Bernalillo County, NM Ordinances (2026)

Bernalillo County's zoning code allows garage and yard sales as a permissive use in the unincorporated county's A-1 and R-1 zones, capped at four events per dwelling per year, three…

Homes in Bernalillo County's mapped Wildland-Urban Interface areas must maintain defensible space and may need a Fire Code Official-approved fire protection plan.

In wildland-urban interface areas, Bernalillo County requires 30 to 100 feet of cleared defensible space around buildings under the county fire code's Appendix M.

Bernalillo County's Fire Code exempts recreational-fire-sized open burning of yard waste from a burn permit, but the fire code official can still stop reckless burning and…

Bernalillo County bans aerial and loud consumer fireworks outright, requires a permit for retail fireworks sales, and confines lawful discharge to paved or barren ground with water on…

In Bernalillo County's Wildland-Urban Interface areas, LP-gas containers must sit within the property's defensible space, with an exception allowing a separate defensible space built…

Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue regulates open burning in unincorporated areas. Dry weed piles max 3 ft diameter x 2 inches high allowed without permit. Burn hours 10 AM to 3 PM. Must…

Bernalillo County's Fire Code amendment requires every smoke detector, including duct detectors, to be tested with imitation smoke, not a key switch or magnet, under the county's 2021…

Bernalillo County caps what homeowner and condominium associations can charge for disclosure certificates, disclosure statements, or resale certificates at $200 per request, payable at…

County ordinance caps what homeowner and condo associations can charge for a resale or disclosure certificate at $200 per request. Beyond that one fee cap, HOA governance in…

Bernalillo County requires new development and redevelopment on unincorporated land to capture and treat stormwater on-site, sizing controls to the 90th percentile design storm for new…

Anyone building, filling or grading in a mapped flood hazard area of unincorporated Bernalillo County needs a development permit from the county building section before work starts…

Construction and grading in unincorporated Bernalillo County must have a county engineer-approved erosion control plan before work starts, covering all private and public projects that…

New homes and additions built in a mapped Bernalillo County flood hazard area must sit at least one foot above the base flood elevation, basement and ductwork included. Commercial…

Bernalillo County zoning treats street fairs, festivals, carnivals and farmers markets as a conditional use in its agricultural and residential zones: a Zoning Administrator permit…

Bernalillo County requires a parks and recreation permit for events with 150+ people, exclusive-use reservations, amplified sound, alcohol, or temporary structures in county park…

Parades on unincorporated county roads need a licensed traffic escort whose route, timing and safety plan is approved by the county manager and sheriff first.

Unincorporated Bernalillo County requires a permit for plumbing work under the Uniform Plumbing Code adopted at Code Sec. 10-34; Albuquerque, Los Ranchos, and Tijeras enforce their own…

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…

Permit holders in unincorporated Bernalillo County must request each construction inspection from the County Building Department, giving the address, permit number, and inspection…

Bernalillo County's construction code strips away the small-building exemption for day care centers: even a one-story day care with ten or fewer occupants must have its construction…

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…

Bernalillo County requires a permit before erecting, altering, repairing, moving, or demolishing any building, structure, or building service equipment in unincorporated areas under…

In unincorporated Bernalillo County, elevator inspections must be performed by an approved third-party testing agency rather than by county building inspectors, under the Uniform…

Bernalillo County adopts the National Electrical Code and New Mexico Electrical Safety Code for unincorporated areas, and Sec. 105.1 requires a permit from Planning and Development…

Confined wild or domestic fowl and birds in unincorporated Bernalillo County must get food and water at least every 12 hours, and crated birds must be able to stand erect unless it…

In unincorporated Bernalillo County, any dog declared dangerous by its owner or a court must be registered with animal care services under a dangerous dog permit, and keeping a vicious…

Dogs in unincorporated Bernalillo County must be on a leash of no more than six feet whenever off the owner's property, and letting any animal run loose is a separate violation.

Unincorporated Bernalillo County caps a household at four dogs and cats combined, six if every animal is sterilized, before Animal Care Services requires a multiple animal site permit.

