Rio Arriba County’s Planning and Zoning Department does not issue building permits. It issues a development permit (zoning, setbacks and flood zone) from its Española and Tierra Amarilla offices, usually in 3 to 5 days, and the state Construction Industries Division (CID) then permits and inspects any structure over 120 sq ft. The County permit for a new home costs $250.
What needs a permit in Rio Arriba County?
The County asks you to apply before any construction, placement or change of land use, and it can charge fines when development starts before the permit is issued. Its Design & Development Regulation System (Ordinance 2012-001) requires a development permit for each of the following:
County development permit
- Construction and additions
- Manufactured, modular and tiny home placement
- Accessory structures, whether built on site or pre-assembled
- Fencing over 3 ft
- New utility service, meter relocation and service upgrades
- Grading and solar arrays, roof or ground mounted
- A temporary RV while the residence is under construction
- Floodplain development
State CID permit as well
- Structures over 120 sq ft: homes, additions, garages, studios
- Tall fences and walls: over 6 ft in the County’s undated requirements brochure, 7 ft and over on its application form (updated November 19, 2024)
- Solar arrays
- Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work
The two County documents give different heights for fences. The requirements brochure says permits and inspections for fences or walls over 6 ft are handled by CID; the Development Permit Application lists fencing over 3 ft as not requiring CID approval and fencing of 7 ft and over as requiring both CID and County approval. The brochure prints no date; the application form says it was updated on November 19, 2024. Ask County Planning and Zoning which height applies before building a fence or wall of 6 ft or more. CID’s own FAQ says it requires a permit for a block wall but not for a fence.
An accessory building under 120 sq ft that nobody will live in needs only the County permit. Business registrations, sign permits, home occupations and conditional, special and temporary use permits also run through Planning and Zoning.
Who issues permits in Rio Arriba County?
Outside the two municipalities, Planning and Zoning handles zoning, setbacks and flood zone questions and CID issues the building permit and carries out the construction inspections. Inside the municipalities the pattern is similar, with the town doing the zoning step:
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →- Española (population 10,458, of whom 7,058 live in Rio Arriba County and the rest in Santa Fe County): two steps. The City’s Planning and Land Use Department issues a Site and Land Use Development Permit ($75) as zoning approval before a structure is built or enlarged, a manufactured home is placed or a boundary fence or wall goes up, and the City then sends applicants to CID for the building permit. Office: 409 N. Paseo de Oñate; Planning Director’s office 505-927-7417.
- Chama (population 913): two steps as well. The Village’s Permit Application (zoning permit, conditional or special use, variance) is filed with Planning & Zoning at 1512B State Highway 17 (575-756-2184) and collects sign-offs from the Village water and sewer department, the Zoning Official, the Governing Body and the Village Clerk. The form commits the applicant to build to plans approved by CID, which issues the building permit, and to call both CID and the Village for inspections; going 180 days without an inspection voids the Village permit.
Pueblo and tribal land within the county is outside County and state permitting.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Española office | 1122 Industrial Park Road, Española, NM 87532, 505-753-7774 |
| Española hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Tierra Amarilla office | 149 State Road 162, Tierra Amarilla, NM 87575, 575-588-7254 |
| Tierra Amarilla hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| State building permits | CID, 2550 Cerrillos Road, Third Floor, Santa Fe, 505-476-4700 |
The County application and related forms
One Development Permit Application (updated November 19, 2024) covers residential, agricultural, solar, utility service, accessory, modular and manufactured home permits; you tick the permit you need and the fee is printed beside it. It can be picked up at either office or downloaded from the County website. Staff mark the permit as Class I, II or III and note whether the parcel is in a critical management area such as the Irrigated Agricultural Overlay Zone District or the floodplain.
Other forms on the Planning and Zoning pages:
- 911 Address Verification Form, which the Postal Service, the Motor Vehicle Division, utilities and lenders may ask for.
- Business Registration Application. The County checks that every contractor and subcontractor on a job holds a current Rio Arriba County business licence.
- Survey plat forms. Plat reviews are by appointment only.
- Conditional Use, Special Use and Temporary Use applications, and the film permit application.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Rio Arriba County development permit fees
These are the County’s fees, from the fee schedule in its permit requirements brochure and the November 2024 application form. CID’s building and trade permit fees are charged separately by the state.
| County development permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential development over 120 sq ft (new home, addition, studio) | $250 |
| Residential development under 120 sq ft (porch, deck, ramp) | $100 |
| Accessory structure over 120 sq ft | $100 |
| Accessory structure under 120 sq ft, not for human occupancy | $50 |
| Modular or manufactured home on a permanent foundation | $150 |
| Manufactured home or tiny house on a non-permanent foundation | $100 |
| Solar array, roof or ground mount | $100 |
| Fencing over 3 ft | $100 |
| Temporary RV while the residence is being built | $50 |
| New utility service | $100, or $50 when taken with a development permit |
| Meter upgrade or relocation, reconnect | $50 |
| Floodplain development permit | $50 |
| Multi-family development | $500 |
| Commercial development | $1,000 |
| Sign permit | $50 per sign |
For example, a new house that also needs a new electric service pays $250 for the development permit and $50 for the utility authorization, $300 in County fees.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits
The County issues no trade permits; its brochure leaves permits and inspections to CID, so electrical, plumbing and mechanical work is permitted by the state. What the County does control is the utility hook-up: a new service, a meter relocation or a service upgrade each needs its own County authorization, and solar panels need both the County permit and CID approval.
