WomensLaw serves and supports all survivors.

Legal Information: New Mexico

Housing Laws

Laws current as of August 19, 2025

What is a “substantial violation” of the rental agreement?

A “substantial violation” happens when someone breaks your rental agreement or building rules by doing one of the following things in your home, on the property, or within 300 feet of the property:

  1. having, using, selling, distributing, or making drugs (a “controlled substance”), except for misdemeanor possession and use;
  2. unlawfully using a deadly weapon;
  3. causing serious physical harm to someone;
  4. sexually assaulting or molesting someone;
  5. entering someone’s home or vehicle without permission and with the intent to steal or assault them;
  6. using or threatening to use force to steal or attempt to steal someone’s property; or
  7. intentionally or recklessly damaging property worth more than $1,000.1   

1 N.M. Stat. § 47-8-3(V)

Legal Information

© 2008–2025 WomensLaw.org is a project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Inc. All rights reserved. This website is funded in part through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). NNEDV is a 501©(3) non-profit organization; EIN 52-1973408.