Bernalillo County, NM Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Bernalillo County, NM, also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations, set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Key Facts
- Minimum setback
- 3 feet from property line
- Approval needed
- Zoning Administrator conditional-use approval
- Structure rule
- No solid wall within setback area
- Zones covered
- A-1 and R-1 (unincorporated county)
Summary
In unincorporated Bernalillo County's R-1 and A-1 zones, a carport built into the required front or side yard needs Zoning Administrator approval and must stay at least three feet off the property line.
Carport in the required front or side yard, provided: 1. No part is within three feet of a property line. 2. No building wall is ever built within a required setback area. The distance between support columns that are located within a required setback area must remain open and free of obstructions. 3. Water run-off from the carport must not adversely affect adjacent property or the public right-of-way.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 92).
Full Breakdown
Under the county's 1973 zoning ordinance, a carport placed in the required front or side setback is a conditional use in the A-1 Rural Agricultural and R-1 Single-Family Residential zones, meaning the Zoning Administrator must approve it before you build. The carport can't sit within three feet of any property line, and the space between its support columns inside the setback has to stay open: no solid wall may ever be built there. Roof runoff can't drain onto neighboring property or the public right-of-way. This applies only in unincorporated Bernalillo County; Albuquerque enforces its own Integrated Development Ordinance for carports inside city limits.
Violations & Fines
Building the carport without Zoning Administrator conditional-use approval, enclosing the support columns with a wall inside the setback, or letting runoff drain onto a neighbor's lot or the right-of-way violates the ordinance and can draw code enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a carport in my front yard in unincorporated Bernalillo County?
Do these carport rules apply inside Albuquerque?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
How Bernalillo County compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico accessory structures overview
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