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Fire Alarm & Automatic Sprinkler System Permit (Albuquerque Fire Rescue) in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Required for installation of or modification to an automatic fire-extinguishing (sprinkler) system, or a fire alarm/detection system, anywhere in Albuquerque. Reviewed and permitted by the Albuquerque Fire Rescue Fire Marshal's Office Plans Review Section (separately from, but in parallel with, the Planning Department Building Safety Division's building-permit review), under Section 105.7 of the City's Fire Code and the Chapter 50 fee schedule of the Fire Prevention Code.

Verified 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A construction permit is required for installation of or modification to an automatic fire-extinguishing (sprinkler) system (Fire Code Section 105.7.1) or a fire alarm/detection system and related equipment (Section 105.7.5)
  • Plans for any proposed new construction or remodeling that includes a fire protection system must be submitted to the Fire Marshal's Office Plans Review Section (600 2nd St NW, 4th Floor) prior to the start of construction, in addition to the Planning Department submittal
  • Construction documents/plans for fire protection systems must be designed and prepared by a Fire Protection Engineer or a person holding NICET Level 3 certification for fire alarm and automatic sprinkler systems (Section 105.4.1)
  • Modifications to an existing fire alarm or sprinkler system require plan submittal, EXCEPT: fire alarm modifications involving 5 or fewer devices, sprinkler modifications involving 10 or fewer sprinkler heads, or special egress control devices tied into an existing fire alarm panel only — these qualify for a simplified 'Scope of Work' letter permit instead, unless the fire code official requires full plans (Section 105.4.2.2)
  • The installing contractor must provide a Certificate of Fitness issued by the New Mexico State Fire Marshal's Office; the designing contractor must provide NICET III credentials or a Fire Protection Engineer's seal, per the AFR plan-review checklists
  • All new fire alarm systems must be monitored by a UL-listed central monitoring station (Section 907.6 of the Fire Code, per the AFR Fire Alarm Checklist)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Automatic Sprinkler System construction permit / plan review fee, by protected area — up to 10,000 sq. ft.Albuquerque Fire Prevention Code, Chapter 50, Section 5003 (Plan Review Fees/Construction Permit), item 105.7.1; reconstructed from the official PDF's reading-order text stream (pdftotext without -layout), which lists 'Fee $75.00 $125.00 / $125.00' immediately after the three protected-area tiers
$75.00
Automatic Sprinkler System construction permit / plan review fee, by protected area — 10,001–52,000 sq. ft.Chapter 50, Section 5003, item 105.7.1
$125.00
Automatic Sprinkler System construction permit / plan review fee — each additional 52,000 sq. ft. or fraction thereofChapter 50, Section 5003, item 105.7.1
$125.00
Fire Alarm Systems and Related Equipment construction permit / plan review fee, by protected area — up to 10,000 sq. ft.Chapter 50, Section 5003, item 105.7.5; same reading-order text-stream reconstruction ('Fee $50.00 $75.00 / $75.00' following the three protected-area tiers)
$50.00
Fire Alarm Systems and Related Equipment construction permit / plan review fee, by protected area — 10,001–25,000 sq. ft.Chapter 50, Section 5003, item 105.7.5
$75.00
Fire Alarm Systems and Related Equipment construction permit / plan review fee — each additional 25,000 sq. ft. or fraction thereofChapter 50, Section 5003, item 105.7.5
$75.00
Re-inspection fee (second and each subsequent re-inspection)Chapter 50, Section 5005.1
$60.00 each
After-hour inspection rateChapter 50, Section 5006.1
Per the current Albuquerque Fire Department 'Fire Service Statement' issued by the AFD Fiscal Division — no flat rate is published in the Fire Prevention Code itself

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Fire Alarm & Automatic Sprinkler System Permit (Albuquerque Fire Rescue) permit actually take in Albuquerque?

