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Valencia County, NM Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Adopted code
2009 NM Plumbing Code, 14.8.2 NMAC
Based on
2009 Uniform Plumbing Code
Effective date
July 1, 2011
Fee authority
NMSA 1978 § 60-13-45
Chapter
Valencia County Code Ch. 150

Summary

Unincorporated Valencia County requires plumbing work to follow the 2009 New Mexico Plumbing Code, which the state adopted and amended from the 2009 Uniform Plumbing Code at 14.8.2 NMAC. Valencia County Code § 150.02 made that code effective countywide on July 1, 2011, and § 150.04 has the Board of County Commissioners set permit and plan-review fees by separate resolution under NMSA § 60-13-45.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Valencia County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

The following code editions are hereby adopted as the Building Codes of Valencia County, with the following effective dates: Code Document Effective Date ... 2009 New Mexico Plumbing Code, which adopts and amends the 2009 7-1-2011 Uniform Plumbing Code, 14.8.2 NMAC

Full Breakdown

01, adopts a package of state construction codes by reference rather than printing plumbing standards itself. 2 NMAC, effective July 1, 2011, alongside the county's parallel building, residential, mechanical, electrical, and energy codes adopted in the same table. 03 set the transition rule for that 2011 changeover: construction documents submitted for plan review and building permitting could use either the prior 2006-model codes or the new 2009-model codes until June 30, 2011, but could not mix the two, and after July 1, 2011 every submittal had to conform fully to the 2009 codes; plans still drawn to the 2006 codes stopped being accepted after that date.

02 table would supersede the 2009 edition without changing the surrounding chapter language. 04 does not set a dollar fee in the code itself; it directs the Board of County Commissioners to adopt permit fee schedules by separate resolution under NMSA § 60-13-45, meaning the actual plumbing permit fee is published outside this chapter and can change without amending the ordinance text.

Violations & Fines

Chapter 150 does not print its own penalty section for unpermitted plumbing work; §§ 150.01 through 150.04 cover adoption, transition dates, and fee-setting authority only. A permit is nonetheless required before plumbing work begins under the adopted 2009 New Mexico Plumbing Code, and plan review and inspection fees apply under the fee schedule the Board sets under § 150.04 and NMSA § 60-13-45.

Frequently Asked Questions

What plumbing code applies in unincorporated Valencia County?
Valencia County Code § 150.02 adopts the 2009 New Mexico Plumbing Code, which adopts and amends the 2009 Uniform Plumbing Code under 14.8.2 NMAC, as the standard for plumbing work in the unincorporated county.
When did the current plumbing code take effect in Valencia County?
The 2009 New Mexico Plumbing Code became effective July 1, 2011, per § 150.02. Section 150.03 barred mixing 2006 and 2009 code submittals and stopped accepting 2006-code plans after June 30, 2011.
Who sets the plumbing permit fee in Valencia County?
The ordinance itself sets no dollar amount. Under § 150.04, the Board of County Commissioners adopts the permit and plan-review fee schedule by separate resolution under NMSA 1978 § 60-13-45, which can be updated without amending Chapter 150.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Valencia County

All Valencia County rules

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