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Commercial Building Permit in Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico

Commercial construction in the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is a deliberately narrow, two-authority process. VILLAGE SIDE: commercial use is only allowed in four zones -- C-1 Retail Commercial (Village Code Sec. 9.2.12, 'primarily focused on Fourth Street,' the historic US Route 66 / El Camino Real corridor), GD (Sec. 9.2.13), VC Village Center (Sec. 9.2.14), and AC (Sec. 9.2.15) -- and commercial development must first clear the Village's own Site Development Plan (SDP) process, described verbatim on the Village's Forms page as a 'Three-step (sketch, preliminary, final) public hearing process for commercial and large-scale residential development': sketch plat review, then a preliminary hearing before the Planning & Zoning Commission, then a final hearing before the Board of Trustees. COUNTY SIDE: the actual Commercial Building Permit is issued by Bernalillo County Planning & Development Services as the Village's own-ordinance-named designee for Building Permit issuance (Village Code Sec. 9.4.2(L), the same governance split documented in the residential Building Permit entry). Bernalillo County publishes a dedicated COMMERCIAL BUILDING PACKET (rev. 8-29-2023) separate from its residential packet, requiring architect/engineer-stamped plans, a GB98 general contractor, an IECC Commercial Compliance Certificate, and a Storm Water Post-Construction Evaluation Form. There is NO separate tenant-improvement permit at either authority: the County's single Building Permit Application form covers 'New Construction,' 'Addition,' and 'Alteration/Repair' as checkboxes on the same application, and neither the Village's Forms page nor the County's Getting Started packet list publishes any distinct TI permit type, fee line, or timeline -- interior tenant improvements are processed as an Alteration/Repair scope under this same permit with the same valuation-based Table 3-A fees.

Verified 2026-08-01 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Confirm the property is in one of the Village's four commercial/mixed-use zones -- C-1 (Sec. 9.2.12), GD (Sec. 9.2.13), VC (Sec. 9.2.14), or AC (Sec. 9.2.15) -- and that the proposed use is Permissive or Conditional in the zone's use table; C-1 conditional uses require approval under Sec. 9.2.25(E), and the C-1 use table prohibits several categories outright (e.g., large-format retail exceeding 50,000 sq ft on a single level, adult entertainment, fireworks stores)
  • Complete the Village's three-step Site Development Plan public-hearing process for commercial development: sketch plat review, preliminary hearing before the Planning & Zoning Commission, and final hearing before the Board of Trustees -- a pre-consultation appointment with Village Planning & Zoning is advised before submitting, per the Village's own Forms page
  • SDP required documents (per the Village's own Preliminary & Final application form) include proof of ownership, verification of paid property taxes, a letter of intent, an ABCWUA Letter of Water & Sewer Availability, a Bernalillo County Fire Department letter (hydrants, fire truck access) plus an approved Fire 1 plan for final, and to-scale site, existing-conditions, parking, landscaping, exterior lighting (Dark Skies, Sec. 9.2.20), sign, and engineer-prepared grading & drainage plans
  • County building-permit plans must be signed and stamped by a New Mexico licensed architect and/or engineer with regard to that individual's discipline; per the County's own FAQ, commercial projects generally require an NM-licensed architect, and commercial projects with new plumbing, mechanical and/or electrical work require plans stamped by an NM-licensed engineer in the respective field
  • All commercial projects must be performed by a New Mexico licensed contractor holding no less than a GB98 license classification, per both the County's Commercial Building Packet and its FAQ Contractor
  • Submit one (1) copy of the site plan, one (1) copy of all other drawings, AND an electronic copy on CD or flash drive with each sheet individually labeled (e.g., C-1 Site Plan, A-1 Floor Plan), per the County's Commercial Building Permit Requirements
  • A completed International Energy Conservation Code Commercial Compliance Certificate and a Storm Water Post-Construction Evaluation Form must be submitted with the application; zoning approval and water-supply/wastewater (or ABCWUA account) approval are required PRIOR to building permit application
  • If the parcel is a Middle Rio Grande Conservation District (MRGCD) Tract, commercial construction has its own separate size/expansion thresholds under Village Code Sec. 9.4.3(F)-(I), distinct from the residential MRGCD rules

