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14 permits · verified 2026-10-12

What permits do you need to open a retail store in San Juan County Nm?

In short

A retail store in San Juan County Nm, NM has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 12 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. New Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services Division charges $50 one-time filing for the articles of organization (llc). 10 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-12 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a retail store in San Juan County Nm

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County Liquor License (unincorporated San Juan County)only if it applies to youSan Juan County ClerkThe amount is the county liquor license tax fixed by the Board of County Commissioners' resolution under NMSA 1978 §7-24-2; contact the San Juan County Clerk for the current amount.set by the county resolution imposing the tax (NMSA 1978 §§7-24-2, 7-24-4); contact the County Clerk2026-10-12

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in San Juan County Nm

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County Business Registration (unincorporated San Juan County)San Juan County Community Development DepartmentVaries — formula on the San Juan County Nm pageannual; renew before March 1 each year (§9); a new business files within 30 days after it commences business (§7)2026-10-12
Floodplain Use Permit (conditional: development in a mapped floodplain)only if it applies to youSan Juan County Community Development DepartmentVaries — formula on the San Juan County Nm pageper project2026-10-12
Fire Inspection (business registration and annual life fire safety inspection)only if it applies to youSan Juan County Fire & Rescue, Fire Marshal's OfficeVaries — formula on the San Juan County Nm pageannual (the schedule marks the inspection and administration fees as recurring on an annual basis)2026-10-12
Fire Department Plan Review (construction, fire protection systems, commercial cooking hoods)only if it applies to youSan Juan County Fire & Rescue, Fire Marshal's OfficeVaries — formula on the San Juan County Nm pageone-time, per plan review2026-10-12
Building Permit and Building Plan Review (commercial construction and alterations)only if it applies to youSan Juan County Community Development, Building DivisionVaries — formula on the San Juan County Nm pageexpires one year from issuance; may be extended one year by renewing before expiration for half the original permit fee2026-10-12
Electrical Permitonly if it applies to youSan Juan County Community Development, Building DivisionVaries — formula on the San Juan County Nm pageper permit2026-10-12
Plumbing and Gas Piping Permitonly if it applies to youSan Juan County Community Development, Building DivisionVaries — formula on the San Juan County Nm pageper permit2026-10-12
Mechanical Permit (heating, cooling, gas piping, Type I hoods)only if it applies to youSan Juan County Community Development, Building DivisionVaries — formula on the San Juan County Nm pageper permit2026-10-12

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

NM registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youNew Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionVaries — formula on the NM pageperpetual, but a biennial report is due every two years2026-10-09
General Business License — State of New Mexico positiononly if it applies to youNew Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionNo feenot applicable2026-10-09
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youNew Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services Division$50 one-time filingperpetual — the LLC fee section lists no annual or biennial report2026-10-09
Corporate Biennial Reportonly if it applies to youNew Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services Division$25 every two years; filing late adds a $200 penaltybiennial — due on or before the 15th day of the fourth month after the close of the tax year2026-10-09
Gross Receipts Tax RegistrationNew Mexico Taxation and Revenue DepartmentNo feenot stated as expiring2026-10-09

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

How much does it actually cost to permit a retail store in San Juan County Nm?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 14 records listed for a retail store in San Juan County Nm, NM, 2 apply to every business of this type and 12 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

10 of the 14 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

County Liquor License (unincorporated San Juan County): The amount is the county liquor license tax fixed by the Board of County Commissioners' resolution under NMSA 1978 §7-24-2; contact the San Juan County Clerk for the current amount.

The other 9 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the San Juan County Nm permits page and the NM state page.

Which offices issue these permits in San Juan County Nm?

Permits for a retail store in San Juan County Nm, NM come from 6 separate offices: San Juan County Community Development Department, San Juan County Clerk, San Juan County Fire & Rescue, Fire Marshal's Office, San Juan County Community Development, Building Division, New Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services Division, New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a retail store need in San Juan County Nm that other businesses do not?

County Liquor License (unincorporated San Juan County)

The San Juan County Clerk's Liquor License page states: "To obtain a County liquor license you MUST already have an approved State Liquor License" and "A County liquor license is only required for those establishments selling alcoholic beverages in the unincorporated areas of San Juan County." The applicant brings the approved state liquor license to the Clerk to obtain the county license. The county's authority is NMSA 1978 §7-24-2, under which the boards of county commissioners of counties composing local option districts may, by resolution, impose a license tax on holders of state retailer, dispenser, canopy, restaurant and club licenses operating in the county outside the municipalities that are local option districts, with the amount and the dates and manner of payment fixed by the resolution; under §7-24-3 the sheriff, on the board's written order, closes the place of business of a licensee that has not paid. Ordinance 95 §6(4) states that a business licensed by the county to sell liquor needs no separate County Business Registration, the county license serving in lieu of it. The state liquor license itself is a state record. The Clerk's page directs an establishment serving liquor within city limits to the city clerk: City of Aztec, 201 W. Chaco, (505) 334-7603; City of Bloomfield, 915 North First Street, (505) 632-6300; City of Farmington, 800 Municipal Dr., (505) 599-1106.

The other 8 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in San Juan County Nm, NM; what each one involves is set out on the San Juan County Nm permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across NM and are covered on the NM state page.

How does a retail store compare with other businesses in San Juan County Nm?

The closest match is a restaurant, which shares 1 of these permits. A restaurant needs Food Establishment Permit and Food Handler Card, which a retail store does not.

Permits particular to each business type in San Juan County Nm, NM, compared with a retail store
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a retail storeOnly a retail store needsOnly it needs
Restaurants3102
Auto repair shops1011
Childcare centres1011
Coffee shops2012
Contractors and trades2012
Fitness studios0010
Food trucks2012
Salons and barbers1011
Veterinary clinics1011

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the San Juan County Nm permits page and the NM state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. NMSA 1978 Chapter 7 (Taxation), unannotated, 2026: §7-24-2 License tax imposed by boards of county commissionersNew Mexico Compilation Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  2. Liquor LicenseSan Juan County Clerk, New Mexico · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  3. Ordinance No. 95, Business Registration (as restated, adopted July 23, 2024)San Juan County Board of Commissioners, New Mexico · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.