New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 3 - TAXATION
Chapter 1 - TAX ADMINISTRATION
Part 4 - FILING
Section 3.1.4.10 - DUE DATES AND TIMELINESS

Universal Citation: 3 NM Admin Code 3.1.4.10

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 6, March 26, 2024

A. FILING RETURNS - DUE DATE: A taxpayer becomes liable for tax as soon as the taxable event occurs; payment is not due, however, until on and after the date established by tax acts for the payment of tax. The statutory words "and after" used in the preceding sentence mean that taxes remain due until paid. A taxpayer becomes liable for interest if the tax is not paid when it becomes due. If the tax is not paid when it becomes due or if a report is not filed when due because of negligence of the taxpayer or taxpayer's representative, the taxpayer will also become liable for penalty. The fact that a taxpayer has not registered as a taxpayer is not material to the taxpayer's liability for payment of tax.

B. TIMELINESS OF ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS:

(1) Notices, returns and applications authorized or required to be made or given by electronic transmission, are timely if the notice, return or application is electronically transmitted to the department and accepted on or before the last date prescribed for filing the notice, return or application. Accordingly, the sender who relies upon the applicability of Section 7-1-13 NMSA 1978 assumes the responsibility to provide the department proof that the electronic transmission to the department was initiated on or before the last date prescribed for filing the notice, return or application.

(2) Returns required by regulation or statute to be filed electronically shall not be considered filed until filed electronically if filed by any means other than as specified in that regulation or statute unless the taxpayer receives an exception or waiver to electronic filing in writing from the department, and taxpayer will be subject to penalties under Section 7-1-69 NMSA 1978 for a late filed return until an electronic return is filed.

C. DETERMINATION OF TIMELINESS:

(1) Notices, returns, applications and payments, other than payments specified by Section 7-1-13.1 NMSA 1978, authorized or required to be made or given by mail are timely if the postmark on the envelope made by the United States postal service bears the date on or before the last date prescribed for filing the notice, return or application or for making the payment. The date affixed on an envelope by a postage meter stamp will be considered the postmark date if it is not superseded by a postmark made by the United States postal service. If the postmark does not bear a date on or before the last date prescribed for filing the notice, return or application, or for making the payment, the notice, return, application or payment will be presumed to be late. Accordingly, the sender who relies upon the applicability of Section 7-1-9 NMSA 1978 assumes the responsibility that the postmark will bear a date on or before the last date prescribed for filing the notice, return or application, or for making the payment.

(2) If a mailing is not received by the department, the contents of the mailing are not timely. If an envelope is improperly addressed and is returned to the sender by the post office, there has been no timely mailing within the meaning of the statute. The postmark date on the improperly addressed envelope will not be deemed the date of receipt by the department.

(3) A facsimile transmittal of a notice, return or application will be considered a timely filing of the notice, return or application only if:
(a) the facsimile is received by the due date for filing the notice, return or application; and

(b) the original is delivered by the due date or, if mailed, postmarked on or before the due date.

D. ILLEGIBLE POSTMARK:

(1) If the postmark on the envelope is not legible and the contents are received by the department by the second business day following the due date, filing of the return, payment or other action will be deemed timely. If the contents are received by the department after the second business day following the due date, the person who is required to file notices, returns or applications, or make payments, has the burden of proving the time when the postmark was made.

(2) The provisions of Subsection D of 3.1.4.10 NMAC apply only to actions required or permitted to be performed by mail.

(3) If the notice, return, application or payment other than payments specified by Section 7-1-13.1 NMSA 1978 is sent or delivered to the department by any means other than by mailing with the United States postal service, it must be received by the department on or before the due date for filing the notice, return or application or making the payment.

E. SATURDAY, SUNDAY OR HOLIDAY DUE DATE:

(1) If the last date for filing notices, returns or applications or for making payment of taxes falls on Saturday, Sunday or a state of New Mexico or national holiday, the filing of notices, returns and applications or the making of the payment of taxes, other than payments specified by Section 7-1-13.1 NMSA 1978, shall be considered timely if postmarked on the next succeeding day which is not a Saturday, Sunday or state or national holiday.