Bernalillo County bans owning, keeping, or exhibiting dangerous wild animals as pets in unincorporated areas, covering wolves, big cats, bears, primates, and venomous species, with…

Bernalillo County doesn't require spay/neuter for every pet, but litter and intact-animal permits do: unsterilized litters must be fixed within 120 days, and stray dogs or cats…

Bernalillo County requires an annual license for every dog, cat, or ferret over three months old, but exempts trap-neuter-return colonies of feral cats from its animal abandonment ban.

Unincorporated Bernalillo County bars owning, harboring, or exhibiting a coyote as a wild animal; wolf-coyote hybrids require an annual permit, spay/neuter proof, and county inspection…

Pet groomers in unincorporated Bernalillo County are licensed as professional animal sites, needing an annual permit plus proof of zoning compliance before opening for business.

In unincorporated Bernalillo County, a small animal clinic is a by-right permissive use in the C-1 Neighborhood Commercial Zone and any commercial or industrial zone that carries C-1…

Pet shops in unincorporated Bernalillo County cannot sell cats, dogs, or rabbits outright, and any live companion animal sale requires an approved professional animal site permit.

Bernalillo County requires every dog, cat, and ferret over three months old to carry a county license, and county law makes microchipping the required method of pet identification…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County's R-1 zoning allows raising poultry, rabbits, and livestock as a permitted use, but coops, pens, and corrals must sit at least 20 feet from any…

In unincorporated Bernalillo County, anyone who sets up a recyclable-materials collection point must keep it off the public right-of-way, screen it from view, and register it with the…

Commercial dumpster and roll-off placement in unincorporated Bernalillo County requires county manager site-plan approval, a paved concrete apron, and a sight shield screening…

Dumping solid waste anywhere outside approved collection times and places is unlawful in unincorporated Bernalillo County, and allowing waste to accumulate on a lot is declared a…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County sets exact curbside hours: containers out no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before and by 7 a.m. on collection day, removed by 7 p.m.

Unincorporated Bernalillo County residents must set trash carts out between 5 p.m. the evening before collection and 7 a.m. on collection day, keep them clear of obstructions at the…

Bernalillo County runs mandatory roadside trash collection in designated unincorporated service areas. Residents must set containers out no sooner than 5:00 p.m. the evening before…

Bernalillo County requires tree trimmings and yard waste bundled to no more than four feet long and two feet wide for curbside pickup, with heavier debris needing county-approved…

Bernalillo County treats any plant or weed the USDA or New Mexico Department of Agriculture lists as noxious or invasive as a public nuisance once an inspector finds it interferes with…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County landlords cannot rent out a dwelling unit unless it has working water, sewage, and plumbing service and is clean, sanitary, and fit for human…

In unincorporated Bernalillo County's R-1 zone, a secondary dwelling unit is allowed by right if it meets setback, spacing, and size limits under the county zoning ordinance.

Unincorporated Bernalillo County allows composting or incinerating toilets on tiny-home parcels only if the lot is large enough to keep required setbacks and hold space for a future…

In unincorporated Bernalillo County's R-1 and A-1 zones, a carport built into the required front or side yard needs Zoning Administrator approval and must stay at least three feet off…

In unincorporated Bernalillo County, no one may park on a nonresidential street longer than 30 minutes between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., with an exception only for physicians on…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County requires fire apparatus access roads to have curbs painted red the full length of the lane, with white NO PARKING - FIRE LANE lettering every 15 feet.

