Hobbs building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Hobbs, New Mexico.
Last verified 2026-07-02 · Source
Building department
- Address
- 200 E. Broadway, Hobbs, NM 88240
- Phone
- (575) 391-8158
- Office hours
- City Hall: Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (noon)
- Website
- Official site
Codes adopted
New Mexico sets construction codes statewide by rule, not through home-rule discretion. Under the Construction Industries Licensing Act (NMSA 1978 §§ 60-13-1 et seq.), the state's Construction Industries Commission and Division (CID, within the Regulation & Licensing Department) adopt the technical construction codes codified at New Mexico Administrative Code (NMAC) Title 14 — including the state's own Building, Residential, Existing Building, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Plumbing, Solar Energy, and Swimming Pool codes, and the National Electrical Code (14.10.4 NMAC currently adopts the 2020 NEC; the CID Commission periodically updates individual code chapters, so confirm the current edition with the applicable authority). Per NMSA 1978 § 60-13-44(E), these state codes "constitute a minimum requirement" binding every political subdivision in New Mexico — no city or county may adopt anything less stringent, though a jurisdiction may adopt stricter local amendments. Enforcement authority runs through whichever entity is the project's Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ, defined at NMAC 14.5.1.7.B): under NMSA 1978 § 60-13-41(D)-(F), a municipality or county that employs its own full-time certified building official may self-administer permitting, plan review, and inspection locally (Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Farmington, and Roswell all operate this way); jurisdictions without a certified building official default to direct enforcement by a CID field office (e.g., Hobbs, Alamogordo). Some jurisdictions run a hybrid — locally certified for some trades while CID directly enforces others (Roswell's electrical permitting, for example, reverted to direct CID administration as of January 1, 2026). Always confirm with the specific jurisdiction whether it or the state CID is the acting AHJ for a given trade before submitting plans.
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction)
Required for new single-family and duplex residential construction in Hobbs. Reviewed against the 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code (NMRBC, based on the 2021 IRC) as adopted by City of Hobbs Municode 15.04.010. Fees are valuation-based per Municode 15.28.010.
Residential Electrical Permit
Required for all electrical service and wiring installations in Hobbs residential properties. Governed by the 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code / 2020 National Electrical Code (NMAC 14.10.4) as adopted by Municode 15.04.010. Fee schedule set by Municode 15.28.090.
Residential Plumbing Permit
Required for plumbing installations, alterations, and repairs in Hobbs residential properties, including water heater replacement. Governed by the 2021 New Mexico Plumbing Code / 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (IAPMO) per NMAC 14.8.2, adopted by Municode 15.04.010. Per-item fee schedule set by Municode 15.28.080.
Residential Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and fuel gas installations in Hobbs residential properties. Governed by the 2021 New Mexico Plumbing and Mechanical Code / 2021 Uniform Mechanical Code (IAPMO) per NMAC 14.9.2, adopted by Municode 15.04.010. Per-item fee schedule set by Municode 15.28.080.
Residential Re-Roof Permit
Required for all roof replacements and applications of roof coatings on residential properties in Hobbs. Governed by 2021 IRC Section R908 Reroofing as amended by New Mexico for state-specific conditions (NMAC 14.7.3.17(D), effective 7/14/2023). Eligible for the Over-the-Counter/Call-In Permit Program for contractors.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-05)
- No data reported
- Trailing 12 months
- No data reported
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-05)
- 56units
56 buildings · $16.4M valuation
2 month(s) reported to Census
- Full year 2025
- 143units
143 buildings · $42.4M valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-05 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All New Mexico building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Hobbs is enforced under New Mexico's statewide Construction Industries Division (CID) code framework, not a separately state-certified Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) with its own amended code — City of Hobbs Municode 15.04.010 formally adopts the NMAC-codified statewide building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and solar/pool codes by reference, and the City's own Building Inspection Department administers permitting and inspection locally as the AHJ.
- Permits are required not just within Hobbs city limits but throughout its 5-mile Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) — ETJ projects also require Lea County approval notification.
- Permit fees for building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing are individually codified with exact dollar figures in City of Hobbs Code of Ordinances Chapter 15.28 (Sections 15.28.010 through 15.28.090) — this is unusually granular compared to many jurisdictions that only publish valuation percentages.
- Homeowners can self-permit residential construction, but self-performing electrical, plumbing, or mechanical trade work requires passing the New Mexico CID homeowner trade exam — call (505) 476-4869.
- New Mexico has state-specific amendments to the 2021 IRC reroofing section (NMAC 14.7.3.17) — pumice/granular fill is banned in roof assemblies, and canale/scupper metal pan lining requirements apply, reflecting the region's adobe/flat-roof construction tradition.
- Refunds on cancelled permits are 80% of total fees paid (Municode 15.28.010).
- A red tag (working without a permit) results in a double permit fee (Municode 15.28.060).
- Re-inspection fees are a flat $60.00 across building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits, and must be paid before the next inspection is scheduled (Municode 15.28.070).
- Completed permit application sets can be submitted by email as PDF to hobbs.permits@hobbsnm.org, and inspections can be requested by email or by texting the inspector directly.
- Note: the current fillable Electrical Permit Application form lists slightly different dollar amounts for flat miscellaneous fee items (sign connection, HVAC unit, swimming pool, temp pole, low voltage) than the codified Municode 15.28.090 ordinance ($20-30 on the form vs. $31 in the ordinance). This file uses the codified Municode figures as authoritative.