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Village Site Development Plan application fee (acreage-based)
Printed on page 3 of the Village's Site Development Plan Preliminary & Final Application (updated 04.18.2022). Show full citationPrinted on page 3 of the Village's Site Development Plan Preliminary & Final Application (updated 04.18.2022). The same form states that EACH hearing, preliminary and final, generates additional public-notice fees - newspaper posting, a posted sign, and mailings to all neighbors within 300-400 feet - and that the applicant is billed for the Village Engineer's time on grading and drainage plan review. Neither of those is published as a fixed dollar amount, so budget for them separately.
$250.00 for less than 1 acre; $250.00 for the first acre plus $30.00 per additional acre (1 to <5 acres); $400.00 for the first 5 acres plus $30.00 per additional acre (5 to <20 acres); $750.00 for the first 20 acres plus $30.00 per additional acre (20 to <60 acres); $1,950.00 for the first 60 acres plus $30.00 per additional acre (60+ acres)
Bernalillo County Building Permit Fee (Table 3-A, charged by the Village's designee for issuance)
Bernalillo County Administrative Resolution 25-2009, Table 3-A, reads verbatim: '$30.00 plus $4.00 per $1,000.00 Valuation Building Permit Fee'. Show full citationBernalillo County Administrative Resolution 25-2009, Table 3-A, reads verbatim: '$30.00 plus $4.00 per $1,000.00 Valuation Building Permit Fee'. The same figure applies to new construction, additions, and alteration/tenant-improvement scopes -- no commercial-specific or TI-specific fee table exists. Note the same scope caveat as the residential entry: the resolution's preamble describes fees for 'construction projects within the unincorporated area of Bernalillo County'; Los Ranchos is incorporated, and no published document states that the table applies verbatim to County-issued permits on Village parcels -- it is nonetheless the only published fee schedule of the County Building Section that the Village's own ordinance names as its issuance designee. Confirm with Bernalillo County Planning & Development Services, (505) 314-0350.
$30.00 plus $4.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation
Bernalillo County Building Plan Review Fee (Table 3-A)Same source and same re-verification date (2026-08-01) as the Building Permit Fee above; verbatim: '$30.00 plus $2.00 per $1,000.00 Valuation Building Plan Review Fee.'
$30.00 plus $2.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation
Bernalillo County impact fees (new commercial square footage)
Bernalillo County's own Building Services FAQ states verbatim that impact fees 'are collected upon permit issuance for all new square foot additions for commercial structures, residences and mobile… Show full citationBernalillo County's own Building Services FAQ states verbatim that impact fees 'are collected upon permit issuance for all new square foot additions for commercial structures, residences and mobile homes.' The fee amount depends on project specifics under the Impact Fee Ordinance; no flat commercial rate is published on the FAQ page, so none is invented here. Interior-only tenant improvements adding no new square footage would not trigger this per the FAQ's own 'new square foot additions' wording.
Not a single published dollar figure -- assessed per the County's adopted Impact Fee Ordinance (County Code Ch. 46)

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque building department
~10+ business days

How long did your Commercial Building Permit permit actually take in Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Duct leakage and building envelope air-leakage tests

    Per the County's Commercial Building Permit Requirements, duct leakage and building envelope air leakage test results must be provided to the building department throughout the project.

  2. 2

    Final inspection (including HVAC test and balance)

    A final test and balance of the building HVAC systems is required prior to final inspection, per the County's Commercial Building Permit Requirements. Inspection requests: (505) 314-0351.