Storing a dilapidated or abandoned motor vehicle or vehicle body anywhere in unincorporated Bernalillo County is unlawful unless the property is zoned for that use. The county manager…

Driveway and parking surface requirements in unincorporated Bernalillo County vary by zoning district under Appendix A. Rural areas are generally more permissive. Flatwork such as…

In unincorporated Bernalillo County, RVs and boats must be stored in the rear yard unless rear access is unavailable, in which case front-yard parking is allowed under strict setback…

Bernalillo County's zoning ordinance does not set fixed loading-dock hours or dimensions; instead § 21(E) leaves the number and placement of required off-street loading spaces to the…

On unincorporated Bernalillo County streets, parking is banned in specified places, sidewalks, crosswalks, in front of driveways, within 15 feet of hydrants, and vehicles must park…

The county manager can post signs banning commercial vehicles and load-limited trucks from specific unincorporated county streets, including side residential streets used as…

Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies can order a non-consent tow when a stranded vehicle's owner can't be found; a rotation-list wrecker responds within 30 minutes or the county calls…

Bernalillo County requires pawnbrokers, secondhand dealers and precious metals dealers in unincorporated areas to get a business registration certificate and post a $10,000 bond before…

Bernalillo County requires an annual county license to operate a sexually oriented business, and its zoning code keeps adult amusement establishments at least 2,000 feet from each…

Pawnbrokers, secondhand dealers and precious metals dealers in unincorporated Bernalillo County cannot operate without a business registration certificate and a $10,000 surety bond…

Bernalillo County does not issue a separate tobacco or vape retailer license, but it bans selling any tobacco or e-cigarette product to anyone under 21, requires age verification and…

Home-based businesses in unincorporated Bernalillo County are capped at 25% of floor area with no exterior signs of business use, and client visits require a Conditional Use permit.

In unincorporated Bernalillo County, caring for three to six children in your home is a zoning-defined "Family Day Care Home" that needs Zoning Administrator conditional-use approval…

In unincorporated Bernalillo County, a home business that receives clients, customers, or patrons on-site needs Zoning Administrator approval as a conditional use: it is not an…

Bernalillo County caps industrial-zone sound at 75 dB(A) in daytime and 70 dB(A) at night, measured at the receiving property line under Code § 30-115.

Bernalillo County Code section 30-120 bars keeping any animal or fowl that, by sound, cry, or behavioral noise lasting an unusual length of time, causes annoyance or discomfort to a…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County bans modifying a muffler to make a vehicle louder than stock and sets decibel limits for vehicles by type, weight and speed.

Amplified outdoor music and loudspeaker use in unincorporated Bernalillo County must register with the county's permits and licenses division, run only between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00…

Aircraft and helicopters flying over unincorporated Bernalillo County may not produce noise exceeding 90 dB(A), and jet engine testing near homes is capped at 50 dB(A) between 10 p.m…

Outside construction or repair work within a residential zone, or within 500 feet of one, is barred between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. unless the county manager issues a permit…

Bernalillo County bans running radios, TVs, stereos or similar sound equipment loudly enough to disturb neighbors between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. in unincorporated areas; Albuquerque and…

Bernalillo County requires a permit before building a fence in the unincorporated county, but exempts fences and freestanding masonry walls that stand six feet or under, so most…

Where a buffer fence is required between commercial or industrial land and a single-family residential zone in unincorporated Bernalillo County, it must be 'visually solid'…

Bernalillo County's zoning ordinance caps most fences and walls built within a required setback at eight feet, while requiring a solid six-foot wall or fence wherever a nonresidential…

Bernalillo County exempts a retaining wall from a building permit only if it stands three feet or less from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall and does not hold back a…

Bernalillo County requires property owners to keep the airspace over adjoining streets and sidewalks clear of tree branches and other vegetation up to a height of eight feet, with the…

On county-managed open space, removing, damaging, or destroying any tree or other vegetation is banned outright under the Open Space Management Ordinance unless the county authorizes…

Bernalillo County bars owners from letting weeds accumulate or grow out on any unincorporated lot under two acres, plus adjacent alleys and sidewalks; larger tracts avoid the outright…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County limits spray irrigation to between 7 p.m. and 11 a.m. from April 1 through October 31, though the rule only binds properties not served by the…

Bernalillo County lets new commercial and large multifamily developments satisfy water-conservation requirements by installing a rainwater harvesting cistern sized to hold half of…

Bernalillo County caps high-water-use turf at 10% of landscape area for new development in the unincorporated county, pushing most planting toward low-water, medium-water, and…

Private above-ground and portable pools used only by the homeowner's own family or guests are exempt from Bernalillo County's swimming pool permit, but they must still meet the code's…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County requires every swimming pool to be enclosed by a fence or wall at least 36 inches high with self-closing, locking gates kept locked when unattended.

