Bernalillo County, NM Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Erecting, altering, repairing, demolishing structures
- Shed/accessory exemption
- Under 120 sq ft, no permit
- Fence/wall exemption
- Up to 6 feet tall
- Permit expiration
- 180 days without work started
- Max penalty
- $300 fine, 90 days jail
Summary
Bernalillo County requires a permit before erecting, altering, repairing, moving, or demolishing any building, structure, or building service equipment in unincorporated areas under its adopted Uniform Construction Codes. Albuquerque, Los Ranchos, and Tijeras enforce their own separate building codes.
105.1 Required. Except as specified in subsection 110.2, no building, structure or building service equipment regulated by this Code and the Technical Codes shall be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted, or demolished unless a separate appropriate permit for each building, structure or building service equipment has first been obtained from Bernalillo County.
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
Before any building, structure, or building service equipment is erected, altered, repaired, moved, or demolished in unincorporated Bernalillo County, the owner must obtain a separate permit from the county's Planning and Development Services building program (Uniform Administrative Code § 105.1, adopted via Code § 10-34). Minor work is exempt: one-story accessory sheds under 120 square feet, fences and masonry walls up to 6 feet, and finish work like painting or flooring. Permits must be issued to a Construction Industries Division-licensed contractor, though a homeowner may be issued a permit to build their own single-family home. Fees follow a Commission-set valuation schedule, and an unstarted or stalled permit expires after 180 days.
Violations & Fines
Building without a required permit is a misdemeanor under the county's general penalty: a fine up to $300, up to 90 days imprisonment, or both, plus permit revocation and stop-work orders (Code § 1-6, § 10-32).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a shed in Bernalillo County?
Does Bernalillo County's building code apply inside Albuquerque?
Can a homeowner get their own building permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico building safety overview
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