Commercial Building Permit (New Construction & Tenant Improvement) in Farmington, New Mexico

Farmington requires a commercial building permit (new construction & tenant improvement) for: Up to six (6) sets of construction drawings must be submitted for new commercial projects; up to four (4) sets for commercial tenant improvements — per the City's Commercial Building Requirements page; Per the Commercial New Construction bulletin: submit six (6) complete sets of plans including building computations and specifications indicating type of construction and occupancy group per the International Building Code; plot plan; floorplan; footing/foundation plan; roof plan; foundation, wall and roof section drawings; plumbing and mechanical plans; electrical plan; and any specification/project manual; Plot plan must indicate proposed paving, off-street parking layout (including striping and handicapped-accessible parking with posted signage), and trash receptacle location with any required screening per City standards; Farmington Fire Department approves all commercial plans and automatic fire-sprinkler systems — no permit is issued until ALL applicable departments/agencies have approved their portion of the application; Any commercial building, regardless of valuation, must be permitted to a general contractor licensed in the State of New Mexico (GB-98); NM professional seal thresholds (per the City's Commercial New Construction bulletin and 14.5.2.10 NMAC): occupant load over 10, or Group E, Daycare H (Hazardous), or I (Institutional) occupancies, require a New Mexico Architect's and/or Registered Engineer's stamp; occupant load over 50 OR valuation greater than $400,000 requires plans stamped/signed by BOTH a New Mexico Licensed Architect and a New Mexico Registered Professional Engineer — all pages of the plans must be stamped and signed; Under 14.5.2.10 NMAC, alterations to buildings or structures that present no unusual conditions or hazards and no change in occupancy are excepted from the architect/engineer seal requirement (at the building official's discretion) — relevant to many tenant improvements; Electrical: installations with calculated service capacity over 100 kVA single-phase or over 225 kVA three-phase must be stamped by a registered electrical engineer; mechanical/plumbing work valued at $50,000+ or in commercial buildings three stories and higher may require a PE stamp (14.5.2.10 NMAC); Restrooms and building access must be accessible per the New Mexico Commercial Building Code and ICC/ANSI A117.1-2003; eating establishments where food is consumed on premises must have accessible public restrooms; Secondary permits for electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work may be submitted without accompanying construction drawings, though equipment cut-sheets may be required; A City of Farmington Business License is required for the general contractor and all subcontractors working within city limits; Applications and payment made in person only at 805 Municipal Drive, Annex Building, 2nd floor — hard copies required, no online permitting or payment. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Farmington Community Development Department — Building Inspection Division at (505) 599-1304 before starting work.

Approximately 10 to 20 working days for the initial plan review, per the City's Commercial New Construction bulletin. The owner or contractor is notified by phone once reviews are complete. No permit is issued until all applicable departments/agencies have approved their portion.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Construction Drawings — six (6) complete sets (new commercial) or up to four (4) sets (tenant improvement); Plot Plan with Site Details. Depending on your project, Farmington may also ask for: Digital Fire Protection System Plans (if applicable). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

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.

No. Commercial tenant improvements are processed under the same commercial building permit as new construction. The City's Commercial Building Requirements page distinguishes them only by submittal volume — up to four (4) sets of construction drawings for tenant improvements versus up to six (6) for new commercial projects. No separate TI application, fee, or review timeline is published.

Any commercial building with an occupant load over 10, or Group E, Daycare H (Hazardous), or I (Institutional) occupancies, requires a New Mexico Architect's and/or Registered Engineer's stamp. Buildings with an occupant load over 50 or valuation greater than $400,000 require BOTH a NM Licensed Architect and a NM Registered Professional Engineer, with all pages stamped and signed. Alterations with no unusual conditions/hazards and no change in occupancy may be excepted at the building official's discretion (14.5.2.10 NMAC).

The City does not publish a fee schedule. Per its Manual of Fees page, permitting fees are based on type of construction, square footage, type of materials, and construction codes; the City directs applicants to contact a Building Inspector at (505) 599-1304 for an exact fee.

The City of Farmington. Farmington is its own Authority Having Jurisdiction under 14.5.1 NMAC, with a full-service Building Inspection Division that permits, plan-reviews, and inspects commercial construction locally — the State Construction Industries Division (CID) does not administer building permits within city limits (mobile/manufactured housing being the notable state-handled exception).