Bernalillo County bars mobile food and ice cream vendors from streets and sidewalks within 900 feet of a school during school hours, plus sets curb-parking and time-of-day limits.

Mobile food trucks can operate as a food establishment court only in the C-2 Community Commercial and C-LI Commercial/Light Industrial zones, under a county-approved site plan meeting…

Mobile food units in unincorporated Bernalillo County need a servicing-area agreement, proper vehicle licensing, and 3-inch identifying signage under the county's Environmental Health…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County caps single-family homes at 26 feet or two-and-a-half stories in the A-1, A-2, R-1, and M-H zones under the county's 1973 zoning ordinance; Albuquerque…

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…

Bernalillo County's only lot-coverage ceiling in its zoning ordinance applies to special-use industrial parks: under § 18(15)(c), principal and accessory buildings on an approved…

County code bars water waste in unincorporated Bernalillo County; a broken pipe or malfunctioning water system must be fixed within 48 hours of notification or the water shut off until…

Bernalillo County caps high-water-use turf at 10% of landscaped area on most new development in the unincorporated county, with narrow exceptions for small lots, large multifamily…

New commercial and large multifamily developments over one acre in unincorporated Bernalillo County can satisfy the county's water-conservation building-permit requirement by supplying…

Bernalillo County requires every food service establishment to post an inspection grade placard reading Approved, Unsatisfactory, or On Notice, based on the environmental health…

Used needles, syringes and other infectious waste can't go in the regular trash cart in unincorporated Bernalillo County. County Code Sec. 70-39(d)(1) bars any infectious or contagious…

Bernalillo County requires every food employee to pass an approved food handler training test and hold a valid food handler card, obtained within 30 days of starting work at a food…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County requires every building, lot, and premises to stay free of insect and rodent harborage, and lets the county's environmental health authority order…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County requires anyone using or occupying county right-of-way for private purposes to first execute a right-of-way use agreement, pay fees, and carry…

Owners, occupants, or agents in charge of property abutting a sidewalk in unincorporated Bernalillo County must keep it clean, repaired, and free of obstructions like ice, snow, and…

Bernalillo County bars street furniture or any item that narrows a sidewalk below the Technical Standards' minimum width, unless the county engineer grants a deviation, under County…

In the A-1 and A-2 Rural Agricultural zones, unincorporated Bernalillo County's zoning ordinance protects ranching, farming, and dairy operations and states the rules aren't meant to…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County bans obstructing pedestrian movement or camping in public rights-of-way at streets and intersections flagged as high-crash locations, with warnings…

Bernalillo County Code Section 58-12(b)(20) makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate anywhere in a county park or recreation facility except in a plumbing fixture or chemical toilet…

Bernalillo County Code Section 58-12(b)(31) bars skateboards and other human-powered devices from tennis courts, basketball courts, running tracks and other sports surfaces in county…

Bernalillo County bans possessing, drinking, or selling alcohol in any county park or recreation facility unless covered by a written agreement or a state dispenser's permit.

In unincorporated Bernalillo County's C-2 commercial zone, businesses near a freeway on/off-ramp get one extra freestanding sign, and freeway-oriented signs face a 26-foot height cap…

In unincorporated Bernalillo County, garage and yard sale signs are capped at one non-illuminated sign per property, four square feet, posted only during the three-day sale.

