Eddy County Motor Vehicle Department (In Artesia)
Greg Bland:
Phone: 575-746-1323 Fax: 575-746-1274
Location: 116 North First St. Artesia, New
Mexico 88210
Eddy County is contracted with the State of New Mexico to operate the Eddy County Motor Vehicle Department on behalf of the state and the citizens of Eddy County. The Eddy County Motor Vehicle Department processes an average of 1,750 motor vehicle transactions per month, in support of the citizens of Eddy County. This transaction rate, during calendar year 2007, produced gross revenue to the State of New Mexico, of $1,990,789. Eddy County receives operational reimbursement, from the state, based on business volume.
On May 19, 2008, the Eddy County Motor Vehicle Department went live with the issuance of the new IDNM driver's licenses (DL) and identification cards (ID). These DLs and IDs have new security features added, including ghost imaging of both the customer's picture and the New Mexico Zia. The new IDNM has several advantages over the previous card. Some of these advantages include:
- IDNM protects New Mexicans from identity theft, through facial recognition technology.
- IDNM helps keep fake driver's licenses and ID cards out of the hands of dangerous people through significantly improved security features on the DL/ID card.
- IDNM helps speed up handling of DWI cases by supporting electronic citation processing.
The key element of IDNM is secure issuance of driver's licenses (DLs) and identification cards (IDs) at a central location. With central issuance, MVD customers will no longer leave the MVD office with their new permanent DL or ID cards. Instead, each customer will be given an official temporary DL or ID and will receive the permanent DL or ID card by mail; usually within two weeks. Twenty-seven states currently utilize a central issuance process for DLs and IDs.
IDNM will also offer added security and protection from identity theft with new documentation authentication (DAS) and facial recognition systems (FRS).
Documentation Authentication System (DAS)
Applicants for a new DL or ID must provide adequate proof of their identity and New Mexico residency. Applicants are encouraged to stop by and pickup a listing of required documents, prior to the issuance of their new DL or ID. Applicants who are renewing a current, valid, New Mexico DL or ID will not be subject to this requirement, unless their DL or ID is expired more than 30 days. Our new Document Authentication System (DAS) will allow MVD to verify, with confidence, the validity and authenticity of most documents used as proof of identity.
Facial Recognition System (FRS)
Applicants for a new or renewal DL or ID must have their photo taken. Facial recognition software can confirm an applicant's unique identity by making a "one-to-one" comparison with the customer's own image (if one is already in the MVD system) and can utilize a "one-to-many" comparison with other photos in our database to ensure that the applicant is not using another person's identity information or false identity information to get a fraudulent New Mexico DL or ID or multiple DLs or IDs.
The entire staff of the Eddy County Motor Vehicle Department strives to provide the citizens of Eddy County top quality service without the inconvenience of traveling outside the greater Artesia area.