Santa Fe building department

The City of Santa Fe Land Use Department is the authority having jurisdiction over building permits inside Santa Fe city limits. Its Building Division takes applications online through the Citizen Self-Service (CSS) portal, which runs on Tyler EnerGov, or at in-person appointments, depending on the permit type. The division is on the first floor of Santa Fe City Hall, 200 Lincoln Ave. Use the southwest entrance facing Marcy Street, nearest the Convention Center. In-person intake is by appointment only, on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. General permit questions go to [email protected]. Don’t mail permit submittals unless the division has authorized it first.

What needs a permit

The city says most construction inside city limits needs a permit. It specifically lists:

• Re-roofing and window replacement
• All storage sheds, whatever their size
• Solar panels
• New and replacement mechanical equipment
• Re-stuccoing and driveways
• Exterior business signs
• Manufactured home placement

Work that doesn’t need a permit:

Residential	Commercial
Interior and exterior painting	Interior painting
Minor landscaping	Minor landscaping
Carpet, tile, cabinets, countertops	Tile and carpet that meet Chapter 3 of the 2009 ANSI standard
Freestanding decks under 120 sq ft	—

Exterior work in one of the city’s historic districts must be approved first by the Historic Preservation Division. Most simple maintenance and repair in a historic district doesn’t need a construction permit. See also do I need a permit for a deck.

Online permits vs. appointments

Some permit types can be filed online in CSS:

• Residential Express: re-roof, re-stucco, window and door replacement, sheds, and decks
• Commercial Express
• Solar: residential and commercial
• Walls and fences
• Stand-alone trade permits: electrical, mechanical, plumbing/gas, and sewer
• Secondary trade permits under an active primary permit. These usually don’t need drawings, but intake staff may ask for equipment cut sheets.

Other projects go through appointment intake:

• New homes, additions, and remodels
• Accessory dwelling units and accessory structures
• New commercial and multifamily buildings, commercial tenant improvements, and pools

Email submittals are not accepted except in special cases arranged in advance with the Building Division Manager. Third-party plan review is open only for new commercial buildings.

After you submit, watch your CSS dashboard for holds, review comments, and invoices. Wait five business days before asking for a status update, and expect a reply in three to five business days. To see full permit details in CSS, you must be listed as a contact on the permit.

Revisions go in the “revisions” bin in the Land Use lobby. Drop-off hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Friday, 8 to 11 a.m. Number of copies required:

Plan type	Copies
Re-roof	2
Solar	2
Pool	3
Residential	4
Commercial	6

No inspections are allowed while a permit amendment is under review.

Fee highlights

Primary permit fees are based on construction valuation. Trade permits carry fixed fees by item. Highlights from the city’s Planning & Land Use fee schedule (effective January 1, 2021):

Item	Fee
Residential plan review	50% of the permit fee
Commercial plan review	75% of the permit fee
Solar system permit	$100
Green Building Code review (residential)	$100 per permit
Electrical, mechanical permit issuance	$40 each
Plumbing/gas permit issuance	$50
Mandatory pre-submittal meeting, large projects	$500
Building without a permit	Double the original permit fee
Re-inspection or additional inspection	$60/hour, 2-hour minimum
After-hours inspection	$85/hour

Permit extensions are requested by email to the permit counter. Each one adds 180 days from the expiration date and costs $100.

Inspections

You can request inspections for every permit type in CSS. You choose a day and an AM or PM slot, but you won’t get a set time. Building inspections may lag two to three business days behind the date you request. Terrain management inspections may lag three to five business days. To cancel, email [email protected] with the permit and inspection numbers. For other inspection questions, call (505) 955-6150. The Inspections & Enforcement Division is on the lower level of City Hall.

Codes and local amendments

Santa Fe enforces these codes:

• 2021 New Mexico commercial, residential, existing building, plumbing, mechanical, and energy codes
• 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code
• 2021 International Fire Code
• New Mexico earthen building codes
• ICC A117.1-2017 for accessibility

The city has its own amendments to the plumbing code and the fire code. The Santa Fe Residential Green Building Code applies to all new single-family homes, guesthouses, additions, and remodels.

Every construction site must follow the city’s stormwater best management practices. A site that disturbs one acre or more also has to file an EPA Notice of Intent.