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CLERK’S OFFICE

The team in the City Clerk’s Office is available to assist area residents in person, by phone and by email. Office hours are Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Please feel free to call City Hall at (575) 397-9200 or email any of these team members for assistance:

  • Jan Fletcher - jfletcher@hobbsnm.org
  • Mollie Maldonado - mmaldonado@hobbsnm.org
  • Alicia Jacobs - ajacobs@hobbsnm.org
  • Rose Galavez – rgalavez@hobbsnm.org
  • Alondra Coss – acoss@hobbsnm.org
  • Alyx Salas – asalas@hobbsnm.org

Mission Statement

The mission of the City Clerk's office is to support the process of municipal government in the City of Hobbs. We are dedicated to understanding and fulfilling the needs of the community and corporation. We provide high quality responsive services to our citizens, delivered through commitment to team work and professionalism in the work place. We constantly strive to conduct ourselves in an ethical, impartial and equitable manner at all times. Our high standards of quality and integrity will merit the public's confidence in the duties performed by the City Clerk's Office and in the community.


Business Registrations

All businesses located within the city limits are required to obtain a business registration each calendar year. Each business is required to have a New Mexico gross receipts tax number and the business owner must verify accuracy of such number in writing.

If your business is no longer in operation, please contact the Clerk's Office at (575) 397-9200 to have your business registration cancelled

As a reminder, businesses who are engaged in mobile activity, temporary vendors and secondhand dealers (businesses selling used merchandise) are also required to obtain an appropriate license in the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall.

Failure to comply with these provisions of the Hobbs Municipal Code could result in a fine or imprisonment, or both.

Jan Fletcher
City Clerk
(575) 397-9207

Mollie Maldonado
Deputy City Clerk
(575) 397-9208

Other Forms and Documents

Municipal Code (Municode.com)

Birth and death records are maintained by the State of New Mexico, Vital Records & Health Statistics, (505) 827-0121 or Toll Free (866) 534-0051.

Marriage licenses are issued by the Lea County Clerk's Office in Lovington, New Mexico, (575) 396-8619.

To learn how to register to vote, please visit the New Mexico Secretary of State Webpage

Public Records

Police Records Only

Police Records

City of Hobbs Records
(for Police Records, see above)

Non-Police Records

Track status of submitted request ›

Public Records Request Copy Fees (.pdf)

For questions please call the City Clerk’s Office

200 E. Broadway, Hobbs, NM 88240, (575) 397-9200

Notice of Right to Inspect Public Records

By law, under the Inspection of Public Records Act, every person has the right to inspect public records of the City of Hobbs, New Mexico. The Act also makes compliance with requests to inspect public records an integral part of the routine duties of the officers and employees of the City of Hobbs, New Mexico.

[Read Full Notice ›]

A person desiring to inspect public records may submit a request to the records custodian orally or in writing. However, the procedures and penalties prescribed by the Act apply only to written requests. A written request must contain the name, address and telephone number of the person making the request. The request must describe the records sought in sufficient detail to enable the records custodian to identify and locate the requested records.

The records custodian must permit inspection immediately or as soon as practicable, but no later than fifteen (15) calendar days after the records custodian receives the inspection request. If inspection is not permitted within three (3) business days, the person making the request will receive a written response explaining when the records will be available for inspection or when the public body will respond to the request. If any of the records sought are not available for public inspection, the person making the request is entitled to a written response from the records custodian explaining the reasons inspection has been denied. The written denial shall be delivered or mailed within fifteen (15) calendar days after the records custodian received the request for inspection.

If a person requesting inspection would like a copy of a public record, a reasonable fee may be charged. The fee for documents eleven inches by seventeen inches or smaller is twenty-five cents (.25?) per page. The cost for larger documents will be determined based on the type of document. The records custodian may request that applicable fees for copying public records be paid in advance, before the copies are made.

