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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction & Additions) in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Required for new commercial buildings, commercial additions, and first-time or change-of-occupancy projects in Albuquerque. Issued by the City's Building Safety Division under the Uniform Administrative Code, which locally administers the statewide 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code. Plans are routed through a formal multi-division review (IBC/building, Zoning, Fire Prevention, Solid Waste, Environmental Health, Transportation Development, and Hydrology) and applications are submitted through the ABQ-PLAN electronic plan review portal.

Verified 2026-08-01 · Source

When you need this permit

  • All new commercial construction, additions, and first-time or change-of-occupancy projects require a building permit and full plan review under the Uniform Administrative Code and the New Mexico Commercial Building Code
  • All construction plans must be certified by a Registered New Mexico Professional Architect and/or Engineer — documents must be signed, sealed, and dated by the professional who prepared them
  • Permit is issued only to a general contractor holding a New Mexico GB-98 license; out-of-state contractors may need a TS-43 surety bond verification form signed by NM Taxation and Revenue Contractor
  • Plans are routed to seven review divisions: IBC (building code, structural, accessibility), Zoning (IDO compliance, parking, landscaping, setbacks), Fire Prevention (IFC/NFPA — separate 'Fire 1' site plan and 'Fire 2' floor plan sheets), Solid Waste (refuse enclosure, collection-vehicle access), Environmental Health (food, pool, air quality), Transportation Development (site access, parking circulation, drive-throughs), and Hydrology (flood zone, grading and drainage)
  • Energy Code checklist is required on all submittals; code data sheet must state occupancy, separated/non-separated use, type of construction, square footage of each building/tenant space, allowable area calculation, and energy code path
  • Local design criteria: ground snow load 20 psf, frost line depth 16 inches, wind speed 115 mph (3-second gust); seismic design category determined by the engineer
  • Electrical plans must be sealed by a NM-registered PE when the installation exceeds 200A; mechanical plans when mechanical valuation exceeds $50,000 or the building exceeds 2 stories; plumbing plans when fixture units exceed the capacity of a 4-inch building drain (UPC Table 7-3) or the building exceeds 2 stories
  • Phase projects require a phase plan clearly indicating the work of each individual phase; each phase is assigned a separate permit number and fees per Table 112-A
  • If a Traffic Circulation Layout (TCL) plan or a Grading and Drainage plan is required, it should be approved by Transportation Development / Hydrology before submitting the building permit set
  • Application expires if no permit is issued within 180 days of submittal (UAC Section 110.5); one 180-day extension may be granted on written request

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (Table 112-A, commercial regional modifier 0.67)2024 City of Albuquerque Uniform Administrative Code, Table 112-A and Section 112.2.1
$23.50 minimum; $23.50 for the first $500 plus $3.05 per additional $100 (to $2,000); $69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14.00 per additional $1,000 (to $25,000); $391.75 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 per additional $1,000 (to $50,000); $643.75 for the first $50,000 plus $7.00 per additional $1,000 (to $100,000); $993.75 for the first $100,000 plus $5.60 per additional $1,000 thereafter — Albuquerque Regional Modifier of 0.67 applies to apartments, public, and commercial construction (minimum fee $23.50)
Plan Review FeeUAC Section 112.3; Building Safety FAQs state plan review fees are '65% of the permit fee plus zoning and hydrology fees'; separate from and in addition to the permit fee
65% of the building permit fee, paid at time of plan submittal, plus zoning and hydrology review fees
FasTrax Expedited Plan Review (optional)Guarantees an initial plan review completion date with an average turnaround of about 10 days and an assigned plan expediter; expedited pricing applies to the first review cycle only — corrections revert to the standard review timeline
3 times the regular plan review fee, $1,000 minimum
Preliminary / Integrated Plan Review (optional)IBC preliminary plan review available by appointment; UAC Table 112-A Other Inspections and Fees item 7
$75.00 per hour
Re-inspection FeeUAC Table 112-A Other Inspections and Fees item 2; a $47.00 cancellation fee also applies to inspections canceled less than 24 hours ahead
$47.00 each
Investigation Fee (work commenced without a permit)UAC Section 112.4.2, charged in addition to the permit fee
Equal to the amount of the permit fee otherwise required (minimum equals the table minimum)
Certificate of Occupancy / Temporary COUAC Table 112-A Other Inspections and Fees items 9 and 10; UAC Section 115.4
$50.00 Certificate of Occupancy; $100.00 Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (and per 30-day extension)

Review timeline

Plan reviewAlbuquerque’s published plan-review target
18–18 business days

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Construction & Additions) 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

    Foundation Inspection

    First interim inspection during construction, called in by the contractor

  2. 2

    Framing Inspection

    Structural framing inspection before concealment

  3. 3

    Plumbing Inspection

    Rough plumbing inspection under the associated trade permit

  4. 4

    Mechanical Inspection

    Rough mechanical/HVAC inspection under the associated trade permit

  5. 5

    Electrical Inspection

    Rough electrical inspection under the associated trade permit

  6. 6

    Insulation Inspection

    After insulation is installed, before covering

  7. 7

    Structural Inspection

    Structural systems inspection per the approved plans

  8. 8

    Fire Protection Inspection

    Fire protection systems inspection

  9. 9

    Final Inspections — Five City Agencies

    After construction is complete, Zoning, Solid Waste, Environmental Health, Hydrology, and the Fire Marshal each inspect and approve the final construction; the Certificate of Occupancy is then prepared and must be posted conspicuously in the business

