Bernalillo County, NM Building Safety: Scaffold & Sidewalk Shed (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Yes, for special scaffolding-type structures
- Governing provision
- Bernalillo County Code § 34-76 (Appendix L)
- Enforcing agency
- Bernalillo County Fire Prevention Bureau
- Max penalty
- $300 fine and/or 90 days jail
- Advance notice for events
- 30 working days before outdoor events
Summary
Bernalillo County's fire code requires a permit and Fire Code Official-approved construction documents before erecting a special scaffolding-type structure for trade shows, outdoor assembly events, or exhibits in the unincorporated county: construction-site scaffolding isn't separately regulated.
L101.1 Scope. Places of assembly including trade shows and exhibits, outdoor assembly events, outdoor mazes, special amusement buildings and special scaffolding structures shall comply with Appendix L and section 1025. ... L101.3 Construction Documents. Construction documents shall be submitted to the Fire Code Official prior to the construction or modification of special amusement buildings, special scaffolding-type structures, and multi-level exhibits.
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 Bernalillo County Code § 34-76, which locally rewrites Appendix L of the adopted 2021 International Fire Code, any 'special scaffolding-type structure' built for trade shows, outdoor assembly events, mazes, or multi-level exhibits needs a permit from the Bernalillo County Fire Prevention Bureau and construction documents submitted to the Fire Code Official before work begins. Large outdoor events also require site plans filed at least 30 working days ahead. This covers scaffolding erected for public assembly and events in unincorporated Bernalillo County: it does not create a separate standard for ordinary job-site construction scaffolding, and it doesn't apply inside Albuquerque, which runs its own fire code.
Violations & Fines
Violating the fire code, including building without the required permit or approved documents, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $300 fine, 90 days in jail, or both; each 10 days of noncompliance is a separate offense (§ 34-79).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bernalillo County regulate construction scaffolding on building sites?
Does this apply in Albuquerque?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
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