly all first-offense cases is the date of your arrest. During those 20 days, you can drive legally using the pink slip as your temporary permit. Keep the Notice of Revocation with you when driving.

Filing Within 10 Days Extends It

If you submit a written hearing request to the MVD within 10 calendar days of receiving the Notice of Revocation (using Form MVD-10792 or a signed letter, plus the $25 fee or indigency waiver), the pink slip's validity extends well beyond the 20-day window.

Filing the hearing request triggers a stay of revocation. This stay keeps your standard driving privileges intact — on the pink slip — until the Administrative Hearings Office (AHO) conducts the hearing and the hearing officer issues a final decision. Since the AHO must hold the hearing no later than 90 days after the Notice of Revocation, this can extend your legal driving window by weeks or months.

During this extended period, your pink slip effectively replaces your plastic license. If you are stopped by law enforcement, present the Notice of Revocation along with any other identification you have. The officer can verify your driving status through the MVD database.

What Happens After 20 Days Without a Hearing Request

If you do not file a hearing request within the 10-day window, nothing changes during the 20-day temporary-permit period. When that period ends, the pink slip expires and your license is automatically revoked on the twentieth day following the arrest.

At that point, driving without an Ignition Interlock License is driving on a revoked license. There is no grace period and no automatic extension. The revocation takes effect whether or not you have received any additional notice from the MVD.

The Transition to an Interlock License

Whether the revocation is eventually sustained at the AHO hearing or takes effect automatically because you did not file a hearing request, the next step is the same: you need an Ignition Interlock License to continue driving legally.

The interlock license requires a separate MVD appointment with a specific set of documents — a current IID installation contract, a notarized affidavit (Form MVD-10456), proof of liability insurance with matching VINs, valid ID, and $113 in fees.

The pink slip bridges the gap between the arrest and the point where you either win the hearing (and get your standard privileges restored) or obtain an interlock license (and resume driving legally under the interlock conditions).

Keep the Pink Slip Safe

The Notice of Revocation is your proof of legal driving authority during the temporary permit window. If you lose it, contact the Driver Services Bureau in Santa Fe to confirm the replacement procedure. Keep the original in your vehicle alongside your registration and insurance documents.

The New Mexico First-Offense DUI Guide includes a complete day-by-day timeline from arrest through the temporary permit window, the hearing request deadline, and the transition to interlock licensing.

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