In the C-2 and M-1 zones of unincorporated Bernalillo County, billboards can't flash, blink, or use intermittent lighting: a bar on animated LED and digital message displays under the…

In the unincorporated East Mountain Area, Bernalillo County bans electrical illumination of off-premise billboards outright and requires on-premise advertising sign lighting to be…

Unincorporated North Albuquerque Acres, Sandia Heights, and the East Mountain Area must use shielded, cutoff outdoor light fixtures on timers, capped at 16 feet, dark from 11 p.m. to…

In North Albuquerque Acres and Sandia Heights, outdoor light fixtures must be cutoff or shielded, run on timers or motion sensors, shut off between 11 p.m. and sunrise, and stay under…

The Nuisance Abatement Office investigates complaints against junk, inoperative vehicles, weeds, and unscreened outdoor storage on unincorporated county parcels, backed by fines up to…

Bernalillo County's Nuisance Abatement Office (NAO) accepts nuisance complaints on prescribed forms, investigates credible health and safety threats, and decides whether to pursue…

Bernalillo County does not let a single A-weighted decibel reading decide a bass complaint. County Code § 30-114 requires measurement in octave bands as low as 63 Hz, capturing…

Sounding a car alarm or theft-deterrent device on public streets in unincorporated Bernalillo County is a violation once it goes beyond a genuine danger warning: County Code § 30-126…

Heavy trucks over four tons cannot idle more than two minutes within 150 feet of residential property in unincorporated Bernalillo County, but County Code § 30-123(b)(2) carves out an…

Bernalillo County bans operating machinery, fans, compressors or air conditioning that pushes noise at the property line above the zone's decibel limits set in Sec. 30-115.

Bernalillo County's Safer Community Places law (Ch. 51, Ord. No. 2025-33, adopted Nov. 18, 2025) bars designated hospitals, schools, shelters and county facilities from giving law…

Bernalillo County Code Section 54-56 bars anyone under 17 from a public place or business establishment from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday nights, and from 12:01 a.m. to…

Bernalillo County doesn't set one countywide park curfew: the county manager fixes and posts operating hours for each unincorporated-county park facility, and staying inside after…

Bernalillo County's fire code amendment excludes propane, natural gas and white-gas outdoor grills from the definition of regulated open burning, so residents of the unincorporated…

In Bernalillo County's designated Wildland-Urban Interface areas, from the Sandia foothills to the East Mountains, any smoker, grill or other device that produces heat, sparks or open…

Bernalillo County Code Section 54-34 bars obstructing or impeding pedestrian movement, and bars camping, on streets, sidewalks, medians or crosswalks at any "dangerous streets and…

Bernalillo County Code Section 54-33 makes it unlawful to enter, remain, camp or loiter in any arroyo, drainage channel, irrigation channel or piping right-of-way owned or maintained…

Bernalillo County has not opted out of cannabis retail: § 22.4.20 lets cannabis retailers, couriers, and lounges locate as a permissive use in C-1 zones and higher, and cultivation in…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County requires cannabis retailers, lounges, couriers, and manufacturers to sit at least 300 feet from a school or day care, with some uses also needing 300…

Bernalillo County treats dilapidated, unsecured, or unsafe buildings outside incorporated areas as public nuisances under Chapter 11, letting the Nuisance Abatement Office order…

Unincorporated Bernalillo County bans letting weeds or litter accumulate on any lot under two acres, and requires a 20-foot firebreak on larger parcels. Albuquerque and the villages…

The Nuisance Abatement Office may conduct periodic inspections of buildings and land, not just respond to complaints, to check compliance with the county's building, health and…

Renters and neighbors report substandard housing or nuisance conditions to Bernalillo County's Nuisance Abatement Office on NAO-prescribed complaint forms, triggering an investigation…

Subdividing more than 24 lots in unincorporated Bernalillo County requires a state-permitted archaeologist's survey for cultural properties, archaeological sites, and unmarked burials…

Installing solar panels in unincorporated Bernalillo County requires a building or electrical permit from the Building Division before work starts, and every solar application must…

Bernalillo County Code Section 58-10 requires anyone who wants to film or hold a performance in a county park or recreation facility to obtain a permit from the county manager at least…

Bernalillo County's Automated Speed Enforcement ordinance lets camera-detected speeding tickets go straight to the vehicle's registered owner, who faces a $100 civil fine or four hours…