Farmington building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Farmington, New Mexico.
Last verified 2026-07-02 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 805 Municipal Drive, Annex Building, 2nd Floor, Farmington, NM 87401
- Phone
- (505) 599-1304
- Office hours
- Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. No online permitting or online payment is available; applications and payment (check, money order, cashier's check, or credit card — Discover not accepted) must be made in person at the Annex Building.
- Website
- Official site
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Farmington — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
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.
- 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code (2021 IBC as amended) — 14.7.2 NMAC
- 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code (2021 IRC as amended) — 14.7.3 NMAC
- 2021 New Mexico Existing Building Code (2021 IEBC as amended) — 14.7.7 NMAC
- 2021 New Mexico Earthen Building Materials Code — 14.7.4 NMAC
- 2009 New Mexico Non-Load Bearing Baled Straw Construction Building Code — 14.7.5 NMAC
- 2021 New Mexico Residential Energy Conservation Code (2021 IECC as amended) — 14.7.6 NMAC
- 2021 New Mexico Historic Earthen Buildings Code — 14.7.8 NMAC
- 2021 New Mexico Commercial Energy Conservation Code — 14.7.9 NMAC
- 2021 New Mexico Plumbing Code (2021 UPC as amended) — 14.8.2 NMAC
- 2012 New Mexico Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code Phase III (2012 USPSHTC as amended) — 14.8.3 NMAC
- 2021 New Mexico Mechanical Code (2021 UMC as amended) — 14.9.2 NMAC
- 2012 New Mexico Solar Energy Code (2012 USEC as amended) — 14.9.6 NMAC
- 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code (2020 NEC as amended), effective March 28, 2023 — 14.10.4 NMAC
- 2012 New Mexico Electrical Safety Code (2012 NESC as amended) — 14.10.5 NMAC
- 2021 International Fire Code — adopted by the City of Farmington
- 14.5.1 NMAC General Provisions, 14.5.2 NMAC Permits, and 14.5.3 NMAC Inspections (Construction Industries Division rules) — adopted and amended by Chapter 7 of the City of Farmington Code of Ordinances
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction)
Required for new single-family residential construction in Farmington. Farmington does not accept online applications or payments — all permits must be applied for and paid in person at the Building Inspection Division office. Plans are reviewed against the 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code (2021 IRC as amended).
Residential Addition / Alteration / Remodel Permit
Required for additions, alterations, remodels, and structural renovations to existing residential structures in Farmington, including garage additions/conversions, decks, carports, and interior/exterior renovation affecting structure or life safety.
Residential Electrical Permit
Required for electrical work on residential properties in Farmington, including new wiring, service changes, branch circuits, and low-voltage hardwire work. Electrical work must comply with the 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code (based on the 2020 NEC, adopted via 14.10.4 NMAC, effective March 28, 2023).
Residential Plumbing Permit
Required for plumbing installations, alterations, and repairs on residential properties in Farmington, governed by the 2021 New Mexico Plumbing Code (2021 UPC as amended, 14.8.2 NMAC).
Residential Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and mechanical equipment installations on residential properties in Farmington, governed by the 2021 New Mexico Mechanical Code (2021 UMC as amended, 14.9.2 NMAC).
Residential Roofing Permit
Required for roof overlays, re-roofs, and structural roof renovations on residential properties in Farmington. Design must account for the City's local minimum roof live load of 20 PSF.
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit
Required for installation of solar panels on residential properties in Farmington. Solar installations must comply with the 2012 New Mexico Solar Energy Code (2012 USEC as amended, 14.9.6 NMAC), which the City has explicitly adopted.
EV Charger / Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit
Farmington has no dedicated EV charger permit, application, or fee schedule. Installation of an electric vehicle charging station (Level 1/2 EVSE) is electrical work and is processed under the City's standard Residential Electrical Permit, governed by the 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code (based on the 2020 NEC, which includes Article 625, Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System) — the same mechanism documented in the electrical-permit entry. No EV-specific provision or fee line was found published on the City's 'Do I need a Construction Permit?' page, the State of NM Adopted Construction Codes page, or the Manual of Fees. Re-chased 2026-07-20: located and directly checked the City's 'Manual of Fees' page -- its only linked document is a Water/Wastewater Division 'Set Price List' (utility tap/meter fees, unrelated to building/electrical permits); the page's own text states 'Permitting fees are based upon type of construction, square footage, type of materials and construction codes... contact one of our Building Inspectors at (505)599-1304' rather than publishing a table. Confirms the same gap already documented on this file's general electrical-permit entry (also confidence: verified, also fees: []), which this EV-charger entry mirrors exactly since it uses the identical Residential Electrical Permit.
