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Fire Sprinkler & Fire Alarm Permit in Unincorporated San Juan County, New Mexico

Administered by the San Juan County Fire Department / Fire Marshal's Office (a division of San Juan County Fire & Rescue) — a genuinely separate administering office from the Community Development Building Division that handles building/electrical/plumbing/mechanical permitting for this jurisdiction. Plan review and permit fees for automatic fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, special extinguishing systems, standpipe systems, and commercial cooking hood suppression systems are billed per a dedicated fee schedule approved by the San Juan County Commission on June 6, 2011 and still published by the Fire Marshal's Office as of this verification (July 2026). Systems must comply with the 2021 International Fire Code adopted county-wide (San Juan County Building Department Construction Codes list), which incorporates NFPA 13/13D/13R (sprinkler design) and NFPA 72 (fire alarm design) by reference. This is distinct from, and in addition to, the Building Division's own Commercial Buildings Permit Application, which separately lists a 'Fire Department: Applicable to Commercial Construction Only' inspection as one of its own required inspections and requires fire hydrant locations on the commercial site plan — the two offices' processes run in parallel for a commercial project that includes fire protection systems. The Fire Marshal's Office's own published services (public education, Life Fire Safety inspections, fire investigations, smoke detector installs) are otherwise oriented toward existing-occupancy life-safety inspection rather than new-construction permitting, but its fee document explicitly itemizes new-system plan review and permit fees for sprinkler/alarm/suppression work, confirming this is a real, distinct permit product rather than folded entirely into the Building Division's process.

Verified 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • New installation, alteration, or extension of an automatic fire sprinkler system, fire alarm system, special extinguishing system, standpipe system, or commercial cooking hood suppression system within San Juan County Fire & Rescue's service area (unincorporated county plus Aztec, Bloomfield, and Kirtland by the same service arrangement documented for the Building Division)
  • Plans must be submitted to the County Fire Department for plan review, separately from (and in addition to) the Building Division's Commercial Buildings Permit plan review for the same project
  • A $40.00 Administration Fee applies to all Fire Department inspections, permits, and plan reviews
  • The initial Plan Review fee includes one resubmittal at no extra charge; any further resubmittal is billed again at the same rate
  • Systems must comply with the adopted 2021 International Fire Code (San Juan County Building Department Construction Codes list), which incorporates NFPA 13/13D/13R (sprinkler design) and NFPA 72 (fire alarm design) by reference
  • A 'Fire Department' inspection is a required inspection specific to commercial construction, per the Building Division's own published Required Inspections list, in addition to the Fire Department's own post-installation inspection under its fee schedule

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Administration Fee (all Fire Department inspections, permits, plan reviews)San Juan County Fire Department Inspection/Permit/Plan Review Fee Schedule, approved by the San Juan County Commission June 6, 2011
$40.00
Plan Review Fee — Initial SubmittalSan Juan County Fire Department fee schedule
$100.00 (includes 1 resubmittal)
Plan Review Fee — Resubmittal (beyond the one included with initial submittal)San Juan County Fire Department fee schedule
$100.00
Automatic Sprinkler System Plan FeeSan Juan County Fire Department fee schedule
0-10,000 sq ft: $75.00; 10,001-52,000 sq ft: $125.00; each additional 52,000 sq ft or fraction thereof: $125.00
Fire Alarm System Plan FeeSan Juan County Fire Department fee schedule
0-10,000 sq ft: $75.00; 10,000-25,000 sq ft: $125.00; each additional 25,000 sq ft or fraction thereof: $125.00
Special Extinguishing System Plan FeeSan Juan County Fire Department fee schedule
0-5,000 sq ft: $50.00; each additional 5,000 sq ft or fraction thereof: $50.00
Stand-Pipe System Plan FeeSan Juan County Fire Department fee schedule
4 outlets: $50.00; each additional outlet: $50.00
Commercial Cooking Hood Plan FeeSan Juan County Fire Department fee schedule
$50.00 per system
Inspection Fee (post-installation, by square footage)San Juan County Fire Department fee schedule
0-3,000 sq ft: $40.00; 3,001-6,000 sq ft: $80.00; 6,001-9,000 sq ft: $105.00; 9,001-12,000 sq ft: $130.00; over 12,000 sq ft: $155.00
Re-Inspection FeeSan Juan County Fire Department fee schedule — the initial inspection already includes one re-inspection
$75.00

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Fire Sprinkler & Fire Alarm 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

    Fire Department Inspection (Commercial Construction)

    Required inspection specific to commercial construction, per the Building Division's own published Required Inspections list; verifies fire protection systems (sprinkler, alarm, suppression, standpipe) and fire hydrant access as installed against approved plans

  2. 2

    Re-Inspection (if the initial inspection does not pass)

    Billed at $75.00 if a re-inspection beyond the one already included with the initial inspection is needed, per the Fire Department's fee schedule

