Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque building permits

Requirements

• Email Michelle Austin (maustin@losranchosnm.gov) with the property address, approximate added square footage, and proposed use (e.g., garage, main house, guest house) — the Village states this narrows down which of the 'two different types of residential building permits' applies before an application is issued
• No online submittals accepted; two (2) complete sets of plans plus the filled-out application form must be dropped off in person (or in the after-hours drop box) at Village Hall, 6718 Rio Grande Blvd NW
• If the parcel is a Middle Rio Grande Conservation District (MRGCD) Tract that is unimproved or undersized for its Applicable Zone, a Subdivision Plat and/or a Zoning Code variance is generally required before a Building Permit will issue (Village Code § 9.4.3)
• Compliance with the Village's directly adopted 2015 New Mexico Commercial/Residential Building Codes (and related plumbing, mechanical, electrical, and energy-conservation codes) under Village Code § 9.5.1
• Contractor must hold a current New Mexico Construction Industries Division (CID) license appropriate to the scope of work

Required documents

• RequiredPre-consultation email or in-person appointment with Village Planning & ZoningPer the Village's own Forms page: 'if no link is provided above, you must come in to Village Hall for a pre-consultation appointment with the Planning and Zoning Department' — Building Permit is one of the permit types marked with this asterisk, meaning no downloadable application form is published for it online.
• RequiredTwo (2) complete sets of construction plansPhysical plan sets dropped off at Village Hall; the Village does not accept online submittals for this permit type.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Proposed fence/wall height and materials must be identified on the application
• Location of the fence/wall shown on a to-scale site plan
• Clear sight triangle calculation, if applicable (measured 25 ft back along the driveway edge and 25 ft along the property/right-of-way line; obstructions inside the triangle limited to 3 ft)
• Any gate pillars shown on the site plan with proposed height/width
• Fence/wall height compliance verified by staff at 6 ft (side/rear), 4 ft (solid, front), 8 ft (gate pillars), and 6 ft maximum along a right-of-way; no razor wire permitted

Required documents

• RequiredApplication for Fence/Wall PermitVillage of Los Ranchos Planning and Zoning Department form; includes an official-use compliance checklist for staff.
• RequiredTo-scale site planShows fence/wall location, height, materials, and any gate pillars.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Two (2) complete sets of plans
• To-scale site plan showing setbacks, square footage of impervious surface on the entire property, and square footage of pervious surface on the entire property
• Pool construction documents
• Signed contract (the Village states this is 'used to calculate fee')
• Permeable-surface requirement and setback compliance verified by Planning & Zoning staff before approval

Required documents

• RequiredApplication for Pool/Spa Zone Review PermitVillage of Los Ranchos Planning and Zoning Department form; states 'Any fees generated by this application are the responsibility of the applicant and are due and payable upon submittal.'
• RequiredSigned construction contractUsed by Village staff to calculate the zoning review fee; the application states it will not be processed to completion without it.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Two complete sets of plans
• Site plan (to-scale preferred but not required) showing the building footprint(s)
• Applicant must confirm (by initial) whether the roof pitch is changing; if it is, elevation drawings depicting the new height are required
• Signed contract, used to calculate fees
• Staff verify the building is unchanged, or that a new roof height is in compliance, before approval

Required documents

• RequiredApplication for Re-Roof Zone Review PermitVillage of Los Ranchos Planning and Zoning Department form.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Signed contract required — the application states, verbatim, 'REQUIRED WILL NOT ISSUE PERMIT WITHOUT FULL DISCLOSURE'
• Plat or survey, to scale
• Array documents, including total square footage of the array
• All fees generated are the applicant's responsibility and are due and payable upon request by the Village

Required documents

• RequiredApplication for Solar Panel Zone Review PermitVillage of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Planning and Zoning Department form.
• RequiredSigned installation contractRequired before the permit will issue; also used to help determine the fee.
• RequiredPlat or survey (to scale)Required supporting document showing the property and proposed array location.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A demolition permit is required before removing any building or structure in the Village, per the application's own header text
• Building type, estimated age, and square footage of the structure being demolished must be identified
• Contractor conducting the demolition and their Village-issued contractor registration number must be identified

Required documents

• RequiredApplication for Demolition PermitVillage of Los Ranchos Planning and Zoning Department form.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical work must be performed by a New Mexico-licensed electrical contractor (or a homeowner who has passed the Bernalillo County Homeowners Electrical Exam, $25.00 exam fee) and permitted through Bernalillo County Planning & Development Services
• Reviewed against the 2020 National Electrical Code and 2020 NM State Electrical Code, plus Bernalillo County's enforcement of PNM's serving-utility guidelines
• No dedicated 'EV Charger' or 'EVSE' required-inspection type exists on the County's published Electrical inspections list (unlike 'Solar System' and 'Generator', which do have their own dedicated inspection types) -- an EV charger circuit is inspected under the general 'Rough In' and 'Final' categories
• Permit fee is charged per Bernalillo County Administrative Resolution 25-2009, Table 3-B (Electrical Permit Fees) -- a $23.50 administrative charge applicable to all electrical permit applications, plus itemized per-component charges; no line item is specifically labeled 'EV Charger' or 'EVSE'

Required documents

• RequiredBernalillo County Electrical Permit applicationFiled through Bernalillo County Planning & Development Services (Accela Citizen Access portal) for the EV charger circuit installation serving a Los Ranchos property

