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New Residential Building Permit in Unincorporated San Juan County, New Mexico

Required for new residential construction, additions, and accessory buildings in unincorporated San Juan County. Issued and self-administered directly by the San Juan County Building Division using its own New Residential Permit Application Checklist (rev. 07/19/2023). Covers one- and two-family dwellings, townhouses, and residential accessory structures (detached storage sheds/garages are separately classified as 'Residential Accessory Structures' under the same checklist).

Verified 2026-07-05 · Source

When you need this permit

  • New residential construction, residential addition, or new residential accessory building
  • Plans must comply with the 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code / 2021 IRC and the county's Design Criteria (30 psf ground snow load, 115 mph Category II wind, 30-inch frost depth, ASCE 7-16 seismic)
  • Setbacks: 10 feet side and rear, 25 feet front, per the county's published Design Criteria for residential permits
  • 2021 IECC Residential Energy Code Compliance Form required with every submittal; in-floor radiant heat piping requires R-5 (1-inch) approved under-slab insulation
  • Planning/Zoning approval required only for properties within the City of Aztec, City of Bloomfield, or Town of Kirtland — rural (true unincorporated) areas of San Juan County have no zoning requirements
  • Floodplain approval required where applicable
  • Confirmation of private sewage disposal (septic) capability from the New Mexico Environment Department, or connection to a sewer system, where applicable
  • Homeowners may obtain a Homeowner's Permit to build or alter their own principal residence without a contractor's license Contractor

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (valuation $1.00–$500)San Juan County Building Permit Fee Schedule (valuation-scale table published by the Building Division)
$45
Building Permit Fee (valuation $501–$2,000)San Juan County Building Permit Fee Schedule
$45 for the first $500 plus $1.00 for each additional $100 or fraction thereof
Building Permit Fee (valuation $2,001–$25,000)San Juan County Building Permit Fee Schedule
$60 for the first $2,000 plus $10.00 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof
Building Permit Fee (valuation $25,001–$50,000)San Juan County Building Permit Fee Schedule
$290 for the first $25,000 plus $8.00 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof
Building Permit Fee (valuation $50,001–$100,000)San Juan County Building Permit Fee Schedule
$490 for the first $50,000 plus $6.00 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof
Building Permit Fee (valuation $100,001 and up)San Juan County Building Permit Fee Schedule
$790 for the first $100,000 plus $5.00 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof
Building Plan Review FeeSan Juan County Building Department page — 'Building Plan Review Fee: valuation of project x .0012'; charged in addition to the Building Permit Fee for projects requiring an Architect/Engineer seal under NMAC 14.5.2.9/14.5.2.10
Project valuation × .0012

Review timeline

Plan reviewUnincorporated San Juan County’s published plan-review target
10–10 business days

How long did your New Residential 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

    Concrete block, ICF block, or concrete forms in place with reinforcement/rebar prior to concrete placement

  3. 3

    Monolithic Slab

    Forms, exterior insulation, and rebar in place prior to concrete placement

  4. 4

    Framing

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

  5. 5

    Insulation

    Exterior walls complete, ceiling complete if batted (blown-in attic and crawl space insulation may be verified at building final)

  6. 6

    Building Final

    Last inspection prior to occupancy approval

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

Tips

  • Inspection requests must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance by calling (505) 334-4313, per both the county's Building Department page and the New Residential Permit Application Checklist.
  • Detached storage sheds and garages are classified as 'Residential Accessory Structures' under this checklist; homes, habitable pool houses, and mother-in-law suites use the same 'New Residential' checklist rather than the accessory-structure path.
  • More-than-two-family dwellings (e.g., apartments) must use the Commercial Buildings Permit Application checklist instead of the residential checklist.
  • Storage sheds under 120 sq ft (about 10' x 12') do not need a building permit; a carport always needs one regardless of size, per the Building Department's FAQ.
  • All fees are non-refundable, per the checklist's own printed notice.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, for new residential construction, additions, and accessory buildings. Rural unincorporated areas have no zoning requirements, but a building permit from the County Building Division is still required. A storage shed under 120 sq ft is the one common exception that does not need a permit.

Fees follow a valuation-based scale, e.g. $45 minimum for projects valued $1-$500, rising to $790 for the first $100,000 plus $5.00 per additional $1,000 for larger projects. A separate Plan Review Fee (valuation x .0012) applies when a project requires an Architect/Engineer seal.

The county's own New Residential Permit Application Checklist states a minimum of two (2) weeks (10 business days) for plan review after all documents are submitted.

You'll need: New Residential Permit Application Checklist; Site Plan; Footing and Foundation Plan; Floor Plan; Typical Load-Bearing Wall Detail or Post-and-Beam Sizing/Spacing; Roof and Floor Framing Plan; Elevations; 2021 IECC Residential Energy Code Compliance Form; Roofing System / Manufacturer Specifications. Depending on your project, Unincorporated San Juan County may also ask for: Structural Engineering / Metal Building Manufacturer Certification. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated San Juan County requires 6 inspection(s) for a new residential building permit, in order: Footing, Foundation Wall, Monolithic Slab, Framing, Insulation, 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.

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.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-05.

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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New Residential Building Permit in other cities

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