Aztec building permits

Requirements

• New residential construction, additions, alterations, detached accessory/storage buildings (over 120 sq ft), decks, patios, or agricultural buildings within Aztec city limits
• Must comply with the 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code (2021 IRC as amended)
• E9-1-1 physical address verification required before a building permit can be issued (San Juan County Rural Addressing, (505) 334-4314)
• Either a licensed contractor or the homeowner (under New Mexico's homeowner permit exemption, for the owner's own principal residence) may apply for the permit
• Engineered, manufacturer-supplied roof trusses required, minimum load design 25-10-10 for conventional roofs
• A separate City of Aztec Land Use Permit is also required for new dwellings, in addition to this County-administered building permit

Required documents

• RequiredNew Residential Building ChecklistSan Juan County Building Department's published construction permit checklist for new residential projects.
• RequiredBuilding Division Design CriteriaSan Juan County's published residential/commercial structural design criteria (truss loads, wind load, frost depth, energy zone).
• Required2021 Residential Energy Code Compliance FormRequired demonstration of compliance with the 2021 NM Energy Conservation Code, Climate Zone 5B.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical installation, alteration, or repair work within Aztec city limits
• Must comply with the 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code (2020 NEC as amended) — 14.10.4 NMAC
• Electrical Service Engineering Drawings/Calculations required for service work, per the Building Department's published Electrical Permit form list
• New Mexico's homeowner permit exemption applies to the owner's own principal residence

Required documents

• RequiredElectrical Permit ApplicationSan Juan County Building Department's published paper application form; also available via the SmartGov Community online portal for eligible permit types.
• RequiredElectrical Service Engineering Drawings Required / CalcsSan Juan County Building Department's published supplemental requirement for electrical service work.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A San Juan County Building Department Electrical Permit is required to install a new dedicated circuit or hardwired connection for an EV charging station within Aztec city limits — the same permit type used for any other electrical service or circuit work; no distinct 'EV charger' or 'EVSE' permit category is published
• Must comply with the 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code (2020 NEC as amended) — 14.10.4 NMAC, including NEC Article 625 (Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System) provisions where applicable
• Electrical Service Engineering Drawings/Calculations required for service upgrades tied to EV charger installation, per the Building Department's published Electrical Permit form list
• New Mexico's homeowner permit exemption applies to the owner's own principal residence

Required documents

• RequiredElectrical Permit ApplicationSan Juan County Building Department's published paper application form (revised 04/11/2023); no EV-specific application form is published

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Plumbing installation, alteration, or repair work within Aztec city limits
• Must comply with the 2021 New Mexico Plumbing and Mechanical Code (2021 UPC as amended) — 14.8.2 NMAC
• New Mexico's homeowner permit exemption applies to the owner's own principal residence

Required documents

• RequiredPlumbing Permit ApplicationSan Juan County Building Department's published paper application form.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Mechanical equipment installation, alteration, or repair work within Aztec city limits
• Must comply with the 2021 New Mexico Plumbing and Mechanical Code / 2021 Uniform Mechanical Code — 14.9.2 NMAC
• New Mexico's homeowner permit exemption applies to the owner's own principal residence

Required documents

• RequiredMechanical Permit ApplicationSan Juan County Building Department's published paper application form.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Roof overlay/re-roof, window replacement, or residing (siding replacement) work on a residential structure within Aztec city limits
• Must comply with the 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code (2021 IRC as amended)
• New Mexico's homeowner permit exemption applies to the owner's own principal residence

Required documents

• RequiredNew Residential Roofing, Windows, Residing Permit ApplicationSan Juan County Building Department's own dedicated application form for this permit type, distinct from its general residential/commercial building permit forms.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Required for construction, alteration, moving, or demolition of buildings, including expansions, garages, carports, or other add-ons, within Aztec city limits
• Not required for repairs to a building's exterior (including re-roofing) or interior remodeling that doesn't otherwise trigger a building permit, per the City's Development Handbook
• All applications require a site plan
• The Building Department requires a copy of the City's Land Use/Planning Permit to be submitted with the County building-permit application, to coordinate review order

Required documents

• RequiredLand Use Permit ApplicationCity of Aztec Community Development Department's own application; requires an accompanying site plan.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Building Permit required for the structural/racking portion of a solar PV installation, reviewed and inspected by the San Juan County Building Department under its interlocal agreement with the City of Aztec
• Electrical Permit required for PV wiring/interconnection, reviewed and inspected by San Juan County under the 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code (2020 NEC as amended)
• Building Permit fee is determined by the valuation of construction; the City's own Development Handbook directs applicants to 'contact the Building Department for current fees' rather than publishing a fixed table
• Electrical Permit fees 'have their own fee schedule and are calculated separately from the Building Permit Fee' per San Juan County's published guidance, but no numeric electrical fee table is published online
• Apply through San Juan County Building Department, 209 S. Oliver Dr., Aztec, NM 87410, (505) 334-4315, or the County's SmartGov Community online portal

