Bernalillo County, NM Code Violation Reporting: How to Report (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- Nuisance Abatement Office (NAO)
- How to file
- Complaint on NAO-prescribed form
- Criminal penalty
- Up to $300 fine, 90 days
- Coverage
- Unincorporated county only
- Appeal deadline
- 15 days after determination
Summary
Bernalillo County's Nuisance Abatement Office (NAO) accepts nuisance complaints on prescribed forms, investigates credible health and safety threats, and decides whether to pursue voluntary compliance or immediate abatement action, covering unincorporated county areas only.
Complaints of nuisance violations under this chapter shall be made on forms prescribed by the NAO. However, county employees have a duty to protect public health and safety and shall investigate known credible threats to health and safety. When a nuisance is alleged or observed, the NAO shall investigate, and if the apparent nuisance is substantiated, determine whether abatement can be accomplished over time or if public health and safety requires immediate action.
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
File a nuisance complaint with Bernalillo County's Nuisance Abatement Office (NAO) using the forms the NAO prescribes; county employees separately have a duty to investigate known credible threats to public health and safety even without a form. The NAO investigates every complaint, determines whether the condition is substantiated, and decides whether it can be corrected through a cooperative timeline or requires immediate emergency action. For non-emergency nuisances the NAO first seeks voluntary correction (Sec. 11-8) before escalating to administrative hearings, criminal charges in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, or a clean-and-lien action against the property. This applies only to unincorporated county land. Albuquerque, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, and Tijeras enforce their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
Owners who ignore a nuisance notice face administrative hearings, a clean-and-lien action placing county costs on the property, or criminal prosecution in Metropolitan Court: a petty misdemeanor punishable by up to $300 and 90 days' imprisonment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report a nuisance property in Bernalillo County?
Does this cover properties in Albuquerque?
What happens if I ignore the NAO's notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico code violation reporting overview
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