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Albuquerque, NM Environmental Rules: Vehicle Idling Restrictions (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
ROA 1994 § 8-5-1-41
Weight threshold
Under 22,000 pounds G.V.W.
Covers
Public right-of-way and private property
Trigger
Unattended during pickup or delivery
Fine
$30 under § 8-1-3-99(B)(1)
Enacted
Ordinance 100-1983

Summary

Albuquerque bans leaving a delivery vehicle under 22,000 pounds gross vehicle weight running and unattended while the driver makes a pickup or delivery. Section 8-5-1-41 reaches both public right-of-way and private property, so a driver can't leave the engine running while carrying a package to a door even in a private lot.

§ 8-5-1-41 PROHIBITING UNATTENDED DELIVERY VEHICLES FROM BEING LEFT IDLING. No delivery vehicle with a G.V.W. rating of less than 22,000 pounds which is left unattended by its driver during pickup or delivery, whether on public right-of-way or private property, shall be left with the motor running.

Source: Albuquerque Code of OrdinancesView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-95: Current through Ordinance 2026-010, passed 4-6-2026).

Full Breakdown

43) and sits in Part 1 of the parking article, which is why it is framed as a parking-adjacent restriction rather than an air-quality or noise rule. that the driver leaves unattended during an actual pickup or delivery. The Traffic Code's general definitions section, § 8-1-1-2, defines an unattended vehicle as one whose driver is not in a position, or not in adequate mental or physical condition, to observe the vehicle at all times, so a driver who steps inside a store to make a delivery counts as having left the vehicle unattended without stepping fully out of sight.

The rule reaches beyond city streets: it applies whether the vehicle is on public right-of-way or private property, meaning a delivery driver idling in a shopping-center parking lot or an apartment complex driveway is covered exactly the same as one parked at a curb. ; those simply fall outside its weight ceiling and its delivery-vehicle-only scope. There is no separate exception written into the section for weather, refrigeration units, or short stops, so a driver claiming those circumstances would need to argue the vehicle was not truly unattended rather than point to a written exception.

Violations & Fines

Section 8-5-1-41 has no fine written into the section itself. It falls in the parking-violation fine schedule at § 8-1-3-99(B)(1), which lists a $30 fine for the range of sections 8-5-1-31 through 8-5-1-41, covering this idling ban. Each idling delivery vehicle found unattended is a separate, citable violation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a delivery driver leave the engine running while dropping off a package in Albuquerque?
No, not if the vehicle is under 22,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. Section 8-5-1-41 bans leaving such a delivery vehicle running and unattended during a pickup or delivery, on public streets and private lots alike.
Does the idling ban apply to my personal car?
No. Section 8-5-1-41 is limited to delivery vehicles under 22,000 pounds G.V.W. that are left unattended during a pickup or delivery; it does not reach passenger cars warming up or waiting with a driver inside.
What counts as 'unattended' under this rule?
The Traffic Code defines an unattended vehicle at § 8-1-1-2 as one whose driver is not in a position, or not in adequate mental or physical condition, to observe it at all times, so stepping inside to hand off a delivery counts as unattended.
What's the fine for violating the idling ordinance?
The section carries no fine of its own; it falls under the Traffic Code's fine schedule at § 8-1-3-99(B)(1), which lists a $30 fine for sections 8-5-1-31 through 8-5-1-41.

Sources & Official References

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