Albuquerque, NM Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration fee
- $25 one-time, per change
- Trigger
- Cited for Housing Code violation
- Penalty
- $500 plus $100 per month
- Exemption
- Owner-occupied, ≤2 tenants, one lease
- Appeal window
- 15 days to City Clerk
Summary
Albuquerque requires a rental property owner cited for a Housing Code violation who fails to fix it to register the property with the city and pay a $25 fee, or face escalating civil penalties.
Every owner of a rental property found to be violating any of the provisions of this Housing Code and failing or neglecting to comply with any orders issued pursuant to any section thereof shall register the property and pay a one-time $25 registration fee. Such registration shall be made on a form provided by the Department and verified by the owner or responsible party. Any changes to the information listed below will require an updated registration with a $25 registration fee. Excluded from this requirement are single-family residences in which the owner permanently resides and rents out less than half of square footage of the residence to no more than two adult tenants who share a single lease. The following information shall be kept current:
(1) Name, address, telephone number and email of the property owner and/or responsible party;
(2) Name, address, telephone number and email of a local agent for the owner, if the owner is not a resident of Bernalillo County;
(3) Name, local address and telephone number and email of a property manager, if any;
(4) Street address, parcel number and legal description of the property;
(5) Any known fines and/or liabilities being assessed against the property;
(6) A 24-hours emergency telephone number where the owner, agent, property manager or responsible party can be reached.
(D) An owner of a residential rental property who fails to comply with any
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
Under the Housing Code, an Albuquerque rental property owner found violating the code who fails or neglects to comply with a compliance order must register the property with the Department and pay a one-time $25 registration fee, on a form verified by the owner or responsible party. Required information includes owner and local-agent contact details, a property manager (if any), the property's legal description, known fines, and a 24-hour emergency phone number, kept current with a new $25 fee for any change. Owner-occupied single-family homes renting less than half their square footage to no more than two tenants sharing one lease are excluded.
Violations & Fines
Noncompliance draws a $500 civil penalty plus $100 for each additional month until the property is registered, appealable to the City Clerk in writing within 15 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every Albuquerque landlord have to register a rental?
What must be included in the registration?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Albuquerque
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