Fire Records

Fire Chief, if request relates to the Fire Department, or if request relates to hazardous materials; SARA Title III Community Right-to-Know; EPA programs dealing with on-site storage, release and disposal of hazardous chemicals; and historical information of known waste sites or chemical incidents
301 East White, Hobbs, New Mexico, 88240, (575) 397-9308
Contact person: Dana Ankerholz dankerholz@hobbsnm.org

Court Records

Municipal Court Clerk, if request relates to Municipal Court
301 North Turner, Hobbs, New Mexico, 88240, (575) 397-9272
Contact person: Shannon Arguello scarter@hobbsnm.org

Business Registration & Other Permits and Licensing

In an effort to educate the public about the laws of the City, we are providing the following information regarding the most common types of licenses needed to conduct business within the City. If you have specific questions about what type of license is required for you, please contact City Hall at 575-397-9200.

State Law – New Mexico Business Tax Identification Number (NMBTIN)

All persons engaging in business in New Mexico must register with the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department to obtain a NMBTIN (formerly known as a CRS identification number). This is the Department’s method for reporting the state’s major business taxes: gross receipts tax, all local option gross receipts taxes, compensating tax, and withholding tax. The NMBTIN is your state tax identification number and is commonly called the gross receipts tax identification number.

There is no fee to obtain a NMBTIN and there are two ways to obtain such an identification number. The first way to obtain a number is to submit an application by mail to the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. The second way to obtain a NMBTIN is to apply online. Online registration is available at: https://tap.state.nm.us/tap. A tax identification number will automatically be generated once registration is complete.

Gross Receipts Tax Rate

Beginning July 1, 2021, new rules took effect. Most businesses are required to pay Gross Receipts Tax based on the tax rate in effect where their goods or the products of their services are delivered. (Destination Sourcing Method). The rules for service providers are more complex because they depend on the type of service provided. Businesses will generally use the location code and tax rate corresponding to the location where their goods or the products of their services are delivered. There are some exceptions. Information about this topic is available at the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department website at https://www.tax.newmexico.gov/.

Note: Effective July 1, 2023, the gross receipts tax rate for Hobbs is 6.5625%.

Business Registration › Mobile Business Registration › Secondhand Dealer's License › Solicitor's Permit › Traveling Amusement Application › Fireworks Permit › Junkyard License › Business Support Page ›


Business Registration - New Merchandise, Sales, Service

Each place of business with an actual physical address located within the Hobbs City Limits, operating a business for the purpose of profit and who are required to have a New Mexico taxpayer identification number, are required to obtain a City of Hobbs Business Registration. The annual cost is $25 per calendar year. (Chapter 5.04 of the Hobbs Municipal Code)

Forms:

Business Registration Application Business Registration Checklist Obtain CRS Identification Number Change of Address Form
Instructions on Obtaining a Business Registration
  • Pursuant to Chapter 5.04.050 of the Hobbs Municipal Code, all persons proposing to engage in business within the municipal limits of the City shall apply for and pay a business registration fee for each outlet, branch or location within the municipal limits of the City prior to engaging in business
  • It is the responsibility of the business owner or tenant to comply with all City, State and Federal Codes and Regulations. If you are changing the use of an existing building, it is your responsibility to comply with all codes for the new use of the building. Please contact the City of Hobbs Code Enforcement at 575-391-8158 or the Building Inspector at 575-397-9234 for further information on code compliance issues.
  • Before a business registration can be issued, the business must apply for and obtain a New Mexico State Business Tax Identification Number. This form must be completed and either mailed to the Taxation Revenue Department at P. O. Box 1557, Roswell, NM 88202-1557 or faxed to 575-624-6070. If the form is faxed, wait approximately one hour and then call 575- 624-6065 to receive your tax number. DO NOT mail the form if it was faxed.
  • You will then need to complete the City of Hobbs Business Registration Application, pay the registration fee of $25.00 and present proof of your New Mexico State Tax Identification Number
  • Penalties for failure to obtain a business registration or pay the annual business registration renewal are provided in Chapter 5.04.110 of the Hobbs Municipal Code.
Business Registrations - Annual Renewal

The annual renewal fee is $25.00 and must be paid by January 31st. A late penalty fee of $10.00 will be assessed to all unpaid registrations beginning February 1st. For your convenience, payment can be made over the telephone using a credit card by calling the City Clerk's Office at 575-397-9200.