See the full Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • There is no separate tenant-improvement permit in Los Ranchos at either authority — the County's single Building Permit Application covers 'Alteration/Repair' as a checkbox alongside New Construction and Addition, and the same valuation-based Table 3-A fees apply. An interior-only TI in an existing commercial building also avoids the County's impact fees, which its FAQ applies only to 'new square foot additions.' Whether an interior TI with no site changes still triggers a full Village Site Development Plan hearing cycle is not published anywhere — ask Village Planning & Zoning ((505) 344-6582) before assuming either way.
  • Budget the calendar around the Village's hearings, not the County's plan review: the three-step SDP process (sketch, preliminary before the P&Z Commission, final before the Board of Trustees) runs on monthly meeting calendars with hard submittal deadlines and no-revisions-after-deadline rules, while the County's published commercial review guidance is only 'at least 10 working days.'
  • Commercial zoning is deliberately scarce here: the C-1 zone's own purpose statement limits commercial to 'Village scale' development 'primarily focused on Fourth Street,' and the use table prohibits large-format retail over 50,000 sq ft on a single level outright. Verify your specific use is Permissive (not Conditional or Prohibited) in the zone's use table before spending money on design -- even 'Permissive' uses may be denied if the Village deems them a nuisance.
  • Start the ABCWUA water/sewer availability letter and the Bernalillo County Fire Department letter early -- confirmation of the requests is required at the SDP preliminary stage and the actual letters (plus an approved Fire 1 plan) are required for final, and the County separately requires water/wastewater approval before it will take the building permit application.
  • Opening a business also triggers the Village's separate Commercial Business License ($35.00) and, per Village Resolution No. 2019-7-4, an ANNUAL Bernalillo County Fire Safety Permit inspection billed to the business owner -- both already documented elsewhere in this record.
  • Effective September 1, 2025, the Village collects all permit fees at a complete application's submittal (not issuance), and projects requiring engineering review -- which a commercial SDP's grading & drainage plan does -- must pay 75% of the quoted engineering-review cost before review begins.

Frequently asked questions

Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque requires a commercial building permit for: Confirm the property is in one of the Village's four commercial/mixed-use zones -- C-1 (Sec. 9.2.12), GD (Sec. 9.2.13), VC (Sec. 9.2.14), or AC (Sec. 9.2.15) -- and that the proposed use is Permissive or Conditional in the zone's use table; C-1 conditional uses require approval under Sec. 9.2.25(E), and the C-1 use table prohibits several categories outright (e.g., large-format retail exceeding 50,000 sq ft on a single level, adult entertainment, fireworks stores); Complete the Village's three-step Site Development Plan public-hearing process for commercial development: sketch plat review, preliminary hearing before the Planning & Zoning Commission, and final hearing before the Board of Trustees -- a pre-consultation appointment with Village Planning & Zoning is advised before submitting, per the Village's own Forms page; SDP required documents (per the Village's own Preliminary & Final application form) include proof of ownership, verification of paid property taxes, a letter of intent, an ABCWUA Letter of Water & Sewer Availability, a Bernalillo County Fire Department letter (hydrants, fire truck access) plus an approved Fire 1 plan for final, and to-scale site, existing-conditions, parking, landscaping, exterior lighting (Dark Skies, Sec. 9.2.20), sign, and engineer-prepared grading & drainage plans; County building-permit plans must be signed and stamped by a New Mexico licensed architect and/or engineer with regard to that individual's discipline; per the County's own FAQ, commercial projects generally require an NM-licensed architect, and commercial projects with new plumbing, mechanical and/or electrical work require plans stamped by an NM-licensed engineer in the respective field; All commercial projects must be performed by a New Mexico licensed contractor holding no less than a GB98 license classification, per both the County's Commercial Building Packet and its FAQ; Submit one (1) copy of the site plan, one (1) copy of all other drawings, AND an electronic copy on CD or flash drive with each sheet individually labeled (e.g., C-1 Site Plan, A-1 Floor Plan), per the County's Commercial Building Permit Requirements; A completed International Energy Conservation Code Commercial Compliance Certificate and a Storm Water Post-Construction Evaluation Form must be submitted with the application; zoning approval and water-supply/wastewater (or ABCWUA account) approval are required PRIOR to building permit application; If the parcel is a Middle Rio Grande Conservation District (MRGCD) Tract, commercial construction has its own separate size/expansion thresholds under Village Code Sec. 9.4.3(F)-(I), distinct from the residential MRGCD rules. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Planning and Zoning Department (Director: Shanna Schultz, AICP) at (505) 344-6582 (fax (505) 344-8978) before starting work.

In Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, the published Village Site Development Plan application fee (acreage-based) is: $250.00 for less than 1 acre; $250.00 for the first acre plus $30.00 per additional acre (1 to <5 acres); $400.00 for the first 5 acres plus $30.00 per additional acre (5 to <20 acres); $750.00 for the first 20 acres plus $30.00 per additional acre (20 to <60 acres); $1,950.00 for the first 60 acres plus $30.00 per additional acre (60+ acres). Additional published fees: Bernalillo County Building Permit Fee (Table 3-A, charged by the Village's designee for issuance) — $30.00 plus $4.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation; Bernalillo County Building Plan Review Fee (Table 3-A) — $30.00 plus $2.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation; Bernalillo County impact fees (new commercial square footage) — Not a single published dollar figure -- assessed per the County's adopted Impact Fee Ordinance (County Code Ch. 46). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Bernalillo County's own FAQ says to allow 'at least 10 working days' for commercial building permit review -- with no published upper bound. The bigger schedule driver is usually the Village's preceding Site Development Plan process, which requires public hearings before two separate bodies on their meeting calendars and publishes no timeline.

You'll need: Village Site Development Plan applications (Sketch Plat Review, then Preliminary & Final); Bernalillo County Building Permit Application (from the Commercial Building Packet); Architect/engineer-stamped construction documents (one site-plan copy, one copy of all other drawings, plus electronic copy on CD/flash drive); IECC Commercial Compliance Certificate; Storm Water Post-Construction Evaluation Form. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Apply through Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Planning and Zoning Department (Director: Shanna Schultz, AICP) at 6718 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Los Ranchos, NM 87107. Phone: (505) 344-6582 (fax (505) 344-8978), email: Shanna Schultz (Director): sschultz@losranchosnm.gov; Michelle Austin (Business Licenses & Building Permit intake): maustin@losranchosnm.gov; Brennon Williams (Public Hearing deadlines): bwilliams@losranchosnm.gov; Planning & Zoning general: pandz@losranchosnm.gov; Village general: info@losranchosnm.gov. Office hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. The Village does not accept online submittals for Planning & Zoning applications; two (2) complete sets of plans plus the filled-out application form must be dropped off in person at Village Hall, or in the after-hours drop-off box outside the main doors (the Village disclaims responsibility for documents left there). Effective September 1, 2025, all permit fees are collected at the time of a complete application's submittal rather than at issuance, per the Village's own 'Notice of Changes to Permitting Process' (Aug. 11, 2025).. Official information: https://www.losranchosnm.gov/planning-and-zoning.

Both have a role, in sequence. The Village runs the land-use gate: commercial development must clear the Village's three-step Site Development Plan public-hearing process (sketch, preliminary before the Planning & Zoning Commission, final before the Board of Trustees). The building permit itself is then issued by Bernalillo County Planning & Development Services, which the Village's own codified ordinance (Sec. 9.4.2(L)) names as its designee for Building Permit issuance, using the County's Commercial Building Packet.

No. Neither the Village nor Bernalillo County publishes a distinct tenant-improvement permit type, fee, or timeline. A TI is filed on the County's same Building Permit Application with the 'Alteration/Repair' box checked, and pays the same valuation-based fees ($30.00 plus $4.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation for the permit, plus $30.00 plus $2.00 per $1,000.00 for plan review).

Only in the Village's C-1 Retail Commercial (Sec. 9.2.12), GD (Sec. 9.2.13), VC Village Center (Sec. 9.2.14), and AC (Sec. 9.2.15) zones. The C-1 zone's own purpose statement targets 'Village scale' commercial 'primarily focused on Fourth Street' -- the historic Route 66 / El Camino Real corridor -- and the Village's agricultural/rural character policy keeps commercial zoning deliberately narrow.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-01.

Fee schedules

Applications & forms

Checklists & handouts

Codes & ordinances

Department & other records

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 Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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