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

Tips

  • Schedule inspections through the Building Inspections office at (505) 924-3320 (Plaza Del Sol, Basement, Suite 190, 7:30 AM–4:30 PM Mon–Fri) or via your ABQ-PLAN dashboard.
  • The City's Permit Timeline dashboard reports commercial building permits averaging 18 business days to issuance; FasTrax expedited review (3x plan review fee, $1,000 minimum) averages about 10 days for the initial review with a guaranteed completion date.
  • Submit any required Traffic Circulation Layout (TCL) plan to Transportation Development and any required Grading and Drainage plan to Hydrology for approval before submitting the building permit set — building permit approval depends on them.
  • A Certificate of Shell Completion (UAC Section 115.5) is available for shell buildings; individual tenant spaces are then finished under separate tenant improvement permits, with first-time occupancy of a space reviewed under the new-commercial/change-of-occupancy track.
  • A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy ($100) is valid for 30 days and can be extended in 30-day increments up to 12 months total, with all fire/life-safety, exiting, sanitary, parking, and accessibility provisions approved for the occupied portion.
  • The City's New Commercial Construction handout (last revised 2019) lists superseded code editions — the currently enforced technical codes are the 2021 New Mexico suite (Commercial Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Energy Conservation Codes, and the 2020 NM Electrical Code); the handout's submittal and routing requirements remain the published process.

Frequently asked questions

Albuquerque requires a commercial building permit (new construction & additions) for: All new commercial construction, additions, and first-time or change-of-occupancy projects require a building permit and full plan review under the Uniform Administrative Code and the New Mexico Commercial Building Code; All construction plans must be certified by a Registered New Mexico Professional Architect and/or Engineer — documents must be signed, sealed, and dated by the professional who prepared them; Permit is issued only to a general contractor holding a New Mexico GB-98 license; out-of-state contractors may need a TS-43 surety bond verification form signed by NM Taxation and Revenue; Plans are routed to seven review divisions: IBC (building code, structural, accessibility), Zoning (IDO compliance, parking, landscaping, setbacks), Fire Prevention (IFC/NFPA — separate 'Fire 1' site plan and 'Fire 2' floor plan sheets), Solid Waste (refuse enclosure, collection-vehicle access), Environmental Health (food, pool, air quality), Transportation Development (site access, parking circulation, drive-throughs), and Hydrology (flood zone, grading and drainage); Energy Code checklist is required on all submittals; code data sheet must state occupancy, separated/non-separated use, type of construction, square footage of each building/tenant space, allowable area calculation, and energy code path; Local design criteria: ground snow load 20 psf, frost line depth 16 inches, wind speed 115 mph (3-second gust); seismic design category determined by the engineer; Electrical plans must be sealed by a NM-registered PE when the installation exceeds 200A; mechanical plans when mechanical valuation exceeds $50,000 or the building exceeds 2 stories; plumbing plans when fixture units exceed the capacity of a 4-inch building drain (UPC Table 7-3) or the building exceeds 2 stories; Phase projects require a phase plan clearly indicating the work of each individual phase; each phase is assigned a separate permit number and fees per Table 112-A; If a Traffic Circulation Layout (TCL) plan or a Grading and Drainage plan is required, it should be approved by Transportation Development / Hydrology before submitting the building permit set; Application expires if no permit is issued within 180 days of submittal (UAC Section 110.5); one 180-day extension may be granted on written request. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Albuquerque Planning Department — Building Safety Division at (505) 924-3320 before starting work.

The fee is valuation-based under UAC Table 112-A with the Albuquerque Regional Modifier of 0.67 applied for apartments, public, and commercial construction. A plan review fee of 65% of the permit fee is paid at submittal, plus zoning and hydrology review fees. Building valuation follows the City-scheduled ICC Building Valuation Data table (February 2018 edition through June 30, 2026).

The City's Permit Timeline dashboard (last updated July 28, 2026) reports commercial building permits averaging 18 business days to issuance. The Building Safety FAQs state plan review typically takes about three and a half weeks for commercial projects depending on size and complexity. The optional FasTrax program (3x the plan review fee, $1,000 minimum) guarantees an initial review completion date and averages about 10 days.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Site Plan (plus landscaping plan); Code Data Sheet; Floor Plan; Foundation Plan; Roof and Floor Framing Plan; Electrical Design; Mechanical Design; Plumbing Design; Energy Code Checklist; Fire 1 Site Plan and Fire 2 Floor Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Albuquerque requires 9 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction & additions), in order: Foundation Inspection, Framing Inspection, Plumbing Inspection, Mechanical Inspection, Electrical Inspection, Insulation Inspection, Structural Inspection, Fire Protection Inspection, Final Inspections — Five City Agencies. 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.

Only a general contractor licensed in New Mexico with a GB-98 classification. All construction plans must also be certified (signed, sealed, and dated) by a Registered New Mexico Professional Architect and/or Engineer.

Plans are routed to IBC (building) plan review, Zoning, Fire Prevention, Solid Waste, Environmental Health, Transportation Development, and Hydrology. The permit is issued only when every division has approved.

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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction & Additions) in other cities

Alamogordo, New MexicoArtesia, New MexicoBernalillo, New MexicoBloomfield, New MexicoCarlsbad, New MexicoClovis, New MexicoDeming, New MexicoEdgewood, New Mexico

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