A. Succeeding registration renewals of the registration plate issued under Section 66-3-14 NMSA 1978 shall cause the division to issue a validating sticker only, except as provided in Subsections B and C of this section.
B. The person to whom the plate is issued may, at any time, apply for the issuance of a duplicate or replacement plate, and upon the surrender of the registration plate he then has, along with the payment of a reasonable fee set by the director that will cover the cost of the production and distribution of the plate, the applicant shall be issued a duplicate or replacement plate.
C. Any peace officer may, upon discovering that the registration plate of any vehicle is illegible because of wear or damage or other cause, issue a citation to the owner or operator of the vehicle. The citation shall provide that the owner shall, within thirty days from the date of the citation, apply for and obtain a duplicate or replacement plate from the division.