Bernalillo County, New Mexico Albuquerque & the Middle Rio Grande

Barndominium Builders in Bernalillo County, New Mexico

Outside the Albuquerque city limits, Bernalillo County runs its own building department for the unincorporated land: the South Valley, the North Valley outside the villages, the West Mesa fringe and the East Mountains around Tijeras. That is where most of the county's acreage suited to a barndominium lies, from irrigated valley lots to pinyon-covered parcels in the mountains. We produce barndominium plans and supply steel and post-frame kit packages for that land. The building itself goes up under a New Mexico-licensed contractor, or under a homeowner permit held by an owner who will live in the house. The county handles more than the building permit here. It is the only county in the state with its own septic program for unincorporated land, it enforces a water conservation ordinance on every new house, and it reviews floodplain and drainage on lots near arroyos. A kit package that ignores those items will stall at the permit counter. If you are shortlisting barndominium contractors for a county parcel, ask how they handle the county's wastewater and water-conservation paperwork. Tell us about the parcel through the survey and we will set out which county reviews apply before you commit to a plan.

Bernalillo County at a glance

County: Bernalillo County
Building permit: County (unincorporated land)
Local facts on this page: 5, each linked to its source

Tell us about your land

Before you build in Bernalillo County

The local answers that shape a build here, each taken from the office or document that publishes it. Rules change, so we confirm them again against your parcel before drawing.

County-issued permitWho issues the permit

Bernalillo County Planning & Development Services

In unincorporated Bernalillo County, Planning & Development Services issues building permits and inspects; a permit is required before any building is erected or altered there. Albuquerque, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, Tijeras and the other incorporated places are outside this program, so confirm the jurisdiction from the parcel first.

Source: Residential Building Packet, Bernalillo County Planning & Development Services (bernco.gov)

Homeowner permits: The county's packet lists three homeowner permits: building, electrical and plumbing. HVAC and natural gas work are not available under a homeowner permit, and the owner signs an acknowledgement accepting sole responsibility and liability for the project.
Water conservation ordinance: Under Sections 30-241 to 30-251 of the county code, new houses in the unincorporated area must use plumbing fixtures meeting EPA WaterSense specifications, new residential landscaping must follow outdoor water restrictions, and the county inspects both before issuing the certificate of occupancy.
County septic permits: Bernalillo County Natural Resource Services permits wastewater systems in the county. An application includes the permit form, a zone atlas page, a detailed site plan and a management plan; alternative treatment units also need a maintenance agreement with a certified septic evaluator.
Grading and drainage: The county requires a grading and drainage plan for single-family houses in North Albuquerque Acres and Sandia Heights, may require one for other houses over 500 sq ft, and requires one near an arroyo or watercourse. Houses in a mapped 100-year floodplain must meet minimum finished floor elevations.
Confirming a lot's zone: On request, the county's Zoning Administrator issues a written statement certifying the zone of a tract or lot in the unincorporated area. Variances from height, area, parking or density rules go through a separate application where the owner must show exceptional circumstances.

Building on land near Bernalillo County

Unincorporated land in Bernalillo County falls into a few broad settings: irrigated valley lots along the river, subdivided acreage on the mesas, and mountain parcels east of the Sandias where snow and slope enter the picture. Where public sewer is out of reach, the septic permit comes from the county rather than the state, and the county notes that valley and mountain sites may need an engineered system. A well needs a State Engineer permit. Metal building homes work in all three settings, but the lot's zone, drainage and wastewater answers should come before the plan is fixed. For buyers looking near Bernalillo County's towns, the unincorporated side often means more land and a longer review list.

Other locations in this part of New Mexico

Albuquerque & the Middle Rio Grande

Plans and kits for Bernalillo County

Custom plans and kit packages, drawn to the local design figures. Construction is carried out by a New Mexico-licensed contractor. The parcel decides the budget more than the floor area does, so we quote against your land rather than a rate card.

Custom Plans

Custom barndominium plans drawn for your New Mexico parcel: sun, wind and drainage, the look you want, and design values for your site's elevation.

Barndominium Kits

Barndominium kits for New Mexico land: steel or post-frame shell packages drawn to the snow, wind and frost values for your site, delivered to your parcel.

Post-Frame Homes

Post frame and pole barn homes in New Mexico, built as real dwellings: posts set for your soil, termite protection, and a wall that handles heat and cold.

See every service

Have land in or near Bernalillo County? Tell us about the parcel and what you want to build, and we will check it against the local rules before anything is drawn.

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Building in Bernalillo County: questions

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How much does it cost to build a barndominium in Bernalillo County?

Outside the city, the site usually decides the budget: whether the lot needs an engineered septic system, a drainage plan, a well, or a long road to reach it. Those can outweigh a change in floor area. We keep prices off these pages. See the barndominium cost guide for sourced ranges, and use the survey so we can quote plans and a kit for your parcel.

Do I need a building permit for a barndominium in unincorporated Bernalillo County?

Yes. The county's Planning & Development Services issues the permit for the unincorporated area, and septic, water conservation and floodplain items are reviewed alongside it. Parcels inside Albuquerque go to the city instead; see our Albuquerque page. For the valley south of the city, our South Valley page covers the local issues.

Can an owner build barndominium kits under a county homeowner permit?

An owner can hold the county's homeowner building, electrical and plumbing permits and erect barndominium kits for a home they will live in, but HVAC and gas work still need a licensed contractor. State rules add conditions: the house must be the owner's primary residence, the owner must do the major portion of the work by dollar value, and any subcontracted trade must be licensed. The owner also accepts full responsibility for the project.

Are pole barn homes and post frame homes treated differently by the county?

No special rule applies to the framing method. A post-frame house is reviewed under the residential code and must fit the lot's zone, setbacks and height limits like any other dwelling. The county's water, septic and drainage reviews apply the same way. See post-frame homes for how pole barn homes are drawn.

Keep reading

What usually comes next once you know what Bernalillo County allows.

Barndominium Cost Guide

Sourced per-square-foot ranges by tier and size, and what moves the number on your land.

Read it

Is a Barndominium Legal in New Mexico?

Zoning, septic and who inspects, before you buy the land.

Read it

How Long Does It Take?

From parcel to move-in, and which steps set the clock.

Read it

Sources for this page

The published pages behind the Bernalillo County facts above. Rules change, so check the current version with the office before you rely on it.

Barndominiums near Bernalillo County

Nearby places we also cover. Across a city limit or a county line the permit office, zoning and septic rules can change, so each has its own page.

Albuquerque

Bernalillo County, New Mexico

South Valley

Bernalillo County, New Mexico

Sandoval County

New Mexico county

Torrance County

New Mexico county

Building in Bernalillo County?

Start with the survey. Tell us where the land is and what you want on it, and we will come back with which office permits it, what it will allow, and a plan to fit.

Start the survey