What do these permits involve in Doña Ana County?

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County Business Registration (annual, per business location)

Code §154-3 imposes "a business registration fee on all persons doing business within the County, but outside the boundaries of any incorporated municipality", and §154-7 charges the fee "on each of his business locations". Code §154-5 states: "Only those businesses which are exempt from a business registration fee by state law are exempt from payment of this business registration fee." The fee schedule in Code §179-1 (amended through Ord. No. 301-2019, February 26, 2019) sets the business registration at "$35/year/business location" and the late fee at "Not more than $10". The County Clerk's Business Registration page states that the applicant must first obtain a New Mexico Tax ID number from the Taxation and Revenue Department, and that "New Business applicants must submit a business registration application to the Planning and Zoning department for approval along with the registration fee of $35.00." Under §154-6A the County Clerk issues the certificate of registration. The page states: "The $35 renewal fee is due by March 16 th. If paid after March 16 th a delinquent penalty of $10 will be incurred." The 2025 renewal form adds that if March 16 falls on a weekend, walk-in renewal fees are due by the prior business day and mail-in renewals must be postmarked by March 16, and that to change ownership or business location the owner files a Cancellation form and a New Business Registration form with a $35 check; the page states "There is no cancellation fee." Under §154-10 the county may prevent the conduct of a delinquent business or the occupancy of its premises. Contact the Doña Ana County Clerk's Office, 845 N. Motel Blvd., Room 1-200, Las Cruces, NM 88007, (575) 647-7421.

Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy (building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical)

Code §142-1 states that the chapter and the codes it adopts "shall be controlling in the construction, alteration, and repair of all buildings and structures, including electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems, within the unincorporated areas of Doña Ana County, New Mexico." Chapter 142 adopts the 2021 International Building, Residential and Existing Building Codes, the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, the 2021 Uniform Mechanical and Plumbing Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code. The fees are in Code chapter 179, Article VI ("Adopted as last amended 6-24-2008 by Res. No. 2008-60"), and the county's Building Permit Fee Schedule, linked from the Building Services Fees and Payment Methods page, lists the same valuation scale. Code §179-16D provides that for permits requiring construction drawing or site plan review, 25% of the permit fees is paid when the application is submitted and the remaining 75% before the permit is issued; the Fees and Payment Methods page states: "Payment of 25% is required at time of application and is non-refundable." Code §179-18C states: "No building or structure shall be used or occupied, and no change in the existing occupancy classification of a building or structure or portion thereof shall be made, until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy", with a penalty of up to three times the original permit for failing to comply. Under §179-18D a temporary certificate of occupancy costs 10% of the building permit fee or $100, whichever is greater. Under §179-19, work begun without a permit draws a $45-per-hour investigation fee (one-hour minimum) and a tripled permit fee, a reinspection costs $45, and no refund or credit is issued after 30 days from issuance of the permit. Contact the Doña Ana County Community Development Department, 845 N. Motel Blvd., Las Cruces, NM 88007, (575) 647-7350.

Detailed Site Plan Review (nonresidential / commercial)

The Unified Development Code applies, under Code §350-102, "to all property within the unincorporated areas of Doña Ana County and outside the limits of any jointly administered extra-territorial zone". Code §350-208 states: "No person shall commence any use or construction for which a detailed site plan is required under this chapter without first obtaining approval of such site plan. A detailed site plan shall be required for all uses and buildings. All detailed site plans for commercial, industrial and multifamily uses shall be prepared by a professional engineer, architect, or surveyor licensed in the State of New Mexico." The Community Development Fee Schedule in Code §179-44 sets "Site plan review for nonresidential (commercial)" at $350, and amendments to an approved site plan at $50 (minor) and $250 (major). The fee is from the Community Development Fee Schedule in Doña Ana County Code §179-44, adopted January 24, 2017 by Resolution No. 2017-18 and effective with the Unified Development Code on February 2, 2017, in the codified text current through June 24, 2025. Code §350-106 states that "The schedule of fees for permits is set by resolutions adopted by the BOCC and codified in Chapter 179", and that when an activity has begun without a required permit "the permit fee shall be triple the original fee." Contact the Doña Ana County Community Development Department, 845 N. Motel Blvd., Las Cruces, NM 88007, (575) 647-7350.

Floodplain Development Permit (conditional: development in a FEMA special flood hazard area)

Code §350-604 states: "A floodplain development permit shall be required for all development in a FEMA special flood hazard area (SFHA), (refer to Appendix BB)." The section also states: "An elevation certificate (EC) is required for all construction within a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designated floodplain. Construction may not be started until the applicant has provided an elevation certificate that has been accepted by a certified floodplain manager (CFM) in the Flood Commission." For new development in a FEMA special flood hazard area, three elevation certificates are reviewed and accepted by the Flood Commission: before the permit is received, before the foundation is poured and before the certificate of occupancy. The pre-construction elevation certificate must be signed and sealed by a New Mexico registered professional surveyor. A business building outside a mapped special flood hazard area has no floodplain development permit under this section.

Permit	Issuing agency	Fee	Renews	Last checked
County Business Registration (annual, per business location)	Doña Ana County Clerk's Office	$35 per calendar year, for each business location (Code §179-1); a $10.00 delinquent penalty applies when the renewal is paid after March 16 (county page; Code §179-1 sets the late fee at "Not more than $10")	calendar year (January 1 to December 31); renewal due by March 16 each year	2026-10-12
Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy (building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical)only if it applies to you	Doña Ana County Community Development Department, Building Services	By total construction value (Code §179-16C): $1 to $500: $45; $501 to $2,000: $45 for the first $500 plus $1 for each additional $100 or fraction; $2,001 to $25,000: $60 for the first $2,000 plus $10 for each additional $1,000 or fraction; $25,001 to $50,000: $290 for the first $25,000 plus $8 for each additional $1,000 or fraction; $50,001 to $100,000: $490 for the first $50,000 plus $6 for each additional $1,000 or fraction; $100,001 and up: $790 for the first $100,000 plus $5 for each additional $1,000 or fraction. New single-family dwellings and duplexes $0.20 per square foot (§179-16A); swimming pools $3.75 per $1,000 for the first $25,000 of valuation plus $3 for each additional $1,000 (§179-16B). Where plan review is required, 25% is paid at application and 75% before issuance (§179-16D). Off-duty-hour and partial inspections $45 per hour; reinspection $45; temporary certificate of occupancy 10% of the building permit fee or $100, whichever is greater; work begun without a permit: investigation $45 per hour (one-hour minimum) and the permit fee tripled.	per project; certificate of occupancy before the building is used or occupied	2026-10-12
Detailed Site Plan Review (nonresidential / commercial)only if it applies to you	Doña Ana County Community Development Department	$350 per site plan review for nonresidential (commercial) use (Code §179-44); amendments to an approved site plan: minor $50, major $250	per project, before the use or construction begins	2026-10-12
Floodplain Development Permit (conditional: development in a FEMA special flood hazard area)only if it applies to you	Doña Ana County Flood Commission (Floodplain Administrator)	A fee for the floodplain development permit is not published in Code §179-1 or §179-44. Contact the Doña Ana County Flood Commission for any amount charged.	per development	2026-10-12

Business licenses and permits in Doña Ana County, New Mexico

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Permits that apply to every type of business in Doña Ana County