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Commercial Building Permit in Unincorporated San Juan County, New Mexico

Required for new commercial construction, additions to commercial buildings, alterations to commercial buildings (including tenant improvements), and other commercial work in unincorporated San Juan County. Issued and self-administered directly by the San Juan County Building Division using its own Commercial Buildings Permit Application (rev. 07/31/2023) — independently re-verified for this entry on 2026-08-01 by fetching and reading the full 3-page application and the county's Building Department page first-hand (both via Wayback Machine snapshots, since live sjcounty.net URLs return HTTP 403 to automated fetch). This is NOT a New Mexico Construction Industries Division (CID) permit: CID issues building permits directly only where no local building department operates, and San Juan County runs a full-service local program (plan review, issuance, inspections) whose published scope covers the unincorporated county plus Aztec, Bloomfield, and Kirtland; CID's role is limited to adopting the statewide construction codes the county then enforces. The application's four project-type checkboxes (New Commercial Construction / Addition to Commercial / Alteration to Commercial / Other) are the county's entire commercial intake — tenant improvement is NOT a separate permit type, fee schedule, or timeline (see tips). Reflecting the county's San Juan Basin oil/gas economy, the commercial site-plan checklist carries a requirement found on no other application in this jurisdiction: 'Indicate all gas well locations.'

Verified 2026-08-01 · Source

When you need this permit

  • New commercial construction, addition to commercial, alteration to commercial (including tenant improvements), or other commercial work — all four project types use this single application (rev. 07/31/2023)
  • All commercial projects require a licensed contractor per NMAC 14.6.6 — New Mexico's homeowner permit exemption applies only to residential work on the owner's own principal residence, never to commercial construction (contractor license number and expiration date required on the application) Contractor
  • Plans must comply with the 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code / 2021 IBC (plus the full adopted code list printed on the application) and the county's Design Criteria: ground snow load 30 psf, wind Vult 105/115/120 mph for Category I/II/III-IV buildings, frost depth 30 inches, seismic per ASCE 7-16
  • One hard set or PDF of drawings minimum 18 x 24 inches or larger, with each PAGE stamped and signed by the professional designer; footing and foundation design by a New Mexico Certified Engineer is required
  • Code study required: classification of building, type of construction, occupant load, and allowable area; engineering design loads for floor, snow, and wind
  • A prime design professional is required for any project needing multiple professional seals (architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, surveying); if the project exceeds $600,000 OR total occupant load is greater than 50, seals of multiple professions are REQUIRED; any change of the responsible design professional must be reported in writing within 10 business days
  • Electrical: any installation with calculated service capacity over 100 kVA single-phase or over 225 kVA three-phase must be stamped by a New Mexico Certified Electrical Engineer (exception: remote installations such as irrigation pumps)
  • Mechanical/plumbing: the AHJ may require a New Mexico-registered PE stamp for mechanical or plumbing work valued at $200,000 or more, or for commercial buildings three stories and higher
  • Site plan must show/label: address as assigned by San Juan County, Bloomfield, or Aztec; lot bearings and dimensions; north arrow and scale; all easements with widths; all structures with distances; accessible parking area; site utility locations and tie-ins; fire hydrant locations; and ALL GAS WELL LOCATIONS
  • Planning/Zoning approval required only if the property is within the City of Aztec, City of Bloomfield, or Town of Kirtland — rural areas outside city/town jurisdiction have no zoning requirements, per the application's own printed statement
  • 2021 New Mexico Commercial Energy Conservation Code compliance designed per NMAC 14.7.6.13; Flood Plain approval required where applicable
  • An Addressing Application (Rural Addressing, (505) 334-4314) should be submitted alongside the permit application; a building permit will not be issued without E9-1-1 physical address verification

