Bernalillo County, NM Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- R-1 front yard
- 20 ft minimum
- R-1 side yards
- 14 ft combined, 6 ft min each
- R-1 rear yard
- 15 ft minimum
- A-1/A-2 rural zones
- 25 ft front/rear, 10 ft side
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
Unincorporated Bernalillo County's 1973 zoning ordinance sets a 20-foot front, 14-foot combined side, and 15-foot rear yard in the R-1 zone, with wider 25/10/25-foot setbacks in the rural A-1 and A-2 zones.
2.Front Yard:a.There shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than 20 feet except as provided in the Supplementary Height and Area Regulations Section of this ordinance....3.Side Yard:a....there shall be a side yard on both sides of a building the aggregate width of which shall be not less than 14 feet, provided, however, that neither such yard shall be less than six feet in width....4.Rear Yard. Except as hereinafter provided in the Supplementary Height and Area Regulations Section of this ordinance, there shall be a rear yard having a depth of not less than 15 feet.
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
Bernalillo County's Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (App. A, adopted 1973, amended through 2025) sets yard setbacks by district for the unincorporated county. In the R-1 Single-Family Residential zone, Section 9.D requires a 20-foot front yard, combined side yards of at least 14 feet (neither side under 6 feet), and a 15-foot rear yard. The R-2 apartment zone matches those front and rear minimums but drops townhouse front yards to 10 feet. The rural A-1 and A-2 zones require larger 25-foot front and rear yards with a 10-foot side yard. These rules govern only unincorporated county land. Albuquerque, Los Ranchos, and Tijeras enforce their own separate codes.
Violations & Fines
Constructing within a required setback without an approved variance can draw a stop-work order and denial of occupancy; the Zoning Administrator can require the encroaching structure moved or removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do these setbacks apply inside Albuquerque?
How much side yard does an R-1 lot need?
What's the setback in rural agricultural zones?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico building setbacks & zoning overview
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