(2) Example: The due date for taxpayers to file gross receipts tax returns for April receipts is May 25. If May 25th is a Saturday and the following Monday is Memorial Day, a legal holiday designated in Section 12-5-2 NMSA 1978, the due date for filing the gross receipts tax returns is Tuesday, May 28th. The first banking day preceding Tuesday, May 28th is Friday, May 24th.

F. STATE OBSERVANCE OF STATE HOLIDAY ON DAY OTHER THAN THAT DESIGNATED FOR PUBLIC OBSERVANCE:

(1) Whenever the New Mexico state government and its employees are directed by competent authority to observe a state legal public holiday on a day other than that specified in Section 12-5-2 NMSA 1978 for that holiday, the day upon which the holiday is observed by the New Mexico state government is deemed to be a "legal state holiday" for the purposes of the Tax Administration Act.

(2) Example: Section 12-5-2 NMSA 1978 designates the third Monday in February as a legal holiday, President's Day. Traditionally, state offices are open on the third Monday in February and the holiday is observed by state government on the Friday following Thanksgiving. Accordingly, when state government is closed on the Friday after Thanksgiving in a delayed observance of President's Day, the due date for any notices, returns, applications or payments to be made by taxpayers on the Friday after Thanksgiving is the following Monday. For purposes of making payment of tax in accordance with Section 7-1-13.1 NMSA 1978 in this situation, the first banking day preceding the due date is the Friday after Thanksgiving. Because the third Monday in February is observed by the United States postal service and by the national banks, any notices, returns, applications or payments to be made by taxpayers on that date are due the following day, even though state offices are open on President's Day.

G. "RECEIVED BY THE DEPARTMENT" DEFINED:

(1) Unless the secretary by instruction or other directive permits or requires otherwise, "received by the department" for the purposes of Section 7-1-13.1 NMSA 1978 means received at the Santa Fe headquarters of the department during the department's normal business hours.

(2) The secretary through instruction or other directive may permit or require payment by check of taxes subject to the provisions of Section 7-1-13.1 NMSA 1978 at any other location of the department or at the location of the state fiscal agent or other agent of the department or during times other than normal business hours of the department. When the secretary has so permitted or required payment by check at such locations or times, "received by the department" for the purposes of Section 7-1-13.1 NMSA 1978 includes such locations or times.

H. "BANKING DAY" DEFINED:

(1) A banking day is a day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, national bank holiday or a day deemed by regulation of the secretary to be a state legal holiday for purposes of making payment under Subsection 7-1-13.1B NMSA 1978.

(2) Examples:
(a) When Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 27th, the preceding banking day is Friday, May 24th.

(b) The Wednesday immediately prior to Thanksgiving is the first banking day preceding Thanksgiving.

I. TIMELINESS OF ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS:

(1) Payments, other than payments specified by Section 7-1-13.1 NMSA 1978, authorized or required to be made or given by electronic payment, are timely if the payment is electronically transmitted to the department and accepted, on or before the last date prescribed for making the payment. Accordingly, the sender who relies upon the applicability of Section 7-1-13.4 NMSA 1978 assumes the responsibility to provide the department proof that the electronic transmission to the department was initiated on or before the last date prescribed for making the payment.

(2) Payments specified by Section 7-1-13.1 NMSA 1978, authorized or required to be made or given by electronic payment, are timely if the result of the electronic payment is that the funds are available to the state of New Mexico on or before the last date prescribed for making the payment. The date that an electronic payment was transmitted to the department is not an indicator of whether the payment was timely. The sender who relies upon the applicability of Section 7-1-13.4 NMSA 1978 assumes the responsibility that the funds were available to the department on or before the last date prescribed for making the payment.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Mexico may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.