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Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough-In / Underground Inspection

    Sprinkler underground piping and rough-in, and fire alarm wiring/device rough-in, inspected before concealment

  2. 2

    Fire Protection System Acceptance Test

    Functional/acceptance test of the completed fire alarm and/or sprinkler system, witnessed by the Fire Marshal's Office; contact 505-924-3611 for new-construction inspections or fire protection system acceptance tests

  3. 3

    Final Inspection

    Fire Marshal final sign-off required before a Temporary or final Certificate of Occupancy can be issued (UAC Section 115.4 requires all fire/life-safety and fire protection system approvals before a Temporary CO)

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

Tips

  • Submit fire alarm and sprinkler plans to the Fire Marshal's Office Plans Review Section (600 2nd St NW, 4th Floor, 505-924-3611) — this is a separate submittal from, but runs in parallel with, the Planning Department's Building Safety Division review.
  • Small modifications — 5 or fewer fire alarm devices, 10 or fewer sprinkler heads, or an egress control device tied into an existing panel only — may qualify for a simplified 'Scope of Work' letter permit instead of a full plan submittal.
  • Every new or modified fire alarm system requires a document cabinet installed at the system control unit, and must be monitored by a UL-listed central monitoring station.
  • Fire protection system inspection approvals are a prerequisite for both Temporary and final Certificates of Occupancy — build this into your project schedule.

Frequently asked questions

Albuquerque requires a fire alarm & automatic sprinkler system permit (albuquerque fire rescue) for: A construction permit is required for installation of or modification to an automatic fire-extinguishing (sprinkler) system (Fire Code Section 105.7.1) or a fire alarm/detection system and related equipment (Section 105.7.5); Plans for any proposed new construction or remodeling that includes a fire protection system must be submitted to the Fire Marshal's Office Plans Review Section (600 2nd St NW, 4th Floor) prior to the start of construction, in addition to the Planning Department submittal; Construction documents/plans for fire protection systems must be designed and prepared by a Fire Protection Engineer or a person holding NICET Level 3 certification for fire alarm and automatic sprinkler systems (Section 105.4.1); Modifications to an existing fire alarm or sprinkler system require plan submittal, EXCEPT: fire alarm modifications involving 5 or fewer devices, sprinkler modifications involving 10 or fewer sprinkler heads, or special egress control devices tied into an existing fire alarm panel only — these qualify for a simplified 'Scope of Work' letter permit instead, unless the fire code official requires full plans (Section 105.4.2.2); The installing contractor must provide a Certificate of Fitness issued by the New Mexico State Fire Marshal's Office; the designing contractor must provide NICET III credentials or a Fire Protection Engineer's seal, per the AFR plan-review checklists; All new fire alarm systems must be monitored by a UL-listed central monitoring station (Section 907.6 of the Fire Code, per the AFR Fire Alarm Checklist). If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Albuquerque Planning Department — Building Safety Division at (505) 924-3320 before starting work.

In Albuquerque, the published Automatic Sprinkler System construction permit / plan review fee, by protected area — up to 10,000 sq. ft. is: $75.00. Additional published fees: Automatic Sprinkler System construction permit / plan review fee, by protected area — 10,001–52,000 sq. ft. — $125.00; Automatic Sprinkler System construction permit / plan review fee — each additional 52,000 sq. ft. or fraction thereof — $125.00; Fire Alarm Systems and Related Equipment construction permit / plan review fee, by protected area — up to 10,000 sq. ft. — $50.00; Fire Alarm Systems and Related Equipment construction permit / plan review fee, by protected area — 10,001–25,000 sq. ft. — $75.00; Fire Alarm Systems and Related Equipment construction permit / plan review fee — each additional 25,000 sq. ft. or fraction thereof — $75.00; Re-inspection fee (second and each subsequent re-inspection) — $60.00 each; After-hour inspection rate — Per the current Albuquerque Fire Department 'Fire Service Statement' issued by the AFD Fiscal Division — no flat rate is published in the Fire Prevention Code itself. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

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: Fire Alarm System Plan Submittal; Automatic Sprinkler System Plan Submittal; Certificate of Fitness (Installing Contractor); NICET Level 3 Certification or Fire Protection Engineer Seal (Designing Contractor). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Albuquerque requires 3 inspection(s) for a fire alarm & automatic sprinkler system permit (albuquerque fire rescue), in order: Rough-In / Underground Inspection, Fire Protection System Acceptance Test, Final Inspection. 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.

Yes. Both are construction permits issued by the Fire Marshal's Office under Chapter 50 of the Fire Prevention Code, each with its own protected-area-based fee table: sprinkler systems run $75–$125 depending on square footage (Section 105.7.1), and fire alarm systems run $50–$75 (Section 105.7.5).

The Albuquerque Fire Rescue Fire Marshal's Office Plans Review Section, located at 600 2nd St NW, 4th Floor. Call 505-924-3611 for plan review questions or to schedule new-construction inspections and acceptance tests.

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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