Renewals may also be obtained by mail or in person at the City Clerk's Office at City Hall, 200 East Broadway, Hobbs, New Mexico. If your business is no longer in operation, please contact the Clerk's Office to have your business registration cancelled.

As a reminder, if your business is required to have a New Mexico gross receipts tax number, the Hobbs City Code requires a business registration for each business location with the Hobbs city limits.

We are excited to offer our citizens, businesses, and visitors online access 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to a wide array of city services through Self-Service. Please click the above button to renew your business registration.

*PENALTY*

Any person convicted of a violation of any provision of the above chapters of the Hobbs Municipal Code shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500.00 or by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each day that the violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such hereunder.

Mobile Business Registration

Any person who has a valid business registration within the City of Hobbs and is engaged in mobile business activity at a location which is not their usual place of business must pay an additional $100.00 and obtain a Mobile Business Registration. The annual cost is $100.00 per calendar year. (Chapter 5.04.031 of the Hobbs Municipal Code)

Forms:

Business Registration Application (.pdf) Mobile Inspection Checklist (.pdf) Mobile License Application (.pdf) Obtain CRS Identification Number Change of Address Form

Secondhand Dealer's License - Used Merchandise

Any person operating a secondhand store or junkshop within the Hobbs City Limits, engaging in the business of buying and reselling used merchandise or goods, is required to obtain a New Mexico gross receipts tax number and a City of Hobbs Secondhand Dealer’s License. The annual cost is $50 per year.(Chapter 5.32 of the Hobbs Municipal Code)

Forms:

Secondhand Form (.pdf) Checklist (.pdf) Obtain CRS Identification Number

Solicitor's Permit

A solicitor’s license is required for any person who goes from door to door visiting single family or multi-family dwellings and businesses to sell any goods, wares, merchandise or services. The annual fee is $25.00 and fingerprinting is required along with a background check and approval by the Police Chief. All approved solicitors are required to visibly display their valid Solicitor’s Permit issued by the Hobbs City Clerk’s Office which will include a photograph of the solicitor. (Chapter 5.36.010 of the Hobbs Municipal Code)

Forms:

Solicitor Instruction Form(.pdf) New Solicitor Form(.pdf) Obtain CRS Identification Number

Traveling Amusement Application

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

"Amusements" means all persons, firms and corporations, as well as their agents and employees, who engage in the business of providing entertainment to the public, specifically related to carnivals, circuses, rides and menageries.

"Sponsor" means a local, nonprofit organization with whom any traveling amusement has entered into an agreement for the purpose of providing service for the benefit of the sponsor, and whose members actively participate in the conduct and operation of the amusement.

"Traveling" means such amusements as are not otherwise licensed to conduct business in the City.

Forms:

Traveling Amusement Form (.pdf) Requirements (.pdf) Obtain CRS Identification Number

Fireworks Permits

"Aerial device" means a fireworks device that upon ignition propels itself or an insert a significant distance into the air, but does not include a firework that produces a shower of sparks. Aerial device includes sky rocket and bottle rocket, missile-type rocket, helicopter, aerial spinner, Roman candle, mine and shell.

"City Commission" means the Hobbs City Commission.

"Common fireworks" means any fireworks device suitable for use by the public that complies with the construction, performance, composition and labeling requirements promulgated by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission in Title 16, C.F.R. and that is classified as a Class C explosive by the United States Department of Transportation.

"Display distributor" means any person, firm or corporation selling special fireworks.

