In unincorporated Taos County, building permits are issued by the County Planning Department at 105 Albright Street, Suite H, which takes zoning and building applications online and in person. Fees follow Resolution 2024-39: a valuation table plus a 20% plan review fee, after a $75 residential zoning clearance. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits come from the state Construction Industries Division (CID), and the Town of Taos, Red River, Questa and Taos Ski Valley each run a local permit of their own.
What needs a permit in Taos County?
The County runs two permits in sequence for most construction. A zoning clearance under its Land Use Regulations (Ordinance 2018-02) comes first, and the building permit follows under Ordinance 2024-5, which adopts the 2021 building codes.
Building permit forms
- New buildings, additions and alterations: single-family homes, duplexes, garages, carports, storage buildings and commercial buildings
- Retaining walls and fences
- Minor projects: re-roof, re-plaster or fence only
- Grading or excavation
- Demolition
Zoning and land use permits
- Residential zoning clearance, including decks and manufactured homes
- Commercial zoning permit
- Solar array zoning clearance
- Administrative, special use and major development permits
- Home occupation and short-term rental permits
- Floodplain review
Building without the permit doubles the original building permit fee, and starting without a land use permit doubles that fee as well.
Who issues permits in Taos County?
The County Planning Department permits building in the unincorporated county and refers all electrical, plumbing and mechanical code questions to CID. Inside the four municipalities the arrangements are:
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →- Town of Taos (population 6,526): the Town’s Planning Division reviews applications for zoning and, where one is needed, passes them on for a building permit from CID. The Town asks applicants to allow at least 5 days for processing; Tuesdays and Fridays are by appointment only, with walk-ins on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Office: 400 Camino de la Placita, 575-751-2016.
- Red River (population 538): a Town building permit is required for all interior and exterior modifications, filed online with a property plat and construction drawings. Where the job also needs a state building permit, the completed CID Multi-Purpose State Building Application is uploaded with the Town application and the Town’s Planning & Zoning Administrator signs it; the Town hands out the state form with its own. Planning & Zoning: 575-754-2277 ext. 201.
- Taos Ski Valley (population 81): the Village issues its own Construction Permit, approved by its Building Official under the Village building code (Ordinance 2024-10), so the building permit is the Village’s; electrical, plumbing, mechanical and LP gas work needs separate CID permits. Planning, Building & Development: 575-776-8220.
- Questa (population 1,809): Planning and Zoning Ordinance 2026-158 requires a Village zoning permit, issued by the Village Clerk or a designee, before any building or other structure is erected, moved, added to or structurally altered. The application carries plot plans drawn to scale, in duplicate, showing the lot, the proposed building and any existing structures; the Clerk also issues the certificate of occupancy, and the permit lapses if work has not begun within 2 years. The Village names a Planning and Zoning Official but no building official or inspector, so the CID building permit is needed as well. The ordinance’s fee list includes $50 for a zoning approval letter and $200 for a variance application. Village office: 2500 Old State Road 3, 575-586-0694, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.).
Pueblo land in the county is outside County and state permitting.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Taos County Planning Department |
| Address | 105 Albright Street, Suite H, Taos, NM 87571 |
| Phone | 575-737-6440 (fax 575-737-6449) |
| Inspection requests | 575-737-6448 (voice mail) |
| Online applications | Taos County Accela Citizen Access portal |
| Electrical, plumbing and mechanical | State Construction Industries Division |
Applications and how to file
All County permits, zoning and building alike, can be applied for online through the County’s Accela portal. After submitting online, the County asks you to phone the Planning office on 575-737-6440 so staff know the application is there. Paper forms must be printed single sided.
- Application for Building Permit (revised September 2024), for licensed contractors.
- Homeowner Building Permit Application Packet, for owner-builders.
- Minor Projects Building Permit Application, for re-roof, re-plaster or fence projects only.
- Residential Zoning Clearance Permit Application, which goes in with the building permit application for a house, garage, carport, storage building or deck.
- Grading or Excavation Permit and the Demolition Permit Application.
- Alternative Materials, Methods and Assemblies Certification, which must be recorded with the County Clerk before submittal when the design relies on alternative methods.
The building site must already have a house or street number assigned by the Planning Department’s rural addressing staff.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Taos County permit fees
Fees are set by Resolution 2024-39, the Planning Department Fee Schedule adopted on September 17, 2024. The applicant states the value of labor and materials, with a copy of the construction contract, and the building official decides the final valuation. All fees are non-refundable.
| Construction valuation | Building permit fee |
|---|---|
| $1 to $500 | $24 |
| $501 to $2,000 | $24 for the first $500, plus $3 for each additional $100 or fraction |
| $2,001 to $40,000 | $69 for the first $2,000, plus $11 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $40,001 to $100,000 | $487 for the first $40,000, plus $9 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $1,027 for the first $100,000, plus $7 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $3,827 for the first $500,000, plus $5 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $1,000,001 to $5,000,000 | $6,327 for the first $1,000,000, plus $3 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| Over $5,000,000 | $18,327 for the first $5,000,000, plus $1 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
Plan review is 20% of the building permit fee on every project, and commercial projects pay a further 10% of the permit and plan review fees combined. A house valued at $300,000 therefore pays a $2,427 permit fee and $485.40 for plan review, $2,912.40 in total, in addition to the $75 residential zoning clearance.
Other charges in the schedule: commercial zoning permit $250, floodplain review $30, re-inspections and partial inspections $80 per hour, a renewal at one quarter of the original permit fee for a further 6 months, and excavation and grading permits from $23.50 for 50 cubic yards or less.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits
The County’s Building Division covers the structure only. Its building page sends applicants to CID for all electrical, plumbing and mechanical code requirements, and those permits and inspections are the state’s.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →For a commercial building the County wants the trade review finished first: the submittal list asks for the mechanical, plumbing and electrical plans already approved by CID, and for fire suppression and fire prevention plans approved by the Fire Marshal with jurisdiction, the Town of Taos or Taos County. Electric service approval from Kit Carson Electric is one of the sign-offs on the residential zoning clearance form.