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit FeeSan Juan County Building Department page, verbatim: 'Building Permit Fee: valuation of project x .005'. Project valuations for new buildings or additions are determined using the latest ICC Building Valuation Data (BVD); project costs for alterations and repairs to existing buildings not requiring a change of occupancy classification are derived from the contract price inclusive of all work performed — both rules published verbatim on the county's Plan Review Requirements section. The Building Division also publishes a stepped valuation-scale table (documented in this jurisdiction's Residential Building Permit entry, e.g. $790 for the first $100,000 plus $5.00 per additional $1,000, which converges to the same 0.5% at commercial-scale valuations). The application itself directs fee questions to (505) 334-4313.
Project valuation x .005
Building Plan Review FeeSan Juan County Building Department page, verbatim: 'Building Plan Review Fee: valuation of project x .0012' — charged in addition to the Building Permit Fee for all buildings requiring the seal of an Architect, Engineer, or both per NMAC 14.5.2.9/14.5.2.10 and the Architectural Act 61-15-9 NMSA 1978. Since the commercial application requires every plan page stamped by a professional designer and NM-engineer-designed foundations, commercial projects should budget for this fee as standard.
Project valuation x .0012
Trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) — separateCounty Building Department page, verbatim: 'Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing permits have their own fee schedule and are calculated separately from the Building Permit Fee.' Commercial trade rates are documented in this jurisdiction's Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical entries (e.g. commercial feeder-and-branch-circuit and DWV/water-distribution work at $0.06 per heated sq ft, double the residential rate).
Calculated separately under each trade's own fee schedule
Fire Department plan review and inspection fees (projects with fire protection systems)Separate San Juan County Fire Department fee schedule, fully documented in this jurisdiction's fire-sprinkler-alarm-permit entry — runs in parallel with, and in addition to, this Building Division permit for commercial projects that include sprinkler/alarm/suppression systems.
$40 administration fee + $100 plan review (includes 1 resubmittal) + system plan fees scaled by square footage

Review timeline

Plan reviewUnincorporated San Juan County’s published plan-review target
15–20 business days

How long did your Commercial Building Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated San Juan County?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing

    Forms and rebar in place prior to placement of concrete

  2. 2

    Foundation Wall / Monolithic Slab

    Concrete block, ICF block, or concrete forms in place with reinforcement prior to concrete placement; monolithic slabs with forms, exterior insulation, and rebar in place

  3. 3

    Electrical and Plumbing Under Slab

    Electrical raceway runs and DWV-with-test prior to covering trench; in-floor heat with air test

  4. 4

    Slab on Grade

    After electrical and plumbing under-slab approvals, prior to placement of concrete

  5. 5

    Rough Electrical, Plumbing, and Heating/Ventilation

    Service/feeders/branch raceway complete to termination; DWV top-out through roof with test, gas and water piping with test; appliance vents through roof, trunk line and taps installed, combustion air provided, exhaust ducts complete

  6. 6

    Framing

    After rough-in electrical, plumbing, and mechanical are completed and approved; windows in place; foundation and roof vents installed; air barrier requirements completed

  7. 7

    Insulation (and Stucco Lath where applicable)

    Exterior walls complete, ceiling complete if batted; stucco paper and wire installed prior to stucco cement application

  8. 8

    Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical Finals

    Panel board labeled and fixtures in place; plumbing fixtures functional with gas appliances connected; mechanical vent terminations complete, grills in place, cooling units functional

  9. 9

    Fire Department

    Applicable to Commercial Construction Only — per the county's published Required Inspections list; verifies fire protection systems and hydrant access (see this jurisdiction's fire-sprinkler-alarm-permit entry for the Fire Department's own parallel fee schedule)

  10. 10

    Building Final

    Last inspection prior to occupancy approval; Certificate of Occupancy issued only after all trade and Fire Department inspections are approved