"Distributor" means any person, firm or corporation selling fireworks to wholesalers and retailers for resale.

"Fire Chief" means the Chief of the Hobbs Fire Department.

"Firework" means any composition or device for the purpose of producing a visible or audible effect by combustion, deflagration or detonation. Fireworks are further classified in the Hobbs fireworks ordinance as permissible fireworks and display fireworks, as defined by the United States Department of Transportation, C.F.R. Title 49, Transportation, Parts 173.88(d) and 173.100(r).

"Ground audible device" means a fireworks device intended to function on the ground that produces an audible effect.

"Hobbs" means the City of Hobbs, New Mexico.

"Manufacturer" means any person, firm or corporation engaged in the manufacture of fireworks.

"Permissible fireworks" means fireworks legal for sale and use in Hobbs under the provisions of the Hobbs fireworks ordinance.

"Retailer" means any person, firm or corporation purchasing fireworks for resale to consumers.

"Special fireworks" means fireworks devices primarily intended for commercial displays which are designed to produce visible or audible effects by combustion, deflagration or detonation including salutes containing more than one hundred thirty (130) milligrams (two (2) grains) of explosive composition, aerial shells containing more than forty (40) grams of chemical composition exclusive of lift charge and other exhibition display items that exceed the limits contained in the Hobbs fireworks ordinance for common fireworks.

"Specialty retailer" means any person, firm or corporation purchasing fireworks for year-round resale in permanent retail stores whose primary business is tourism.

"Wholesaler" means any person, firm or corporation purchasing fireworks for retailers.

Forms:

Fireworks Intstructions (.pdf) Fireworks Application (.pdf) Obtain CRS Identification Number

Junk Yard License

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

"Junk dealers" means all persons engaged in the business of purchasing or selling secondhand or cast off material of any kind, commonly known as "junk," such as old iron, copper, lead, zinc, tin, steel and other metals, metallic cables, wires, ropes, cords, babbing, rags, rubber, paper and other materials.

"Junk yard" in addition to its generally accepted meaning, shall be defined as any lot, block or area within the City limits wherein worn-out or discarded material, in general, is kept, stored or maintained for the purpose of storage, salvage or resale.

Forms:

Junk Yard Form (.pdf) Obtain CRS Identification Number

Lodgers' Tax Information

The purpose of this chapter is to impose a tax which will be borne by persons using commercial lodging accommodations, which tax will provide revenues for the purpose of advertising, publicizing and promoting certain recreational and tourist-related attractions, facilities and events, as well as for acquiring, establishing and operating tourist-related attractions, facilities or transportation system as authorized in Section 3.08.140

Public Notice - Lodgers' Tax

In an effort to educate the public about the ordinances and laws of the City, we are providing the following information for every Vendor who is furnishing any lodgings within the Hobbs City Limits to comply with Section 3.08.1140 of the Hobbs Municipal Code. A Vendor is described as:

"Any person furnishing lodgings in the exercise of the taxable service of lodging."

The Lodgers’ Tax to be paid for renting any taxable promises shall be five (5) percent of Gross Taxable Rent for lodging paid to Vendors. A Taxable Premise is defined as:

“A hotel, apartment, apartment hotel, apartment house, lodge, lodging house, rooming house, motor hotel, guest house, guest ranch, ranch resort, guest resort, mobile home, motor court, auto court, auto camp, trailer court, trailer camp, trailer park, tourist camp, cabin or other premises used for lodging.”

If you have specific questions if Lodgers’ Tax fees are required for you, please contact City Hall at 397-9200.

Lodgers' Tax Report (fillable version) (.pdf)) Lodgers’ Tax Annual Request Form May 1, 2022 to June 2023 (.pdf) Lodgers’ Tax Annual Request Form May 1, 2022 to June 2023 (Excel) Lodgers' Tax Hotel Application (.pdf) Chapter 3 - Revenue and Finance, Lodgers' Tax (.pdf)