Driving Tests

New Mexico School Bus Stop Law: When to Stop and What It Costs

informational·how to guide·Published April 22, 2026

When must you stop for a school bus in New Mexico?

In New Mexico, stop for a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing: on your side of the road, on the opposite side or at an intersection ahead. You may keep going only when the bus comes toward you and a median or other physical barrier separates the roadways. Passing a stopped school bus illegally carries 6 points and a $100 penalty assessment.

Where these school bus facts come from

The stop rules and the school zone speed come from the New Mexico Driver Manual of the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), version of November 19, 2019. The points come from the point schedule in 18.19.5 NMAC, effective March 14, 2023, and the $100 amount from the MVD Schedule of Assessments of July 1, 2024. The ticket options come from the MVD traffic tickets page. The court and teen rules come from the bill texts of 2014 Senate Bill 19 and 2011 Senate Bill 9. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the New Mexico MVD (mvd.newmexico.gov) before you drive.

Stop or go: each New Mexico school bus case

The bus is stopped on your side of the road with its red lights flashing.

Stop, and stay stopped while the red lights flash.

The bus is stopped on the opposite side of the road with its red lights flashing, and no median or other physical barrier separates the roadways.

Stop. Traffic in both directions must stop on a road like this.

The bus is stopped with its red lights flashing at an intersection you are approaching.

Stop, as you do for a bus on your side of the road.

You drive behind the stopped bus on a divided highway.

Stop. The median exception is only for a bus that comes toward you.

The bus comes toward you, and a median or other physical barrier separates your roadway from its roadway.

You are not required to stop. Test yourself with the practice question about a school bus across a median.

When you can drive again after a school bus stop

1
Stay stopped while the red lights flash
Keep your vehicle stopped for the whole time the bus shows its flashing red lights.
2
Watch for children when the lights go off
The end of the red lights is not your signal to go. Look for children along the side of the road.
3
Go only when the roadway is clear and safe
Do not move until the children have completely left the roadway and it is safe to go. If two children still walk in front of the bus, you stay stopped. Try the practice question about children around a stopped bus.

What passing a school bus costs in New Mexico

What passing a school bus costs in New Mexico
Item	New Mexico rule	Source
Penalty assessment	$100 for improper passing of a school bus (section 66-7-347)	MVD Schedule of Assessments, July 1, 2024
Points	6 points for passing a school bus that takes on or lets off passengers, or that shows a warning not to pass	18.19.5.52 NMAC
When points go on your record	After a conviction	18.19.5.51 NMAC
When points come off	Automatically at the end of the 12th month after the month of the violation	18.19.5.51 NMAC

Paying the $100 penalty assessment or going to court

When an officer writes a New Mexico traffic ticket, you get two options: pay the penalty assessment or go to court to contest the ticket. The 2014 text of section 66-8-116 (Senate Bill 19) also sets $100 for passing a school bus. Under that text, if you take a court date instead of the penalty assessment, a fine after a conviction cannot be more than the penalty assessment. The same text excludes a violation that caused or contributed to a crash that injured or killed a person.

How 6 points can lead to a warning or a suspension

6 or more points: the MVD may warn you that your license could be suspended. One school bus conviction alone reaches this level.
7 to 10 points for violations within one year: if a municipal or magistrate judge recommends it, the MVD suspends your license for up to three months.
12 or more points for violations within 12 months in a row: the MVD suspends your license for 12 months.
Points count on state, county and city roads alike. They add up with points from other tickets, so a school bus conviction and a speeding conviction in the same year bring you closer to 12.

School zone speed and crossing guards

The 2019 New Mexico Driver Manual gives a maximum of 15 mph in a school zone with a posted speed limit. Near schools, playgrounds and residential streets, expect children to cross the street or to run or ride into it without looking. You must also obey a school crossing guard who directs traffic. Practice with the question on the school zone maximum speed.

Extra delay for teen drivers with a speeding conviction

For a teen with an instruction permit or a provisional license, a conviction can cost time as well as points. The 2011 graduated licensing law (Senate Bill 9) lists the traffic violations that add 30 days to the permit or provisional hold period for each conviction, and speeding is on that list. See how a ticket delays a teen's next license step.

Key takeaways

Stop for a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing: on your side, on the opposite side or at an intersection ahead.
Oncoming drivers may keep going only when a median or other physical barrier separates the roadways.
When the red lights go off, wait until the children have left the roadway and it is safe.
Passing a stopped school bus carries 6 points and a $100 penalty assessment.
Drive no faster than 15 mph in a posted school zone.
Next step: practice these rules on the free New Mexico Class D practice test, which is in English only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to stop for a school bus on the other side of a two-lane road in New Mexico?

Yes, when no median or other physical barrier separates the two directions. The exception for oncoming drivers needs a median or barrier, so a stopped bus with flashing red lights on the other side means you stop. Go again only after the lights stop and the children have completely left the roadway.

Is passing a school bus a misdemeanor in New Mexico?

Yes. The MVD lists improper passing of a school bus (section 66-7-347) in its July 1, 2024 schedule of penalty assessment misdemeanors, with a $100 amount. After a conviction, the violation also puts 6 points on your New Mexico driving record.

Can I pay a New Mexico school bus ticket without going to court?

Yes, if the 'Penalty Assessment' box on your ticket is checked. Pay by one of the options on the back of the ticket: courts take payment by mail or in person, and some take a credit card by phone. If the 'Court Appearance' or 'Traffic Arraignment' box is checked, you may have to appear in person by the date on the ticket.

Do I have to stop behind a school bus on a divided highway in New Mexico?

Yes. The median exception is only for a bus that comes toward you. When you drive behind a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing, you must stop, also on a divided highway. Go again only after the lights stop, the children have completely left the roadway and it is safe.

Do I get New Mexico points for passing a school bus in another state?

Yes, when the violation would carry points if it had happened in New Mexico. The MVD assesses points for violations of the traffic laws of other jurisdictions on that basis. Passing a stopped school bus carries 6 points in New Mexico, so an out-of-state conviction for it can count too.