Do I need a building permit for a new house in Los Alamos County?

Yes. Per the Los Alamos County Code, no building or structure may be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted, or demolished unless a permit has first been obtained from the Community Development Department Building Safety Division.

How long does residential building permit review take in Los Alamos County?

The Building Safety Division's stated goal is to process all residential permits in an average of 3 business days or less; the division's own 2024 performance data shows an average of 1 business day actually achieved for the 737 residential permits issued that year.

Does Los Alamos County handle electrical and plumbing permits?

No — the State of New Mexico's Construction Industries Division (CID) permits electrical and plumbing/mechanical work directly in Los Alamos County. Those permits must be obtained separately from CID (505-476-4700), not from the County.

Residential Building Permit (New Dwelling) in Los Alamos County, New Mexico

Verified

Required for construction of new single-family dwellings in Los Alamos County. Self-administered by the County's own Building Safety Division (the only IAS-accredited building department in New Mexico), reviewed against the 2021 IBC/IRC as amended by the State of New Mexico and the 2018 IECC, plus Los Alamos County Design Criteria. Applications may be submitted electronically via the Citizen Self-Service (CSS) portal or on paper at the Community Development Department counter.

Verified 2026-07-03 · Source

From$23.50Building Permit Fee — valuation $1.00 to $500.00 — see all 10 fees below

When you need this permit

Building permit required before any building or structure regulated by the Code is erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted, or demolished (Los Alamos County Code)
Plans must comply with the 2021 IBC/IRC as amended by the State of New Mexico and the 2018 IECC
Plans must comply with Los Alamos County Design Criteria: wind speed 90 mph, ground snow load 30 psf, Seismic Design Category C, Climate Zone 5B
Foundation frost depth: 36 inches in Los Alamos townsite, 24 inches in White Rock
Homeowners may act as their own general contractor only on their own primary residence, using the New Mexico CID Homeowners Responsibility form
Two complete sets of plans and specifications required for paper submittals; one electronic set for CSS portal submittals
A recent survey of the lot/site showing location of all utilities is required for most building permit applications
Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical/HVAC permits for the new dwelling must be obtained SEPARATELY and directly from the New Mexico Construction Industries Division (CID) — not from the County

Required documents

Required
Building Permit Application (New Dwelling Template)
County application form (rev. 1/19/24); select 'New Dwelling' under Type of Work; requires owner/contractor info, square footage, valuation of work, and description of work
Required
Construction Documents
Foundation plan with footing details (36" LA / 24" WR frost depth), floor and roof framing plans, wall section details, elevation drawings, manufactured lumber/truss engineering data
Required
Site Plan
Scaled drawing showing location of proposed and existing structures, distances to property lines, and location of all utility lines (gas, water, electric, sewer)
Required
NM One Call Ticket Number
Utility locate ticket number from NM One Call (1-800-321-2537)
Optional
CID Homeowners Responsibility Form
Required only if the homeowner is acting as their own general contractor

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Building Permit Fee — valuation $1.00 to $500.00	$23.50	Los Alamos County Building Permit Fees schedule (PDF), based on Municipal Code Chapter 10, Article III
Building Permit Fee — valuation $500.01 to $2,000.00	$23.50 for the first $500 plus $3.05 for each additional $100.00 or fraction thereof	Los Alamos County Building Permit Fees schedule (PDF)
Building Permit Fee — valuation $2,000.01 to $25,000.00	$69.25 for the first $2,000.00 plus $14.00 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof	Los Alamos County Building Permit Fees schedule (PDF)
Building Permit Fee — valuation $25,000.01 to $50,000.00	$391.75 for the first $25,000.00 plus $10.10 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof	Los Alamos County Building Permit Fees schedule (PDF)
Building Permit Fee — valuation $50,000.01 to $100,000.00	$643.75 for the first $50,000.00 plus $7.00 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof	Los Alamos County Building Permit Fees schedule (PDF)
Building Permit Fee — valuation $100,000.01 to $500,000.00	$993.75 for the first $100,000.00 plus $5.60 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof	Los Alamos County Building Permit Fees schedule (PDF)
Building Permit Fee — valuation $500,000.01 to $1,000,000.00	$3,233.75 for the first $500,000.00 plus $4.75 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof	Los Alamos County Building Permit Fees schedule (PDF)
Building Permit Fee — valuation $1,000,000.01 and up	$5,608.75 for the first $1,000,000.00 plus $3.65 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof	Los Alamos County Building Permit Fees schedule (PDF)
Plan Review Fee	65% of the calculated Building Permit Fee, due at time of submittal	Los Alamos County Building Permit Fees schedule (PDF) and Building Safety Division FAQ
Additional Plan Review (changes/revisions after initial submittal)	$47.00 per hour, or the County's actual hourly cost if greater	Los Alamos County Building Permit Fees schedule (PDF), Note 1

Review timeline

1–3 business days

Los Alamos County’s published plan-review target

Inspection process

1
Foundation
Before concrete pour — footing depth (36" LA / 24" WR), forms, rebar
2
Framing
Floor, wall, and roof framing per approved plans before cover
3
Insulation
R-values verified against IECC 2018 compliance path before wallboard
4
Wallboard
Prior to taping/finishing
5
Final
All work complete per approved plans; separate CID final sign-offs required for electrical/plumbing/mechanical

Tips

The Building Safety Division's own 2024 performance data (published in its Feb. 2025 IAS reaccreditation announcement) shows an average residential permit turnaround of just 1 business day (737 residential permits issued in 2024), well inside the division's published 3-business-day goal.
Do not start construction before obtaining the permit — starting early risks double fees and may require removing completed work for inspection purposes, per the Building Safety Division FAQ.
Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical/HVAC work on the new dwelling requires a SEPARATE permit obtained directly from the New Mexico Construction Industries Division (CID), not from Los Alamos County. Apply via the CID Manufactured Housing/Trades portal (nmrld.my.site.com/MHD) or call CID at (505) 476-4700.
Los Alamos County is the only IAS (International Accreditation Service)-accredited building department in the State of New Mexico, reaccredited with no corrective actions in the division's most recent audit.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a building permit for a new house in Los Alamos County?: Yes. Per the Los Alamos County Code, no building or structure may be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted, or demolished unless a permit has first been obtained from the Community Development Department Building Safety Division.
How long does residential building permit review take in Los Alamos County?: The Building Safety Division's stated goal is to process all residential permits in an average of 3 business days or less; the division's own 2024 performance data shows an average of 1 business day actually achieved for the 737 residential permits issued that year.
Does Los Alamos County handle electrical and plumbing permits?: No — the State of New Mexico's Construction Industries Division (CID) permits electrical and plumbing/mechanical work directly in Los Alamos County. Those permits must be obtained separately from CID (505-476-4700), not from the County.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-03.

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 Los Alamos County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Other permits in Los Alamos County

Residential Addition / Remodel Permit Electrical Permit (CID-Administered)Plumbing Permit (CID-Administered)Mechanical / HVAC Permit (CID-Administered)Re-Roof / New Roof Structure Permit Solar Photovoltaic (PV) / Hot Water Solar Permit Demolition Permit Fence, Wall, and Retaining Wall Permit Large Residential Accessory Structure Permit (Over 200 sq ft)

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