Manufactured homes go through the state Manufactured Housing Division for the home itself, with the County permit covering where it sits; a home on a non-permanent foundation must have Manufactured Housing Division or HUD approval for occupancy.
Required submittals
The County’s brochure lists what must come in with the application. Permits are not issued while there are outstanding violations of County ordinances on the property.
For the County permit
- Site plan showing wells, septic, existing and proposed structures, the entrance, easements, distances to boundaries and any river, stream, arroyo, acequia or spring
- Proof of ownership: warranty deed, real estate contract or the owner’s authorization
- Receipt from the County Treasurer showing property taxes are paid
- Recorded survey, with legal access; an NMDOT access permit where the entrance is on a state highway
- Liquid waste permit, or registration of an existing system, dated within the last 6 months
- Proof of water: well permit, water rights or membership of a mutual domestic water association
- Names and contacts of all contractors and subcontractors
For new construction
- Completed CID application, or the homeowner’s application, for Planning and Zoning approval
- 2 sets of construction drawings: site plan with setbacks, floor plan, roofing plan, wall sections, grading and drainage plan, foundation plan
- Floodplain permit where the Certified Floodplain Administrator finds the structure is in a FEMA flood hazard area; a dwelling there needs an elevation certificate at the start and again on completion
- Clearance or a recent bill from the North Central Solid Waste Authority once the address is set
The County arranges a site visit for each permit and gives a processing time of 3 to 5 days for a development permit application.
Rather not deal with the Rio Arriba County building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply: 6 steps in Rio Arriba County
Land inside Española or Chama starts at the city or village planning office instead of the County.
Get the liquid waste permit from the Environment Department’s Española office and the well permit or water association letter before you apply.
Bring it with the submittals to 1122 Industrial Park Road in Española or 149 State Road 162 in Tierra Amarilla and pay the fee for your permit type.
Staff check zoning, setbacks and the flood zone and visit the site; allow 3 to 5 days.
For a structure over 120 sq ft, submit the state application carrying Planning and Zoning’s approval, with the construction drawings, to CID in Santa Fe.
CID inspects the construction; a dwelling in a flood hazard area also owes the County a final elevation certificate on completion.
Inspections and County follow-up
CID handles the building and trade inspections for work it has permitted. The County’s part is the site visit made for each development permit and code enforcement afterwards: its code enforcement officers respond to complaints about suspected zoning violations, which can be filed by email, post or in person on the County’s complaint form.
A decision of the Planning and Zoning Committee or the Administrative Hearing Officer can be appealed by written notice to the department within 15 days of the decision.
Local rules in Rio Arriba County
Setbacks: 25 ft from the front and back of the lot, 10 ft from the sides and 10 ft between structures, with additional setbacks from rivers, streams, lakes, arroyos, acequias and steep banks.
Septic and water: liquid waste permits come from the New Mexico Environment Department’s Española field office (712 La Joya Street, 505-753-7256) and well permits from the Office of the State Engineer in Santa Fe.
Trash service: every habitable dwelling must have an account with the North Central Solid Waste Authority, whose Española office is at 1101 Industrial Park, Suite C (505-747-8459).
Other County ordinances: the County also enforces a Night Sky Ordinance (2009-02), a Road Cut Ordinance (1996-09) and Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance 2012-004.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Meetings: the Planning and Zoning Committee meets on the first Wednesday of the month at the Española or Tierra Amarilla complex.
New Mexico building code
New Mexico adopts its building codes statewide; a city or county with its own certified building official issues its own permits, and elsewhere the state Construction Industries Division does. New Mexico rules
Official resources for Rio Arriba County
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- 14.6.5.9 NMAC building officials and AHJ authority
- New Mexico CID permits, codes and inspections
- Rio Arriba County forms and permit applications
- Rio Arriba County Planning and Zoning
- Rio Arriba County permit requirements and fee schedule
- Rio Arriba County Development Permit Application
- Rio Arriba County plans and ordinances
- City of Española Planning and Land Use
- Village of Chama Planning and Zoning
- NM Environment Department liquid waste field offices
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Rio Arriba County permit FAQs
Does Rio Arriba County issue building permits?
No. Planning and Zoning issues a development permit covering zoning, setbacks and the flood zone. Building permits and inspections for structures over 120 sq ft are handled by the state Construction Industries Division.
How much is a permit for a new house in Rio Arriba County?
The County development permit is $250, and a new utility service adds $50 when it is taken with that permit. The state building permit fee is separate.
How long does the County take?
The County gives 3 to 5 days for a development permit application, including a site visit.
Do I need a County permit for a shed or a fence in Rio Arriba County?
Yes from the County: $50 for an accessory structure under 120 sq ft that is not for human occupancy, $100 for a larger one, and $100 for fencing over 3 ft. Sheds over 120 sq ft also need CID. For tall fences the County’s undated brochure says over 6 ft goes to CID and its November 2024 application form says 7 ft and over; CID says a block wall needs its permit and a fence does not.
Where are the Planning and Zoning offices?
1122 Industrial Park Road in Española (505-753-7774) and 149 State Road 162 in Tierra Amarilla (575-588-7254).
Who issues building permits in Española?
The City’s Planning and Land Use Department gives zoning approval through a Development Permit, and the building permit itself then comes from CID.
What setbacks does Rio Arriba County require?
25 ft front and back, 10 ft on the sides and 10 ft between structures, plus extra distance from waterways and acequias.
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More New Mexico permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Rio Arriba County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.