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Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Occupancy in Farmington, New Mexico

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.

Verified 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A Certificate of Occupancy requires inspections from various departments depending on the nature of the occupant; inspections are scheduled and handled by the proper departments
  • Once inspections are done and everything is up to code, a Certificate of Occupancy is issued — per the City's FAQ, this is usually for new construction only
  • The City requires final inspections (including life safety system finals) prior to issuing a Certificate of Occupancy
  • A business inspection must additionally be completed to obtain a business license from the City Clerk's office
  • For alterations involving significant changes or a change in occupancy in an existing structure, the Fire Marshal's Office conducts plan review as part of the same process
  • Applications and inquiries handled in person/by phone through Building Inspection at 805 Municipal Drive, Annex Building, 2nd floor

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Filing fee
Not published — contact the department

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Occupancy permit actually take in Farmington?

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Inspection process

  1. 1

    Departmental Final Inspections

    Inspections from various departments depending on the nature of the occupant (e.g., building, fire/life-safety), scheduled and handled by the proper departments before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

  2. 2

    Business License Inspection

    A separate business inspection completed to obtain a business license from the City Clerk's office, in addition to the departmental final inspections.

See the full Farmington inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Farmington's Certificate of Occupancy process is inspection-driven rather than a separate paper permit product — per the City's FAQ, it is 'usually for new construction only,' and is issued once all department inspections confirm the building is up to code.
  • If you are changing the occupancy or use of an existing building (not new construction), the Fire Marshal's Office plan-reviews 'any alterations involving significant changes or a change in occupancy in the structure' — start with Building Inspection at (505) 599-1304 to coordinate this alongside any required building/fire permits.
  • Don't forget the separate business license inspection — a City of Farmington Business License (and its own inspection) is required in addition to the Certificate of Occupancy before opening for business; contact the City Clerk at (505) 599-1170.

Frequently asked questions

Farmington requires a certificate of occupancy / change of occupancy permit for: A Certificate of Occupancy requires inspections from various departments depending on the nature of the occupant; inspections are scheduled and handled by the proper departments; Once inspections are done and everything is up to code, a Certificate of Occupancy is issued — per the City's FAQ, this is usually for new construction only; The City requires final inspections (including life safety system finals) prior to issuing a Certificate of Occupancy; A business inspection must additionally be completed to obtain a business license from the City Clerk's office; For alterations involving significant changes or a change in occupancy in an existing structure, the Fire Marshal's Office conducts plan review as part of the same process; Applications and inquiries handled in person/by phone through Building Inspection at 805 Municipal Drive, Annex Building, 2nd floor. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Farmington Community Development Department — Building Inspection Division at (505) 599-1304 before starting work.

Farmington does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Farmington Community Development Department — Building Inspection Division at (505) 599-1304 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Certificate of Occupancy Request / Inspection Scheduling; Business License Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Farmington requires 2 inspection(s) for a certificate of occupancy / change of occupancy permit, in order: Departmental Final Inspections, Business License Inspection. Schedule each through City of Farmington Community Development Department — Building Inspection Division ((505) 599-1304).

Apply through City of Farmington Community Development Department — Building Inspection Division at 805 Municipal Drive, Annex Building, 2nd Floor, Farmington, NM 87401. Phone: (505) 599-1304, email: buildingdept@farmingtonnm.gov. 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.. Official information: https://www.farmingtonnm.gov/887/Building-Inspection.

Farmington, New Mexico has adopted: 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. Local amendments apply — see the Farmington overview page for the full list.

A Certificate of Occupancy requires inspections from various departments depending on the nature of the occupant. Inspections are scheduled and handled by the proper departments, and once everything is up to code, the Certificate of Occupancy is issued. Per the City's FAQ, this is usually for new construction only. Contact Building Inspection at (505) 599-1304 to start the process.

No standalone change-of-use permit product was found published on the City's site. Instead, the Fire Marshal's Office plan-reviews alterations involving significant changes or a change in occupancy as part of the standard building/fire permit and Certificate of Occupancy process.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-22.

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

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Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Occupancy in other cities

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