Bernalillo County, NM Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max events/year
- 4 per dwelling
- Max duration
- 3 consecutive days
- Sign limit
- 4 sq ft, non-illuminated
- Resale items
- prohibited, household goods only
- Applies to
- unincorporated county only
Summary
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 consecutive days each.
Garage or yard sale, provided: 1. No more than four events are allowed at a given dwelling in any calendar year. The duration of the garage or yard sale shall not exceed three consecutive days. 2. No items shall be purchased for a garage or yard sale for the purpose of resale; items shall be of the type normally accumulated by a household. 3. One non-illuminated, on-premises sign, not exceeding four square feet in area shall be permitted. The sign shall pertain to the garage or yard sale only and shall be permitted only for the three-day period of the sale.
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
No permit is required, but Bernalillo County's zoning ordinance treats garage and yard sales as a permissive residential use only under its listed conditions: no more than four sales per dwelling per calendar year, each capped at three consecutive days. Items must come from normal household accumulation, you cannot buy goods to resell at the sale. One non-illuminated on-premises sign up to four square feet is allowed, displayed only during the three-day sale window. These rules apply solely to the unincorporated county (A-1 and R-1 zones); Albuquerque, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, and Tijeras enforce their own separate codes for residents inside those municipalities.
Violations & Fines
Holding a sale beyond four times a year, exceeding three consecutive days, or posting an oversized or illuminated sign violates the zoning ordinance's permissive-use conditions and can trigger a zoning enforcement notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a yard sale in Bernalillo County?
Does this rule apply if I live in Albuquerque?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico garage & yard sales overview
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