Santa Fe, NM Accessory Structures: ADU Impact Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- ADU impact fee
- $2,096 combined per dwelling unit
- Fee breakdown
- $1,171 roads, $740 parks, $141 fire, $45 police
- Compared to single-family
- $3,596-$4,297 depending on square footage
- Annual increase
- 12% added each January 1, 2022-2025
- When assessed
- At plat/development plan final approval or permit application
- Governing section
- Santa Fe City Code § 14-8.14(E)(3)-(4)(a)(ii)
Summary
An accessory dwelling unit in Santa Fe doesn't get charged the single-family-detached impact fee. Subsection 14-8.14(E)(4)(a)(ii) treats an ADU as its own land-use category, and the fee schedule in Subsection 14-8.14(E)(3) sets its combined roads, parks, fire and police impact fee at $2,096 per unit, about half the smallest single-family rate.
(4)The land use director shall determine the fee to be collected as a condition of construction permit approval based on the applicable fee schedule in Subsection 14-8.14(E)(3) above and the provisions of this Subsection 14-8.14(E)(4), or on the basis of an independent fee calculation study pursuant to Subsection 14-8.14(F).(a)The determination of the appropriate land use category shall be based on the following.(i)Single-Family Detached means a single-family dwelling , which may consist of a manufactured home or mobile home , and which is detached from other units.(ii)Accessory Dwelling Unit means a dwelling unit complying with the provisions of Subsection 14-6.3(D)(1)....FEE SCHEDULE: Land Use Type Unit Roads Parks Fire Police Total / 1,500 sq. ft. or less Dwelling $2,246 $1,080 $206 $65 $3,596 .../ Accessory Unit Dwelling $1,171 $740 $141 $45 $2,096
Full Breakdown
14, the city's impact fee ordinance adopted under Ordinance No. 2011-37 § 11, requires anyone applying for a construction permit to pay impact fees under the fee schedule in Subsection (E)(3) unless they're exempt or pursuing an independent fee calculation study. 3(D)(1). The fee schedule assigns the Accessory Unit category a combined impact fee of $2,096 per dwelling, split as $1,171 for roads, $740 for parks, $141 for fire, and $45 for police, compared with $3,596 to $4,297 for a single-family detached home depending on square footage.
The city assesses that fee when a plat or development plan receives final approval, or at the development permit application if no plat is required, and collects it at construction-permit issuance; fees are locked to the schedule in effect at assessment for four years, after which the current schedule applies. 14(E)(2). 14(D)(1)(a) exempts alterations or additions to an existing residence that create no additional dwelling unit, so an addition-only remodel that doesn't add a unit owes no separate ADU fee.
Violations & Fines
Impact fees are collected as a condition of construction permit issuance, so an applicant who doesn't pay the ADU fee simply doesn't get the permit; the land use director can also withhold recording of the plat or development plan under Section 14-11.4(A)(2)(c) until the fee is resolved. Beyond that, Chapter 14's general civil fine schedule in Section 14-11.4(C) applies to fee-related violations such as material misrepresentation on a permit application, carrying a $100 fine for a first offense, $250 for a second, and $500 for a third or subsequent offense within a 36-month period.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Santa Fe's impact fee for an accessory dwelling unit?
Does an ADU get charged the same impact fee as a full single-family home?
Do impact fees go up every year in Santa Fe?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Fe
Compare Santa Fe to another location·View the New Mexico accessory structures overview
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