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

Tips

  • The County Fire Department's fire-protection-system fee schedule (Administration $40, Plan Review $100 initial submittal, sprinkler/alarm/suppression fees scaled by square footage) is separate from, and in addition to, the Building Division's own Commercial Buildings Permit fees — budget for both if your project includes a new automatic sprinkler system, fire alarm system, or commercial cooking hood suppression system.
  • The $100 initial Plan Review fee includes one resubmittal at no extra charge; a second resubmittal is billed again at $100.
  • This permit and fee schedule is distinct from the Fire Marshal's Office's separate 'Life Fire Safety' inspection program for existing occupancies (schedule 7-10 days out by calling (505) 334-1180) — that program is not a new-construction fire-protection-system permit product.
  • Standpipe, special extinguishing system, and commercial cooking hood suppression system plan fees are billed on the same County Fire Department fee schedule as sprinkler and alarm systems, using the same $40 administration fee and $100 plan-review-submittal structure.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated San Juan County requires a fire sprinkler & fire alarm permit for: New installation, alteration, or extension of an automatic fire sprinkler system, fire alarm system, special extinguishing system, standpipe system, or commercial cooking hood suppression system within San Juan County Fire & Rescue's service area (unincorporated county plus Aztec, Bloomfield, and Kirtland by the same service arrangement documented for the Building Division); Plans must be submitted to the County Fire Department for plan review, separately from (and in addition to) the Building Division's Commercial Buildings Permit plan review for the same project; A $40.00 Administration Fee applies to all Fire Department inspections, permits, and plan reviews; The initial Plan Review fee includes one resubmittal at no extra charge; any further resubmittal is billed again at the same rate; Systems must comply with the adopted 2021 International Fire Code (San Juan County Building Department Construction Codes list), which incorporates NFPA 13/13D/13R (sprinkler design) and NFPA 72 (fire alarm design) by reference; A 'Fire Department' inspection is a required inspection specific to commercial construction, per the Building Division's own published Required Inspections list, in addition to the Fire Department's own post-installation inspection under its fee schedule. 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.

Yes — $75.00 for 0-10,000 sq ft, $125.00 for 10,000-25,000 sq ft, and $125.00 for each additional 25,000 sq ft or fraction thereof, per the County Fire Department's published fee schedule, plus the $40.00 administration fee applied to all Fire Department permits, inspections, and plan reviews.

Unincorporated San Juan County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact 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) for current turnaround.

You'll need: Fire Department Inspection / Permit / Plan Review Fee Worksheet; Commercial Buildings Permit Application (Building Division). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated San Juan County requires 2 inspection(s) for a fire sprinkler & fire alarm permit, in order: Fire Department Inspection (Commercial Construction), Re-Inspection (if the initial inspection does not pass). 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.

Unincorporated San Juan County, New Mexico has adopted: GOVERNANCE MODEL: San Juan County Building Division self-administers building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical/HVAC permitting DIRECTLY for the unincorporated county (plus Aztec, Bloomfield, and Kirtland by service agreement) — it is NOT a New Mexico Construction Industries Division (CID) field-office pass-through jurisdiction for any trade. The County's own Building Department page states 'Construction Codes are adopted and amended by the State of New Mexico Construction Industries Division' (i.e., the SUBSTANTIVE code editions track the statewide CID-adopted codes), but the County itself issues, plan-reviews, fee-schedules, and inspects all four disciplines using its own application forms, its own fee schedule, and its own inspection staff reachable at (505) 334-4313 — there is no CID referral anywhere on the County's Building Department page, in contrast to jurisdictions in this corpus (e.g. Los Alamos County) that explicitly hand off electrical/plumbing/mechanical to CID. Source: sjcounty.net Building Department page (retrieved via full-browser-header fetch, July 2026).; 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2021 New Mexico Energy Conservation Code / 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; New Residential Permit Application Checklist (rev. 07/19/2023) requires a '2021 IECC Residential Energy Code Compliance Form' with every residential submittal; ICC/ANSI A117.1-2017 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2021 New Mexico Plumbing and Mechanical Code — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2021 Uniform Mechanical Code (IAPMO) — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (IAPMO) — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2021 International Fire Code — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC), NFPA 70 — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2012 Uniform Solar Energy Code (IAPMO) — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2012 Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code (IAPMO) — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2017 NFPA 58 (LP-Gas Code) — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; 2018 NFPA 54 (National Fuel Gas Code) — San Juan County Building Department, Construction Codes list; New Mexico Construction Industries Licensing Act, NMAC 14.6.6 — governs contractor licensing classifications/qualifications statewide; cited on the County's Commercial Buildings Permit Application as the basis for its 'all commercial projects require a licensed contractor' requirement. Source: San Juan County Commercial Buildings Permit Application (rev. 07/31/2023).. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated San Juan County overview page for the full list.

The San Juan County Fire Department / Fire Marshal's Office (a division of San Juan County Fire & Rescue) — not the Building Division. The Fire Department's own fee schedule (approved by the County Commission June 6, 2011) charges $75-$125+ (scaled by square footage) for sprinkler and fire alarm plan review, plus a $40 administration fee and separate square-footage-based inspection fees. A 'Fire Department' inspection is also a required step within the Building Division's own Commercial Buildings Permit process for the same project.

Other permits in Unincorporated San Juan County

New Residential Building PermitElectrical PermitPlumbing PermitMechanical / HVAC PermitRoofing / Residing / Windows PermitSolar PV PermitEV Charger / EVSE PermitSign PermitChange of Occupancy / Certificate of Occupancy

Fire Sprinkler & Fire Alarm Permit in other cities

Alamogordo, New MexicoAlbuquerque, New MexicoArtesia, New MexicoAztec, New MexicoBernalillo, New MexicoBloomfield, New MexicoCarlsbad, New MexicoClovis, New Mexico

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