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationFor the structural/racking portion, submitted to San Juan County Building Department
• RequiredElectrical Permit ApplicationFor PV wiring/interconnection, submitted to San Juan County Building Department
• RequiredElectrical Service Engineering Drawings/CalculationsRequired by San Juan County's published Electrical Permit form list for service-related work

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A permit is required before installing or significantly modifying (≥50% of replacement cost) any sign, sign structure, awning, or other sign device within Aztec city limits (Sec. 20-2-1(1))
• Sign must comply with Chapter 20's measurement standards, the zone-district sign table (Sec. 20-4-1), construction/clearance/maintenance standards, and illumination standards, including New Mexico Night Sky Protection Act compliance (NMSA 1978, Chapter 74, Article 12) for illuminated signs
• A Comprehensive Sign Plan (CSP) is required for sign development/installation in all PUD zone districts, and is optionally available elsewhere for unique sites, approved via a Quasi-Judicial Hearing before the Planning and Zoning Board with final City Commission approval
• Mural permit applications (a category the Sign Code separately regulates) require a rendering of the proposed mural; murals may not depict illegal activity, nudity, or violence
• Issuance of a City Sign Permit does not exempt the applicant from the New Mexico Highway Beautification Act (NMSA 1978, 67-12-1 et seq.); a sign near a state/US highway may also need a separate New Mexico Department of Transportation outdoor-advertising permit, and City approval does not guarantee NMDOT approval

Required documents

• RequiredSign Permit ApplicationCity of Aztec Community Development Department application; required for new signs or significant (≥50%-of-replacement-cost) modifications.
• OptionalComprehensive Sign Plan (CSP)Required for all PUD zone districts; optional elsewhere for sites with unique conditions. Reviewed via Quasi-Judicial Hearing by the Planning and Zoning Board, with final approval by the City Commission.
• OptionalMural RenderingRequired with any mural permit application; the Community Development Department reviews and approves or denies based on the rendering.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Licensed-professional-engineer-sealed construction drawings for the fire sprinkler and/or fire alarm system, submitted per NMAC 10.25.5.18 to the fire code enforcement bureau of the NM State Fire Marshal or to the local Fire Marshal/Authority Having Jurisdiction, showing sufficient detail per the SFM's published Plans Submittal Information
• The 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) applies as adopted both by the City of Aztec (Aztec City Code Sec. 8-21) and by the State of New Mexico
• An approved Knox Box system compatible with Aztec Fire Department Knox Keys must be installed on any building with a fire suppression and/or fire alarm system, unless the facility is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (Aztec City Code Sec. 8-27(1)); existing buildings had an 18-month compliance window from the 2009 ordinance's effective date
• The underlying racking/piping/wiring installation requires a separate San Juan County Building Permit and/or Electrical Permit for the structural and electrical work (see those permit types in this file)
• It is a separate misdemeanor offense under Aztec City Code Sec. 8-3 to interfere with the proper function of a fire alarm system

Required documents

• RequiredFire Protection System Construction Drawings (PE-sealed)Submitted per the New Mexico State Fire Marshal's published Plans Submittal Information, per NMAC 10.25.5.18; no Aztec-specific form is published.
• RequiredSan Juan County Building/Electrical Permit ApplicationCovers the underlying structural/electrical installation work for the sprinkler or alarm system.

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A change in occupancy classification, or a change of occupancy within a space involving a different fire-protection-system threshold under Chapter 9 of the New Mexico Commercial Building Code, requires code-official approval before the change may be made
• Reviewed as part of a standard Building Permit application to the San Juan County Building Department — no separate 'change of use permit' application form is published
• Project valuation for a change-of-occupancy-classification project is set using ICC Building Valuation Data (BVD), the same method used for new construction — distinct from ordinary alterations/repairs NOT involving a change of occupancy classification, which are valued from contract price (San Juan County Building Department, Plan Review Requirements)
• A Certificate of Occupancy (or an approved final inspection) must be issued before the building or portion thereof may be occupied, per NMAC 14.5.3.13; all required inspections must be completed and approved first
• If the change in use also shifts the City of Aztec's impact-fee category for the property, Aztec City Code Sec. 16-56(6) requires payment of the difference between the impact fee payable for the prior use and the fee payable for the new use, collected through the City's Land Use Permit process

Required documents

• RequiredSan Juan County Building Permit ApplicationCovers the underlying change-of-occupancy technical review; no distinct change-of-use form is published.
• OptionalCity of Aztec Land Use Permit ApplicationRequired only if the change in use also triggers a City impact-fee recalculation or a City zoning/land-use review.

Fee schedule