Application documents
Residential
- Completed building permit application and Residential Zoning Clearance Permit Application with original signatures
- 2 sets of legible plans on paper between 11 by 17 inches and 24 by 36 inches, at a minimum scale of ¼ inch to 1 ft
- Site plan with property lines, setbacks, easements, utility connection points, drainage and any acequia, stream or arroyo
- Foundation plan, floor plan with a window schedule showing U-factors, framing plans, roof plan, wall sections and all 4 elevations (maximum height 27 ft)
- Engineered truss specification sheets
- Recorded warranty deed or real estate contract and the tax assessment
- Rural addressing verification, well permit and liquid waste permit
- Sign-offs from Kit Carson Electric, County Public Works, Solid Waste and the Treasurer, and the Wildland Urban Interface Coordinator in high-risk areas
Commercial, in addition
- The approved commercial, administrative, special use or major development zoning clearance
- CID-approved mechanical, plumbing and electrical plans
- Fire Marshal-approved fire suppression and fire prevention plans
- Cover sheet listing codes, construction type, occupancy, occupant load, exiting and seismic design data
- A New Mexico architect’s or engineer’s seal; both seals when the occupant load is over 50 or the valuation is over $600,000
- Structural calculations where they apply
Before any site visit the applicant must post the physical address placard and stake or flag the corners of the proposed structure.
Rather not deal with the Taos County building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply: 6 steps in Taos County
Land inside the Town of Taos, Red River, Questa or Taos Ski Valley starts at that town or village.
Obtain the rural address, the well permit and the liquid waste permit, and collect the electric, public works, solid waste and treasurer sign-offs.
Use the Accela portal or bring both to 105 Albright Street, Suite H, then phone 575-737-6440 if you filed online.
Post the address placard and stake the building corners for the zoning site visit; pay the permit fee and the 20% plan review fee.
Apply to CID for the electrical and the plumbing or mechanical permits.
Leave a complete message on 575-737-6448 for each County inspection and keep the approved plans and permit on site.
Taos County inspections
County building inspections are requested by voice mail on 575-737-6448. The message must give your name and phone number, the building permit number, the type of inspection and the physical address; the County does not schedule requests that leave any of these out. Inspections are carried out within 2 to 4 business days, Monday to Thursday only, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and the County posts the current list of scheduled inspections on its website.
The approved plans and the building permit must be on site, and a locked gate or door that keeps the inspector out can lead to a re-inspection fee of $80 per hour. Trade inspections are booked separately with CID.
Local details in Taos County
Design criteria: the County publishes a 50 psf ground snow load, 115 mph wind speed, Seismic Design Category D, a 24 inch frost depth and Climate Zone 5B. Footings are at least 24 inches deep and 12 inches wide, with R-49 roofs and walls at R-30, or R-20 plus R-5 continuous insulation.
Acequias and neighbors: the zoning clearance form asks whether an acequia crosses the site and what setback is kept from it, and a parcel inside a neighborhood association needs that association’s letter of approval.
Night sky and wildfire: outside lighting must be shielded under the County’s Night Sky Ordinance, and sites in high wildland-urban interface areas need a defensible space assessment by the County’s WUI Coordinator.
Septic systems: liquid waste permits come from the New Mexico Environment Department’s Taos field office at 145 Roy Road, Suite B (575-758-8808).
Manufactured homes: a unit already in the county needs a tax release from the Assessor before it is moved, and a modular home needs a building permit for its foundation.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official resources for Taos 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
- Taos County Planning Department
- Taos County building permit information
- Taos County online zoning and building permit portal
- Taos County Resolution 2024-39, Planning Department Fee Schedule
- Taos County applications and forms
- Taos County Application for Building Permit
- Taos County Residential Zoning Clearance Permit Application
- Taos County scheduled building inspections
- Town of Taos Planning, Community and Economic Development
- Town of Red River Planning and Zoning
- Village of Taos Ski Valley building permits
- Village of Questa zoning map and Planning and Zoning Ordinance 2026-158
- Village of Questa Village Office
- NM Environment Department liquid waste field offices
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Taos County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Taos County?
The Taos County Planning Department, 105 Albright Street, Suite H, Taos (575-737-6440), for unincorporated land. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits come from the state Construction Industries Division.
How much is a building permit in Taos County?
Under Resolution 2024-39 the fee follows a valuation table, plus 20% for plan review. A $300,000 house pays $2,427 for the permit and $485.40 for plan review, with a $75 residential zoning clearance on top.
Can I apply online?
Yes. Zoning and building applications go through the County’s Accela portal; call 575-737-6440 afterwards to tell staff you have submitted.
How do I schedule a Taos County inspection?
Leave a message on 575-737-6448 with your name, phone number, permit number, inspection type and address. Inspections are made within 2 to 4 business days, Monday to Thursday.
Do I need a permit for a re-roof or a fence?
Yes. The County has a Minor Projects building permit application just for re-roof, re-plaster and fence projects.
Who issues building permits inside the Town of Taos?
The Town’s Planning Division checks zoning and the building permit is then obtained from CID. The Town office is at 400 Camino de la Placita, 575-751-2016.
Do I need a permit to build in Questa?
Yes, two. The Village Clerk issues a zoning permit under Ordinance 2026-158 before a structure is built, moved, added to or structurally altered, and the building permit comes from CID. The Village office is on 575-586-0694.
What does building without a permit cost in Taos County?
The County charges double the original building permit fee.
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This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Taos County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.