Electrical Permit in Unincorporated Bernalillo County, New Mexico

Unincorporated Bernalillo County requires an electrical permit for: Valid State of New Mexico electrical contractor license (for contractor-pulled permits) and a current Bernalillo County Business License; Homeowners performing their own electrical work must pass the Bernalillo County Homeowners Electrical Exam (75% passing score) and obtain a permit — not permitted for commercial or industrial work; Property must be verified as within unincorporated Bernalillo County (not City of Albuquerque) before applying via Accela. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Bernalillo County Planning & Development Services — Building Services (Building Safety Division) at (505) 314-0351 (Building Services / Inspection Line); (505) 314-0350 (Planning & Development Services main line / Permitting & Development Center) before starting work.

In Unincorporated Bernalillo County, the published Administrative Charge (applies to all electrical permit applications) is: $23.50 each. Additional published fees: Meter Loop — $20.00 each; Outlets — Communication, Signal, Fixtures, Switches, Receptacles (first 20) — $0.75 each; Motor Operated Equipment (1 HP and over) — $10.00 per horsepower, maximum $20.00 per unit; Evaporative Cooler (any size) — $4.00 each; Sign Connections — $20.00 each; Homeowner Electrical Exam Fee — $25.00 (due at time of testing); Re-inspection Fee — $47.00 each. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for an electrical permit in Unincorporated Bernalillo County typically runs 3–10 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with Bernalillo County Planning & Development Services — Building Services (Building Safety Division) at (505) 314-0351 (Building Services / Inspection Line); (505) 314-0350 (Planning & Development Services main line / Permitting & Development Center).

You'll need: Accela Citizen Access Application. Depending on your project, Unincorporated Bernalillo County may also ask for: Homeowners Electrical Permit Exam Certification. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Bernalillo County requires 3 inspection(s) for an electrical permit, in order: Rough-In, Service/Panel, Final. Schedule each through Bernalillo County Planning & Development Services — Building Services (Building Safety Division) ((505) 314-0351 (Building Services / Inspection Line); (505) 314-0350 (Planning & Development Services main line / Permitting & Development Center)).

Professional contractors apply online through the Accela Citizen Access (ACA) portal at epermits.bernco.gov, providing a valid NM contractor license and current Bernalillo County Business License. Paper/PDF applications are no longer accepted.

Unincorporated Bernalillo County, New Mexico has adopted: Bernalillo County Building Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2024-8 (adopted August 13, 2024; repeals and replaces prior Ordinance 2009-5) — Bernalillo County Code Chapter 10, Article II — GOVERNANCE MODEL: Bernalillo County operates its OWN Local Enforcement Agency (the Planning & Development Services Building Program, headed by a County Certified Building Official) for the unincorporated area, rather than defaulting to the New Mexico Construction Industries Division (CID) for plan review/inspection. However, Sec. 10-34 of the ordinance expressly adopts BY REFERENCE 'the current codes adopted by the State of New Mexico Construction Industries Division,' amended by the county's own Exhibit A amendments — so the substantive code editions in force track whatever CID has currently adopted statewide, layered with Bernalillo County-specific amendments.; International Building Code (IBC), including Appendix Chapters B, C, E, H, I, and J — adopted by reference to the current CID-adopted edition, per Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(1); International Residential Code (IRC), including Appendix Chapters G, H, and K — adopted by reference to the current CID-adopted edition, per Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(2); International Existing Building Code (IEBC), as published by ICC — Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(3); International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(4). NM CID's Construction Industries Commission voted to adopt the 2021 IECC/energy code family (per CID's own 2024 press release 'Construction Industries Commission votes to adopt new energy-efficient building codes' and CID's 2021 Residential Energy Code Fact Sheet), which is the edition presently in force through this reference chain.; New Mexico Earthen Building Materials Code — CID-adopted, effective July 1, 2011 — Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(5); New Mexico Non-Load Bearing Straw Construction Building Standard — CID-adopted, effective July 1, 2011 — Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(6); International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), as published by ICC — Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(7); Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), as published by IAPMO (International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials) — Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(8). NOTE: Bernalillo County uses the IAPMO Uniform Mechanical/Plumbing/Solar/Pool code family rather than the ICC's IMC/IPC/IFGC family used by many other states.; Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), as published by IAPMO — Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(9). The county's own homeowner plumbing-test materials (Homeowners Plumbing/Electrical/Mechanical Work page, bernco.gov) cite the 2015 IAPMO Uniform Plumbing Code as the current test/reference edition in practice.; National Electrical Code (NEC), as published by NFPA — Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(10). NOTE: The county's own Homeowners Electrical Exam information sheet (Electrical-HomeOwners-exam-info, rev. 8/2025) specifies the only code books permitted for the county's homeowner electrical exam are the '2020 N.E.C., 2020 N.M.E.C. [New Mexico Electrical Code], and the most current Bernalillo County Ordinance' — indicating 2020 NEC is the edition in practical current use for that exam, even though the ordinance text itself does not hard-code an edition year.; New Mexico Electrical Safety Code, as adopted by CID, effective January 1, 2008 — Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(11); Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code, as published by IAPMO — Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(12); Uniform Solar Energy Code, as published by IAPMO — Ordinance 2024-8 Sec. 10-34(13); Bernalillo County amendments to the above International/Uniform/New Mexico codes are compiled as Exhibit A to Ordinance 2024-8 and together with the base codes are termed the 'Uniform Construction Codes of Bernalillo County,' controlling within the unincorporated area.. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Bernalillo County overview page for the full list.

Yes, for work on their own primary residence, after passing the county's Homeowners Electrical Exam (open-book, 2020 NEC/2020 NMEC/current county ordinance, $25 fee, 75% passing score, offered Mondays at 8:30 AM). Homeowner electrical permits are not allowed for commercial or industrial work.