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Accessory Dwelling Unit (Guesthouse) Permit in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe's building-permit process refers to accessory dwelling units as 'guesthouses.' New guesthouses follow the same New Residential Dwellings submittal checklist and building permit application as new single-family homes, and are explicitly covered by the City's Residential Green Building Code, which lists 'guest houses' alongside new single-family attached/detached units as subject to HERS/WERS requirements.

Verified 2026-07-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Submitted under the same 'New Residential Dwellings (Including Guesthouses)' checklist used for new single-family homes
  • Subject to the City of Santa Fe Residential Green Building Code: requires a HERS Index of 60 or less and a WERS score of 70 or less, certified by City-approved raters, with preliminary reports at application and final reports before Certificate of Occupancy
  • Must comply with the 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code (2021 IRC as amended by the State of New Mexico)
  • Historic Preservation District and/or Escarpment Overlay District pre-approval required if applicable

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same table as new residential construction)City of Santa Fe Planning and Land Use Schedule of Fees, effective 01/01/2021 — the fee schedule does not publish a separate guesthouse/ADU-specific fee line; guesthouses are billed as new residential construction under the same valuation-based table
Assessed on construction valuation using the primary Building Permit fee table
Administrative FeeFee Schedule effective 01/01/2021
$40.00
Residential Plan Review FeeFee Schedule effective 01/01/2021
50% of the Building Permit Fee

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Santa Fe building department
~10–15 business days

How long did your Accessory Dwelling Unit (Guesthouse) Permit permit actually take in Santa Fe?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing and Foundation

    Per IRC Section 109.1.1, as referenced by NMAC 14.5.3.9.B(1)

  2. 2

    Frame and Masonry

    Per IRC Section 109.1.4, as referenced by NMAC 14.5.3.9.B(3)

  3. 3

    Final Inspection

    Per IRC Section 109.1.6, as referenced by NMAC 14.5.3.9.B(11); required before Certificate of Occupancy, along with final HERS/WERS reports

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

Tips

  • Santa Fe's permitting materials use the term 'guesthouse' rather than 'ADU' — search the City's checklists page for 'New Residential Dwellings (Including Guesthouses)' rather than 'ADU.'
  • A guesthouse triggers the same HERS/WERS Green Building Code requirements as a new single-family home — plan for rater costs and lead time.

Frequently asked questions

Santa Fe requires an accessory dwelling unit (guesthouse) permit for: Submitted under the same 'New Residential Dwellings (Including Guesthouses)' checklist used for new single-family homes; Subject to the City of Santa Fe Residential Green Building Code: requires a HERS Index of 60 or less and a WERS score of 70 or less, certified by City-approved raters, with preliminary reports at application and final reports before Certificate of Occupancy; Must comply with the 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code (2021 IRC as amended by the State of New Mexico); Historic Preservation District and/or Escarpment Overlay District pre-approval required if applicable. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Santa Fe Planning, Land Use and Housing Department — Building Division (Permitting) at (505) 955-6571 (Planning, Land Use and Housing Department main line); Building Permit Division direct: (505) 955-6588 before starting work.

In Santa Fe, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same table as new residential construction) is: Assessed on construction valuation using the primary Building Permit fee table. Additional published fees: Administrative Fee — $40.00; Residential Plan Review Fee — 50% of the Building Permit Fee. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for an accessory dwelling unit (guesthouse) permit in Santa Fe typically runs 10–15 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with City of Santa Fe Planning, Land Use and Housing Department — Building Division (Permitting) at (505) 955-6571 (Planning, Land Use and Housing Department main line); Building Permit Division direct: (505) 955-6588.

You'll need: City of Santa Fe Building Permit Application; New Residential Dwellings (Including Guesthouses) Checklist; HERS/WERS Green Code Reports. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Santa Fe requires 3 inspection(s) for an accessory dwelling unit (guesthouse) permit, in order: Footing and Foundation, Frame and Masonry, Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Santa Fe Planning, Land Use and Housing Department — Building Division (Permitting) ((505) 955-6571 (Planning, Land Use and Housing Department main line); Building Permit Division direct: (505) 955-6588).

Apply through City of Santa Fe Planning, Land Use and Housing Department — Building Division (Permitting) at Santa Fe City Hall, 200 Lincoln Ave., 1st Floor (southwest entrance facing Marcy Street nearest the Convention Center), Santa Fe, NM 87501; Mailing: City of Santa Fe Building Permit Division, P.O. Box 909, Santa Fe, NM 87504-0909. Phone: (505) 955-6571 (Planning, Land Use and Housing Department main line); Building Permit Division direct: (505) 955-6588, email: permitcounter@santafenm.gov. Office hours: By appointment only, 8:00 a.m.–Noon and 1:00–4:00 p.m., Monday–Friday. Drop-off hours for revision/amendment submittals only: Monday–Thursday 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.. Official information: https://www.santafenm.gov/land-use/building-permits.

Santa Fe, New Mexico has adopted: 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code (2021 IBC as amended by the State of New Mexico); 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code (2021 IRC as amended by the State of New Mexico), plus the City of Santa Fe Residential Green Building Code; 2021 New Mexico Existing Building Code (2021 International Existing Building Code as amended by the State of New Mexico); 2021 New Mexico Plumbing Code (2021 Uniform Plumbing Code as amended by the State of New Mexico), plus City of Santa Fe UPC amendments; 2021 New Mexico Mechanical Code (2021 Uniform Mechanical Code as amended by the State of New Mexico); 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code (2020 National Electrical Code as amended by the State of New Mexico); 2012 New Mexico Electrical Safety Code (2012 National Electrical Safety Code as amended by the State of New Mexico); 2021 New Mexico Earthen Building Materials Code; 2021 New Mexico Historic Earthen Buildings Code; 2021 New Mexico Energy Conservation Code (2021 International Energy Conservation Code as amended by the State of New Mexico); 2012 New Mexico Swimming Pool, Spa, and Hot Tub Code (2012 Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code as amended by the State of New Mexico); 2012 New Mexico Solar Energy Code (2012 Uniform Solar Energy Code as amended by the State of New Mexico); 2021 International Fire Code, plus City of Santa Fe IFC amendments; New Mexico Administrative Code (NMAC) Title 14, Chapter 5: 14.5.1 General Provisions, 14.5.2 Permits, 14.5.3 Inspections; 2017 ICC A117.1-2017 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities. Local amendments apply — see the Santa Fe overview page for the full list.

Santa Fe's Building Division uses 'guesthouse' in its submittal checklist ('New Residential Dwellings (Including Guesthouses)') and its Green Building Code ('new single-family, attached and detached, including guest houses'). Applicants searching for 'ADU' on the City's permitting pages should instead look for 'guesthouse.'

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-02.

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

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Accessory Dwelling Unit (Guesthouse) Permit in other cities

Albuquerque, New MexicoLas Cruces, New MexicoRio Rancho, New MexicoUnincorporated Bernalillo County, New MexicoArvada, ColoradoAurora, ColoradoBoise, IdahoBoulder, Colorado

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