Albuquerque building department

The City of Albuquerque Building Safety Division, part of the Planning Department, issues building and trade permits and inspects residential and commercial new construction, additions, and remodels inside the city limits. Permits and inspections follow the city’s Uniform Administrative Code. Bernalillo County Planning and Development Services handles the unincorporated areas of the county outside Albuquerque, so a county parcel goes to the county’s Accela portal, not to the city. The permit and plan-review counter is at Plaza del Sol. It is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Inspections and trade permits run 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Since May 30, 2025, the permit counter has been closed Fridays from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. ABQ-PLAN and inspection scheduling stay open during that time.

What needs a permit

The city’s FAQ says building permits and inspections are required for new construction, additions, and remodeling. Its list of common projects that need a permit includes:

• Swimming pools
• Walls, fences, and retaining walls
• Patio covers and porches
• Demolition and relocating a building
• Signs, antennas, and elevators
• Reworking plumbing

The permits page splits that work by permit type:

Permit	Examples the city lists
Building	Walls and fences over 6 feet, re-roofing, PV solar, additions
Electrical	Installing or altering any appliance, device, equipment, or wiring, including a service upgrade
Plumbing/mechanical	Heating or cooling, exhaust hoods, kitchen or bath piping, ductwork, sewer or water lines outside the house, water heaters, pools, gas line repair or replacement

Walls and fences 6 feet or under don’t get a building permit. They need a permit from the Zoning Counter instead (Code Enforcement and Zoning, 505-924-3450). See also do I need a permit for a fence.

Express permits

The Express Permitting System issues some minor permits the same day you apply:

• Residential re-roofs with no truss repairs
• Roof-mounted solar under 50 kW
• Residential water heater replacement
• Small repairs and minor alterations, such as window or door replacement

All inspections are still required, and you request them through your ABQ-PLAN dashboard.

Applying through ABQ-PLAN

ABQ-PLAN is the city’s Tyler EnerGov portal. It replaced the old POSSE and ePlan systems. In ABQ-PLAN you can:

• Apply for building, trade, renovation, and demolition permits
• Upload plans and answer reviewer comments
• Pay fees and schedule inspections

You can also apply in person with a permit technician. Former POSSE and ePlan users can sign up for ABQ-PLAN with the same email address to see their records. If you’re in an HOA, the city says to get the association’s approval before applying, because the city doesn’t enforce HOA rules.

Plan review usually takes about two and a half weeks for residential projects and three and a half weeks for commercial projects. The division’s dashboard (updated October 20, 2026) showed average permit timelines of 12 days for residential building, 18 days for commercial building, 1 day for electrical and for plumbing/mechanical, and same day for express permits. Once a reviewer has comments on your plans, you can book a plan-review appointment online, if you’re a contact on the application. Commercial projects may also need a site plan approval.

Fees and FasTrax

Plan review fees are due when you submit. They equal 65% of the permit fee, plus zoning and hydrology fees. The permit fee itself is due after every reviewing division approves the plans. The fee is based on valuation and square footage. The city’s posted fee table (revised April 2010) lists a zoning fee of $25 for under 4,000 sq ft and $45 for over 4,000 sq ft, plus a $50 hydrology fee. FasTrax is an optional expedited review that guarantees the first review by a set date. It costs three times the standard plan review fee, not counting the zoning and hydrology fees.

Homeowner permits and contractors

Homeowners can pull permits for their own homes. A homeowner can get an electrical or plumbing permit only by passing a written exam with a score of 75% or higher. The exam rules:

• You get four hours for each exam.
• If you fail, you can retake it after 30 days, and you get two attempts in total.
• You can pass only one exam per year.
• The permit is issued right after you pass.

Ductwork and water heater installations must be done by a licensed contractor. Any home that is leased or rented to others needs a licensed contractor to pull the permit. Contractor licenses come from the state Regulation and Licensing Department.

Only the permit owner can cancel a permit. If a homeowner wants a contractor to stop work, the city has a Stop Work Request, and either request must be notarized.

Inspections

The permit owner schedules inspections in ABQ-PLAN or by calling (505) 924-3320. If a contractor pulled the permit, the contractor has to make the request. The city doesn’t set appointment times. Inspector routes are planned by GPS. Requests received before 4:15 p.m. are generally scheduled for the next business day. The Chief Building Official may approve a same-day emergency inspection. Residential inspectors issue certificates of occupancy for new homes. Commercial COs are booked through an online Certificate of Occupancy appointment portal. To report work being done without a permit, call (505) 924-3319.

If work is found without a required permit, the city issues a stop work order and gives the owner 30 to 45 days to comply. A final letter allows 10 more days. After that, a pre-criminal summons gives 10 business days before the case goes to court.

Adopted codes

Effective December 14, 2023, Albuquerque adopted the 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code, Residential Code, and Existing Building Code. The 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code took effect September 28, 2023. The city’s 2023 Uniform Administrative Code took effect February 2, 2024. The codes page also lists the 2021 New Mexico plumbing, mechanical, and energy conservation codes. Home plans have been scanned only since August 1, 2012. To get copies of permit records or plans, file a public records request.