Each year droves of recreational vehicle (RV) enthusiasts take to the roads and campgrounds of New Mexico to explore the natural wonders and geology of one of America's loveliest states. Witness a single glimpse of the sun setting behind one of the towering buttes in the heart of the state, and it becomes quickly apparent why Georgia O'Keefe spent her lifetime trying to capture the beauty on canvas.

An RV is defined by the state of New Mexico as a vehicle housing a camping body that has a primary use as "temporary living quarters" when traveling. With an RV, you can really get out into nature without leaving behind all of the comforts of home. Some of these moving mansions are equipped with everything from satellite TVs to jet spas.

Even the campgrounds nowadays are getting more fancy, offering perks like Wi-Fi access. Thus, you might feel like you have hotel amenities without the hotel price, which for folks that travel a ton is a great benefit to the motor home.

If you are a New Mexico resident and have purchased this type of vehicle, there are a few things you will need to take care of before you head for the open road in search of endless adventure. Generally, you will be given temporary registration tags that could last anywhere from 30 to 60 days.

This gives you a chance to collect all the necessary paperwork (and money) needed to properly register the vehicle. The registration procedures for RVs and motor homes will resemble those for other vehicles. So if you have registered other vehicles, like a car or SUV, then the process will be familiar.

If there is going to be a difference in the registration process, it is going to come at the end when you pay the fee. It is definitely going to be higher than most vehicles, simply because the purchase price was probably more―and motor homes tend to weigh a lot.

Considering these two factors are the primary basis for the fee calculation, the initial and annual cost to register an RV is simply going to be higher. But think of all you save traveling when you can take a home along for the journey.

Note: If you purchased a pull-along camper that you tow, it will also need to be registered. The process is the same as registering an RV.

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