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Identify the proposed sign type per Village Code Sec. 9.2.22 definitions: banner, building-mounted (includes window signs), free-standing, illuminated, monument, sandwich board, or temporary
• Site plan showing the sign location and setbacks -- required only for monument signs or free-standing signs, per the application's own checklist
• Building elevation or photo: a rendered mock-up (digital or printed) showing the sign in context of the building/property with labeled measurements, or a scaled building elevation with labeled dimensions
• Commercial sign size compliance per Village Code Sec. 9.2.22(E): individual free-standing signs max 40 sq ft per side (max 2 sides), with an additional 20 sq ft allowed for building-mounted signage for that same business; multi-tenant signs max 50 sq ft of printed area (65 sq ft including embellishments), with 20 sq ft of building-mounted sign allowed per business within the complex
• If illuminated, luminance may not exceed 200 foot-lamberts at night when the sign is within 50 feet of a residential zone; lighting must be shielded, non-flashing/non-rotating, and (per the Dark Skies provisions, Sec. 9.2.20) turned off between 11:00 p.m. and sunrise except while the business is open
• Sign must not fall within a list of prohibited types (rooftop building-mounted signs, pole-mounted signs, off-premises signs, right-of-way signs other than mailbox name/address signs, billboards, snipe signs, portable metal-frame signs, electronic message boards with moving messages, or unshielded lighting)
• Signature of the property owner (or a submitted Letter of Authorization) is required

Required documents

• RequiredApplication for Sign PermitVillage of Los Ranchos Planning and Zoning Department form; includes an official-use compliance checklist covering zoning district, sign area, height/placement, setbacks, illumination, and clear sight triangle.
• OptionalSite Plan showing sign location and setbacksRequired only for monument signs or free-standing signs, per the application's own 'Required Submittals' checklist; not required for building-mounted, banner, or sandwich board signs.
• RequiredBuilding elevation, photo, or rendered mock-up with labeled dimensionsShows the proposed sign in context of the building/property with labeled measurements or a scaled building elevation.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Plans must be submitted by a contractor holding a current Certificate of Fitness from the New Mexico State Fire Marshal's Office -- submittals will be denied and returned if a valid Certificate of Fitness cannot be verified
• Fire sprinkler systems designed in accordance with NFPA 13, 13D, or 13R as applicable; fire alarm/detection systems designed in accordance with NFPA 72
• All Fire Sprinkler and Fire Alarm plans must bear a review certificate and signature of a New Mexico Licensed Fire Protection Engineer, per NMAC Title 16, Chapter 39, Part III, Subsection G ('Fire Protection Engineers') -- construction documents submitted without an engineer's stamp will be denied
• One (1) set of construction documents/shop drawings on CD or DVD media in PDF format, plus a minimum of one (1) hard-copy set (minimum 24 in. x 36 in.), submitted directly to the Bernalillo County Fire Marshal's Office
• Applicable plan review fee(s) must be paid before the permit will be issued
• A final inspection / acceptance test (testing of initiating devices, control panels, and other appliances) is required before the building may be occupied, with an NFPA 72 'Record of Completion' and a set of as-built plans provided at that time
• For commercial businesses specifically, the Village's own business-license process automatically triggers a Bernalillo County Fire Department notification and a required ANNUAL Fire Safety Permit inspection per Village Resolution No. 2019-7-4, with fees billed directly to the business owner

Required documents

• RequiredBernalillo County Fire Prevention Bureau Permit ApplicationSingle application form listing 'Fire Sprinkler System' and 'Fire Alarm/Detection System' as separate checkbox permit types (along with fire pump, fire hydrant, hood & duct, and other fire-protection-system permit types); submitted directly to the Fire Marshal's office at 6840 Second St. NW, Albuquerque.
• RequiredConstruction documents / shop drawings bearing a NM-licensed Fire Protection Engineer's stampCD/DVD PDF media plus a minimum one hard-copy set (min. 24 in. x 36 in.); must show sufficient detail to conform to the Bernalillo County Fire Code, IFC, and applicable NFPA standard.
• RequiredContractor's Certificate of FitnessCurrent Certificate of Fitness from the New Mexico State Fire Marshal's Office; verified by Fire Marshal's Office Plans Examiners upon receipt of each submittal.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Contact Village Planning & Zoning ((505) 344-6582 / pandz@losranchosnm.gov) to confirm whether a proposed change in use requires only the Village's own Zoning Certification Application (a status verification, with no construction component) or a Bernalillo County Building Permit (if occupancy classification or Existing Building Code compliance is triggered)
• If a Bernalillo County Building Permit is required, the applicable requirements mirror this file's general Building Permit entry: compliance with the Village's directly-adopted 2015 New Mexico Building/Existing Building Code family, plus Middle Rio Grande Conservation District (MRGCD) Tract considerations under Village Code Sec. 9.4.3 if applicable
• For the Village's own Zoning Certification Application specifically: submit property owner name/address, legal description (if the property has no formal address), and a written list of the specific zoning/use questions to be addressed, along with the $25.00 application fee
• Submitting the Zoning Certification Application authorizes Village Planning & Zoning staff to inspect the property to determine the status of the use, and any violations found during that inspection are subject to immediate correction

Required documents

• RequiredZoning Certification ApplicationVillage of Los Ranchos Planning and Zoning Department form used to verify a property's current zoning/use status; this is a status-verification product, not a construction or occupancy-change authorization.
• OptionalBernalillo County Building Permit Application (if an occupancy classification change triggers Existing Building Code compliance)Filed with Bernalillo County Planning & Development Services when a change of use/occupancy requires Existing Building Code review; there is no separate, freestanding change-of-use or certificate-of-occupancy form -- the general Building Permit Application is used.

Fee schedule