Bernalillo County building department

Bernalillo County Planning and Development Services (PDS) reviews plans, issues building and trade permits, and inspects construction in the parts of the county outside the City of Albuquerque. If your property is inside Albuquerque city limits, your permit comes from the city’s Building Safety Division and its ABQ-PLAN portal, not from the county. The county’s FAQ says the first thing staff do is confirm jurisdiction. Give them your address or the Uniform Property Code (UPC) number from your tax bill, and they’ll check it against the county GIS. Applications go to the Permitting & Development Center at 415 Silver Ave. SW, which is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Until further notice, the center’s deadline for turning in permits is 4 p.m.

What needs a county permit

The FAQ says a building permit is required for any structural change or alteration to a building and for all new construction. Mechanical, plumbing, and electrical work needs its own permits. Work that doesn’t need a permit is listed in Chapter 10, Article II, Section 110 of the county Building Ordinance. The Permitting & Development Center’s most common permit types are:

Category	Permit types (Accela code)
Building	Residential (BRBP), commercial (BCBP), solar (BRSP), swimming pools (BRPP), signs (BSGN), demolition (BDMO)
Trades	Electrical (ELRE/ELCO), mechanical (MGRE/MGCO), plumbing (PGRE/PGCO)
Zoning permissive (ZNP)	Metal storage buildings, smaller signs, zonal certification and verification
Mobile home placement	ZNPH

The county building application form lists permit types for new construction, additions, modular homes, alterations and repairs, demolition, walls over 6 feet, signs over 6 feet, solar arrays, and swimming pools. Each yard wall and retaining wall that isn’t part of a building needs its own permit. Retaining walls over 4 feet must be designed by a registered professional.

Applying online and in person

The Bernalillo County Accela Citizen Access portal lets you search permit and inspection records, pay fees, schedule building inspections, and file code complaints. Since December 2025, licensed contractors can apply online for these permits, with plans reviewed digitally in DigEplan:

• Residential and commercial buildings
• Pools and solar
• Fence and retaining walls
• Signs

The county says online permits for demolition, re-roofing, and manufactured homes are coming later.

Trade permits are online only, and the old PDF forms are retired. To apply online, a contractor needs both a New Mexico contractor license for that trade and a current Bernalillo County business license. Before you pay, confirm that the address is in the county and that you picked the right permit type. The county gives no refunds for either mistake. It won’t issue a trade permit on a property with an unresolved county flag or hold. It also won’t issue a new-construction trade permit unless a building permit is already open. Staff try to process submittals received by 3 p.m. the same day.

Residential submittal and turnaround

For a residential permit, the FAQ asks for:

• A site plan, elevations, floor plans, and a foundation plan
• Floor and roof framing plans
• Electrical plans
• Wall sections and building sections

The county’s residential packet adds an IECC energy compliance certificate, Manual J and Manual D HVAC calculations, a duct layout, and a water conservation form for any work with plumbing.

The packet lists other county requirements:

• A wastewater permit from Natural Resource Services where city sewer isn’t available, and a water-source application where there is no ABCWUA or community water service
• Minimum finished floor elevations in the 100-year floodplain
• A grading and drainage plan near arroyos, required for homes in North Albuquerque Acres and Sandia Heights

The county quotes about five working days for a residential building permit and at least 10 working days for a commercial one.

Most residential projects don’t require an architect, engineer, or licensed contractor. Commercial projects must have plans stamped by a New Mexico architect, and any new plumbing, mechanical, or electrical work must be stamped by an engineer. Commercial work must be built by a contractor holding a New Mexico GB-98 license.

Fees and impact fees

The building plan review and permit fee is based on project valuation, set under County Resolution 25-2009. Trade fees are based on the number of items installed, such as fixtures, AC units, and outlets. Wall permits are priced by height and linear footage. Exact fees are set after plan review. The county also collects impact fees for roads, parks, and fire protection when a permit is issued for new square footage.

Homeowner plumbing and electrical work

A homeowner who passes a county plumbing test can do domestic water piping, sanitary drains and sewer yard lines, and drain venting. A homeowner permit does not cover:

• Gas piping
• Ductwork or radiant tubing
• Gas heating or cooling appliances, or their venting

Homeowner test	Questions	Fee
Plumbing (new house, or a bath/kitchen addition)	28	$25
Gravity sewer yard line	10	$10 (plus a $37.50 sewer yard-line permit)
Airvac sewer yard line	10	$10 (plus a $37.50 sewer yard-line permit)

Every test requires a score of 75% and is based on the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code. The county doesn’t offer classes, doesn’t supply codebooks, and doesn’t accept cash. You don’t need a test to get a homeowner permit for lawn sprinklers or drip irrigation. A separate electrical exam procedure is posted for homeowners. See also owner-builder permits.

Inspections

The person doing the work must call for an inspection before covering or concealing anything. Schedule in Accela or on the inspection line, (505) 314-0351, and have your application number ready. The homeowner is responsible for getting the permit and posting it on the job site. Building Services lists a certified building official, four building inspectors, and a plan reviewer, with their direct phone numbers. Manufactured and mobile home placements use a separate ZNPH zoning permit, with county FAQs on wells and wastewater.