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Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Occupancy in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Required before any building, structure, or portion thereof may be used or occupied in Albuquerque, and before any change in the existing occupancy classification or use of a building may be made. Issued by the Building Official under UAC Section 115 after final inspection approvals are secured from every City department or division involved in code enforcement (Building Safety trades, Zoning, Hydrology, Solid Waste, Environmental Health, and the Fire Marshal's Office, as applicable).

Verified 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Buildings or structures shall not be used or occupied, nor shall a change in the existing occupancy classification of a building or structure (or portion thereof) be made, until the Building Official has issued a Certificate of Occupancy (UAC Section 115.1)
  • Changes in the character or use of a building shall not be made except as specified in the Building Code (UAC Section 115.2, 'Change in Use')
  • A request for a Certificate of Occupancy is made by the owner or agent after final inspection approvals have been secured from all City departments/divisions involved in enforcement of pertinent codes, ordinances, or laws (UAC Section 115.3)
  • A Certificate of Shell Completion (where applicable) must be issued before a Certificate of Occupancy or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy can be issued (UAC Section 115.5)
  • The Certificate of Occupancy must be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises and may not be removed except by the Building Official (UAC Section 115.6)
  • A permit becomes null and void if the permittee has not requested a Certificate of Occupancy within 180 days of the final inspection (UAC Section 111.4); operating without a valid Certificate of Occupancy may result in penalties under Section 9 of the Uniform Administrative Code

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Certificate of Occupancy2024 City of Albuquerque Uniform Administrative Code, Table 112-A, Other Inspections and Fees, item 10 — reconstructed from the official PDF's row-shifted text extraction (the same documented trap as this table's demolition-fee entry elsewhere in this record): the raw text shows an orphan '$100.00' value immediately before item 9's 'Temporary Certificate of Occupancy' label (confirming that record's existing note that $100.00 belongs to item 9, not to item 8's demolition fee), and a '$50.00' value trailing item 9's own label line that — by the same one-row shift — is item 10's actual Certificate of Occupancy fee
$50.00 each
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (including each 30-day extension, up to 12 months total)UAC Table 112-A, Other Inspections and Fees, item 9, and Section 115.4 (extension fee); see reconstruction note on the standard Certificate of Occupancy fee above
$100.00 each
Change of occupancy / change of useUAC Section 115.1 treats a change in occupancy classification as requiring a new Certificate of Occupancy, not a distinct fee product; any tenant-improvement or remodel work needed to accomplish the change of use requires its own building permit, priced on Table 112-A's valuation-based schedule plus the standard 65% plan review fee
No separate standalone fee is published — governed by the same Certificate of Occupancy fee above

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Occupancy permit actually take in Albuquerque?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Building/Trade Inspections

    Building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical final inspections completed and approved

  2. 2

    Fire Marshal Final Inspection

    Fire/life safety issues, fire protection systems, exiting, sanitary facilities, parking spaces, and accessibility provisions confirmed compliant (required before a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy per UAC Section 115.4)

  3. 3

    Certificate of Occupancy Verification

    Planning Research Coordinator verifies that all required City department/division approvals are recorded before preparing and issuing the Certificate of Occupancy

See the full Albuquerque inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Schedule your Certificate of Occupancy appointment through the City's online portal in advance to reduce wait times, per the Building Safety Division's Commercial Inspections guidance.
  • A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy is valid for 30 days and can be extended in 30-day increments up to a maximum of 12 months total; an additional Temporary CO fee is due for each extension.
  • If your project was permitted as a shell building, a Certificate of Shell Completion must be issued before a Certificate of Occupancy or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy can be granted.
  • A change of use or change of occupancy classification is processed through the same Certificate of Occupancy mechanism, not a separate 'change of use permit' product — but any construction needed to accomplish the change still requires its own building permit.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Per UAC Section 115.1, no change in the existing occupancy classification of a building or structure (or portion of one) may be made until the Building Official issues a new Certificate of Occupancy covering that use. Section 115.2 similarly bars changes in the character or use of a building except as specified in the Building Code.

$50.00 per UAC Table 112-A. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy — issued before all permitted work is complete — is $100.00, including for each 30-day extension (maximum 12 months total). There is no separate fee for a change of occupancy/use beyond the standard Certificate of Occupancy fee, though any accompanying construction work requires its own building permit.

Albuquerque does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Albuquerque Planning Department — Building Safety Division at (505) 924-3320 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Certificate of Occupancy Request; Final Inspection Approvals. Depending on your project, Albuquerque may also ask for: Certificate of Shell Completion. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Albuquerque requires 3 inspection(s) for a certificate of occupancy / change of occupancy permit, in order: Final Building/Trade Inspections, Fire Marshal Final Inspection, Certificate of Occupancy Verification. Schedule each through City of Albuquerque Planning Department — Building Safety Division ((505) 924-3320).

Apply through City of Albuquerque Planning Department — Building Safety Division at Plaza Del Sol Building, 600 2nd St. NW, Suite 190, Albuquerque, NM 87102. Phone: (505) 924-3320. Office hours: Building Permits & Plan Review: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday–Friday. Building/Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical Inspections & Trade Permits: 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday–Friday. The Building Safety permit counter is closed every Friday from 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM.. Official information: https://www.cabq.gov/planning/building-safety-division.

Albuquerque, New Mexico has adopted: 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code — adopted statewide by the NM Construction Industries Commission (NMAC Title 14), effective in Albuquerque December 14, 2023; 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code — adopted statewide by the NM Construction Industries Commission (NMAC Title 14), effective in Albuquerque December 14, 2023; 2021 New Mexico Existing Building Code — effective in Albuquerque December 14, 2023; 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code — effective in Albuquerque September 28, 2023; 2021 New Mexico Mechanical Code, including Appendixes A, B, C, and D; 2021 New Mexico Plumbing Code, including Appendixes A, B, C, D, E, F, I, K, and L; 2012 New Mexico Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code; 2012 New Mexico Solar Energy Code; 2021 New Mexico Residential Energy Conservation Code (includes EV-charging-readiness requirements adopted by the Construction Industries Commission, required on new construction starting July 30, 2024); 2021 New Mexico Commercial Energy Conservation Code (includes EV-charging-infrastructure parking requirements, required on new construction starting July 30, 2024); 2021 New Mexico Earthen Building Materials Code; 2021 New Mexico Historic Earthen Buildings Code; New Mexico Boiler Code; 2023 Uniform Administrative Code of the City of Albuquerque (ROA 1994, Chapter 14, Article 1) — the City's local administrative amendment governing permitting, fees, and inspections; effective February 2, 2024; a 2024 edition (Exhibit A) is the current administrative chapter on file with Building Safety; City of Albuquerque Ordinance O-2022-024 (Council Bill O-22-23) — adopted the Uniform Administrative Code and technical codes, repealing the prior Chapter 14, Article 1, ROA 1994. Local amendments apply — see the Albuquerque overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-22.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Albuquerque building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Occupancy in other cities

Artesia, New MexicoEspañola, New MexicoFarmington, New MexicoTown of Taos, New MexicoUnincorporated Bernalillo County, New MexicoUnincorporated Doña Ana County, New MexicoAvondale, ArizonaBenson, Arizona

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