See the full Unincorporated San Juan County inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Tenant improvement is NOT a separate permit type in San Juan County — the Commercial Buildings Permit Application's own project-type checkboxes are New Commercial Construction, Addition to Commercial, Alteration to Commercial, and Other, and a TI/build-out is filed as 'Alteration to Commercial' on this same form, under the same fee formula and the same published 3-4-week-minimum plan review. No separate TI application, fee schedule, or timeline is published anywhere on the county's materials (verified against the full application and Building Department page 2026-08-01).
  • TI valuation break: alterations and repairs to existing buildings NOT requiring a change of occupancy classification are valued at the contract price (inclusive of all work performed) rather than ICC Building Valuation Data — published verbatim on the county's Plan Review Requirements. If your TI changes the occupancy classification, see this jurisdiction's change-of-use-permit entry.
  • No distinct industrial permitting track exists at the county despite the San Juan Basin oil/gas economy: industrial buildings (shops, compressor stations' occupied structures, warehouses) go through this same Commercial Buildings Permit Application, and the county's only published industrial-specific touch is the site-plan requirement to 'Indicate all gas well locations.' Oil/gas wells and downhole facilities themselves are permitted by state/federal regulators, not the county Building Division — and rural unincorporated San Juan County has no zoning, so there is no county land-use approval layer for industrial siting either. (The county's 'Industrial Park' and 'Industrial Revenue Bonds' pages are economic-development products, not permits.)
  • Budget for the parallel Fire Department process: commercial projects with sprinkler/alarm/suppression systems pay the County Fire Department's separate plan-review and inspection fees on top of this permit, and the Building Division's own Required Inspections list includes a 'Fire Department' inspection applicable to commercial construction only.
  • The county's Internal Development Advisory Committee (DAC) meets every second and fourth Thursday at 10:00 AM and encourages all developers to meet with county staff — schedule via the Community Development Office at (505) 334-4248. A useful pre-application step for larger commercial projects.
  • Contractor-pulled permits can be submitted through the county's SmartGov online portal (co-sanjuan-nm.smartgovcommunity.com); inspection requests require at least 24 hours' notice at (505) 334-4313, and all fees are non-refundable per the application's own printed notice.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated San Juan County requires a commercial building permit for: New commercial construction, addition to commercial, alteration to commercial (including tenant improvements), or other commercial work — all four project types use this single application (rev. 07/31/2023); All commercial projects require a licensed contractor per NMAC 14.6.6 — New Mexico's homeowner permit exemption applies only to residential work on the owner's own principal residence, never to commercial construction (contractor license number and expiration date required on the application); Plans must comply with the 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code / 2021 IBC (plus the full adopted code list printed on the application) and the county's Design Criteria: ground snow load 30 psf, wind Vult 105/115/120 mph for Category I/II/III-IV buildings, frost depth 30 inches, seismic per ASCE 7-16; One hard set or PDF of drawings minimum 18 x 24 inches or larger, with each PAGE stamped and signed by the professional designer; footing and foundation design by a New Mexico Certified Engineer is required; Code study required: classification of building, type of construction, occupant load, and allowable area; engineering design loads for floor, snow, and wind; A prime design professional is required for any project needing multiple professional seals (architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, surveying); if the project exceeds $600,000 OR total occupant load is greater than 50, seals of multiple professions are REQUIRED; any change of the responsible design professional must be reported in writing within 10 business days; Electrical: any installation with calculated service capacity over 100 kVA single-phase or over 225 kVA three-phase must be stamped by a New Mexico Certified Electrical Engineer (exception: remote installations such as irrigation pumps); Mechanical/plumbing: the AHJ may require a New Mexico-registered PE stamp for mechanical or plumbing work valued at $200,000 or more, or for commercial buildings three stories and higher; Site plan must show/label: address as assigned by San Juan County, Bloomfield, or Aztec; lot bearings and dimensions; north arrow and scale; all easements with widths; all structures with distances; accessible parking area; site utility locations and tie-ins; fire hydrant locations; and ALL GAS WELL LOCATIONS; Planning/Zoning approval required only if the property is within the City of Aztec, City of Bloomfield, or Town of Kirtland — rural areas outside city/town jurisdiction have no zoning requirements, per the application's own printed statement; 2021 New Mexico Commercial Energy Conservation Code compliance designed per NMAC 14.7.6.13; Flood Plain approval required where applicable; An Addressing Application (Rural Addressing, (505) 334-4314) should be submitted alongside the permit application; a building permit will not be issued without E9-1-1 physical address verification. If your project isn't listed, confirm with San Juan County Community Development Department — Building Division at (505) 334-4313 (Building Division); (505) 334-4550 (Community Development main line, fax (505) 334-3755) before starting work.