Sign Permit
Required for installation of most signs in Farmington. 'Signs' is explicitly listed among work requiring a permit on the City's 'Do I need a Construction Permit?' page. Sign standards (permitted sign types, height/area limits, and which signs may be exempt) are governed by UDC Article 5 — Development Standards, Section 5.8 — Signs, of the Farmington Code of Ordinances. The City's own published FAQ on the topic does not itemize the exempt/prohibited sign list online and instead directs applicants to the Planning Division and to the ordinance text directly.
Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Permit
Required for installation of fire protection (sprinkler) systems and fire alarm systems in Farmington. Both 'Fire Protection Systems' and 'Sprinkler System' are explicitly listed among work requiring a permit on the City's 'Do I need a Construction Permit?' page. Plan review and inspections for these life-safety systems are handled by the Farmington Fire Marshal's Office, which reviews plans for new construction and for alterations involving significant changes or a change in occupancy, and requires digital plan submittal. The Fire Marshal's Office enforces the 2021 International Fire Code as adopted and locally amended by City Ordinance No. 2024-1358.
Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Occupancy
The City of Farmington requires final inspections from the relevant departments (building, fire, and others depending on the nature of the occupant) prior to issuing a Certificate of Occupancy, per the City's own FAQ, which notes this is 'Usually for new construction only.' A related business inspection must also be completed to obtain a business license from the City Clerk's office. Where a change of occupancy is involved (rather than new construction), the Fire Marshal's Office plan-reviews 'any alterations involving significant changes or a change in occupancy in the structure,' alongside the standard Building Inspection Division process — Farmington does not appear to publish a separate standalone 'change-of-use permit' product distinct from this inspection-driven Certificate of Occupancy / plan-review process.
Commercial Building Permit (New Construction & Tenant Improvement)
Required for new commercial construction and commercial tenant improvements in Farmington. Farmington is its own Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) under 14.5.1 NMAC — its Building Inspection Division (a full-service department with a full-time certified building official) issues commercial building permits locally rather than the State Construction Industries Division (CID) administering them, enforcing the 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code (2021 IBC as amended, 14.7.2 NMAC). Tenant improvements are NOT a separate permit type — they run through this same commercial building permit process, with the only published difference being submittal volume: up to six (6) sets of construction drawings for new commercial projects versus up to four (4) sets for commercial tenant improvements, per the City's Commercial Building Requirements page. All applications and building plans must be submitted as hard copies in person — no online permitting or payment.
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)
- 5units
5 buildings · $1.1M valuation
- Trailing 12 months
- 40units
12 of 12 months reported · #11 in New Mexico coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-05)
- 17units
17 buildings · $5M valuation
5 month(s) reported to Census
- Full year 2025
- 40units
40 buildings · $12.3M 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
- Farmington does NOT offer online permit applications or online payment. All permits must be applied for and paid in person at the Community Development Planning and Zoning Division & Building Inspection Division, 805 Municipal Drive, Annex Building, 2nd floor (across from City Hall). Accepted payment: check, money order, cashier's check, or credit card by phone (American Express, MasterCard, Visa) — Discover is not accepted.
- The City does not publish a fixed permit fee schedule online. Per the Manual of Fees page, fees are based on type of construction, square footage, materials, and construction codes — call a Building Inspector at (505) 599-1304 for an exact quote.
- Farmington is its own Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) under 14.5.1 NMAC — it enforces the State of New Mexico's Title 14 construction codes (Chapters 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 NMAC) locally through its own full-service Building Inspection Division rather than having the State Construction Industries Division (CID) administer permits directly within city limits.
- New Mexico's statewide homeowner permit exemption (14.5.2 NMAC) allows a property owner to obtain a building, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical permit for their own primary residence (and appurtenant structures like garages, carports, and sheds) without a contractor license, provided the homeowner performs the major portion of the work by dollar value.
- A City of Farmington Business License is required for any contractor or subcontractor performing work within city limits, separate from the state contractor license — call the City Clerk at (505) 599-1170 or apply online.
- Permits are NOT required for: cabinetry, carpeting, countertops, exterior or interior painting (residential or commercial), minor landscaping, or tiling.
- Final inspection is required for ALL permits issued by the City.
- Building permits are valid for 2 years from issuance; if work does not begin within 180 days, the permit becomes invalid (per City FAQ).
- Design criteria: minimum roof live load 20 PSF; frost depth 24 inches minimum, per the City's published Design Loads page.
- Mobile home / manufactured housing additions, alterations, and repairs are handled by the State's Manufactured Housing Division within the Construction Industries Division office, not the City — call (505) 476-4770.
- Schedule inspections by calling (505) 599-1304 at least one business day in advance; have your permit/application number ready. Electrical Service Connect inspections for the Farmington Electric Utility System are scheduled separately at (505) 599-8310, (505) 599-8312, or (505) 599-8317.