Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit (Commercial Interior/Exterior Remodel/Addition) in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe requires a commercial tenant improvement permit (commercial interior/exterior remodel/addition) for: All commercial remodeling/alteration projects are subject to the IEBC as adopted by New Mexico: when existing buildings are altered, site and building accessibility improvements outside the intended project scope are often required, capped at 20% of the cost of alterations affecting the primary function area — the City's ADA Disproportionality Worksheet calculates the required improvements from project valuation; Pre-requisite approvals must accompany the application: Water Budget Approval (REQUIRED) and Impact Fee Assessment (REQUIRED); plus if applicable: Address Issuance/Verification, Final Board or Committee Action, Flood Plain Verification, Historic Preservation District Approval, Escarpment Overlay District Approval, Prairie Dog Clearance, Archeological Clearance Permit, Evaluation Form for Architectural Design, and Waste Water Utility Expansion Charge Approval; Six (6) complete sets of proposed construction plans submitted in person to the Building Permit Division, 200 Lincoln Avenue, First Floor, West Wing; Architectural plans sealed by a NM-registered architect; floor plans must identify the use of building spaces, the complete exiting system with occupant loads, occupancy classification of building spaces, fire-rated assemblies, a wall schedule distinguishing new bearing/non-bearing walls, and ADA accessibility improvements with the completed disproportionality worksheet; Structural drawings sealed by a NM-registered structural or civil engineer; plumbing and mechanical plans sealed by a NM-registered mechanical engineer; electrical plans sealed by a NM-registered electrical engineer; Building elevations, terrain management (grading/drainage), landscape plan, and solid waste (refuse enclosure) plan are required for EXTERIOR alterations and additions; interior-only tenant improvements skip these site-level components; In a Historic District, exterior work requires either Historic Preservation Division administrative (staff) approval or Historic Districts Review Board (HDRB) approval BEFORE building permit submittal — the HDRB is quasi-judicial and meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month; applications go by email to hpdsubmittal@santafenm.gov; General contractor must hold a valid Santa Fe City Business License and a valid New Mexico State Contractor's License before permit issuance; permit valid one year with construction commenced within 180 days. 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 Administrative Fee is: $40.00. Additional published fees: Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same table as new construction) — Varies by construction valuation — $25.00 minimum up to $5,893.37 + $4.40 per $1,000 over $1,000,001; see this file's residential-building-permit entry for the full identical tier table; Commercial Plan Review Fee — 75% of the Building Permit Fee; Historic Districts Pre-Application Meeting/Site Visit — $75.00 per request; Historic Districts Application Fee for Administrative Approval — $100.00 per request; HDRB Application Fee for Public Hearing — 0.5% of proposed construction cost — $250.00 minimum, $2,000.00 maximum; Plan Amendment Review Fee — $60.00 per hour, minimum 2 hours; Building Permit Revision (change information and reissue permit board) — $120.00 per revision; Demolition Permit Fee (Commercial) — $60.00 per permit. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Santa Fe does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact 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 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Commercial Interior/Exterior Remodel/Addition Building Permit Checklist; City of Santa Fe Building Permit Application; Legal Lot of Record; Sealed Plan Set. Depending on your project, Santa Fe may also ask for: ADA Disproportionality Worksheet; Historic Districts Application (HPD). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

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.

Yes — Santa Fe publishes two distinct commercial checklists. TIs/remodels use the Commercial Interior/Exterior Remodel/Addition checklist, reviewed under the NM Existing Building Code (IEBC) with its 20%-capped ADA disproportionality rules, while ground-up projects use the New Commercial Construction checklist reviewed under the NM Commercial Building Code. Both require full NM-professional-sealed plan sets and carry the same 75% commercial plan review fee.

Only if the property is in one of the five Historic Districts AND the work affects the exterior. Interior-only TIs generally do not trigger historic review; exterior changes need either Historic Preservation Division staff approval ($100 administrative track) or, for substantial changes, an HDRB public hearing (fee of 0.5% of construction cost, $250 minimum to $2,000 maximum). The HDRB meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, and its approval is a pre-requisite that must accompany the building permit application.

Yes. Under the IEBC as adopted by New Mexico, altering a 'primary function area' obligates accessibility improvements to the route serving it (path of travel, restrooms, parking), but the IEBC caps that obligation at 20% of the cost of the alterations. Santa Fe provides an ADA Disproportionality Worksheet on its checklists page to calculate the required scope from your project valuation.