Bernalillo County, NM Building Safety: Fire Sprinkler Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Sprinklers required?
- No blanket mandate. Fire Dept. decides
- Deciding agency
- Fire Prevention Bureau, Bernalillo Co. Fire Dept.
- Governing rule
- Amended IRC §§ R313.1-R313.2, County Code § 10-36
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county only, not Albuquerque
- Penalty
- Up to $300 fine, 90 days jail
Summary
Bernalillo County deleted the International Residential Code's automatic sprinkler mandate for new townhouses and one- and two-family homes. Instead, the Fire Prevention Bureau decides sprinkler requirements case by case under the International Fire Code, in unincorporated areas only.
R313.1 Townhouses and R313.2 One- and two-family dwellings automatic fire sprinkler systems. The requirement for fire sprinkler systems in townhouses and one- and two-family dwellings shall be determined by the Bernalillo County Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau and shall be subject to the International Fire Code as amended and adopted by the Bernalillo County Fire Department.
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
Standard IRC §§ R313.1-R313.2 require sprinklers in every new townhouse and one- or two-family dwelling. Bernalillo County's amendment to its residential building code, adopted under § 10-36, strikes that automatic mandate: whether a sprinkler system is required is instead decided by the Bernalillo County Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau, applying the International Fire Code as the county has amended and adopted it. The building program within Planning and Development Services administers the underlying construction codes, and the fire marshal separately has jurisdiction to test and inspect any sprinkler systems that are installed. These rules bind only unincorporated county land. Albuquerque enforces its own Integrated Development Ordinance, and Los Ranchos de Albuquerque and Tijeras have their own codes.
Violations & Fines
Building without Fire Department-required sprinklers, or violating any Uniform Construction Code provision, is punishable under § 10-32 by a fine up to $300, up to 90 days imprisonment, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a fire sprinkler system in my new Bernalillo County home?
Does this rule apply if I live in Albuquerque?
Who decides whether my project needs sprinklers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico building safety overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.