Building Permit Fee = project valuation x .005 (0.5%), plus a Building Plan Review Fee of valuation x .0012 (0.12%) for architect/engineer-sealed projects — which commercial projects effectively always are, since every plan page must be stamped by a professional designer. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits are fee'd separately under their own schedules, and projects with fire protection systems also pay the County Fire Department's separate plan-review/inspection fees.

The county's own Commercial Buildings Permit Application (rev. 07/31/2023) states verbatim that 'THERE IS A MINIMUM OF 3-4 WEEKS ON PLAN REVIEW' — i.e., 15-20 business days as a published floor, longer for complex projects. This is longer than the county's 2-week residential plan-review minimum.

You'll need: Commercial Buildings Permit Application (rev. 07/31/2023); Full Plan Set (minimum 18 x 24 inches, each page stamped and signed by the professional designer); Code Study and Engineering Design Loads; Site Plan; Building/Structural Plans; Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical Plan Design Criteria; Accessibility Detail Drawings; 2021 NM Commercial Energy Conservation Code Compliance (per NMAC 14.7.6.13). Depending on your project, Unincorporated San Juan County may also ask for: Planning/Zoning Approval (Aztec, Bloomfield, or Kirtland properties only) and Flood Plain Approval. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated San Juan County requires 10 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit, in order: Footing, Foundation Wall / Monolithic Slab, Electrical and Plumbing Under Slab, Slab on Grade, Rough Electrical, Plumbing, and Heating/Ventilation, Framing, Insulation (and Stucco Lath where applicable), Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical Finals, Fire Department, Building Final. Schedule each through San Juan County Community Development Department — Building Division ((505) 334-4313 (Building Division); (505) 334-4550 (Community Development main line, fax (505) 334-3755)).

Apply through San Juan County Community Development Department — Building Division at 209 S. Oliver Dr., Aztec, NM 87410. Phone: (505) 334-4313 (Building Division); (505) 334-4550 (Community Development main line, fax (505) 334-3755), email: Not published on the county's Building Department or Community Development pages as of this verification — contact by phone at (505) 334-4313 (Building Division inspections/permit questions) or (505) 334-4550 (Community Development front desk). Office hours: Monday–Thursday 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM; closed Friday (per the Community Development Department contact block, which the Building Division falls under; a four-day/10-hour county work week). As of July 2026, the County's online SmartGov permitting portal (co-sanjuan-nm.smartgovcommunity.com/Public/Home) is live for application submittal, inspection results, and code enforcement lookups; homeowner permits must still be applied for in person per the portal's own notice.. Official information: https://www.sjcounty.net/government/community-development/building-department.

The San Juan County Building Division, directly. New Mexico's Construction Industries Division (CID) issues building permits only where no local building department operates; San Juan County runs a full-service local program (plan review, issuance, inspections) using the CID-adopted statewide codes, covering the unincorporated county plus Aztec, Bloomfield, and Kirtland by service agreement. Apply at 209 S. Oliver Dr., Aztec, or via the county's SmartGov portal.

No. A tenant improvement is filed as 'Alteration to Commercial' on the same Commercial Buildings Permit Application used for new commercial construction, with the same valuation-based fees (valuation x .005 permit fee plus x .0012 plan review) and the same 3-4-week-minimum plan review. One TI-relevant break: alterations not changing the occupancy classification are valued at contract price rather than ICC Building Valuation Data.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-01.

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 Unincorporated San Juan County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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