What do these permits involve in Santa Fe County?

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County Business Registration (annual, per place of business)

Under Santa Fe County Code chapter 110, any person engaging in a permanent business (one carried on for 60 days or more in any 12-month period) in the county outside incorporated municipalities and Indian reservations must complete a county business registration form before March 15 of each year; a business that starts after March 15 files the form and fee within 30 days of starting. Under §110.03(1)(b), the business registration fee is $35.00 per calendar year, is charged for each place of business, is not prorated for part of a year, and is payable on March 15 to the county treasurer. Renewal is due before March 15 each year (§110.05(A)), and a registration fee not paid before March 15 draws a $10.00 late fee (§110.06). For contractors, §110.02 provides: "Unless a construction contractor has at least one permanent location within the county, place of business includes a construction site, located therein." The county's Commercial Business License page states: "It is necessary to obtain and maintain a business license in order to operate a business within the unincorporated areas of Santa Fe County." It also states: "Business Licenses are not transferrable from one business owner to the next." The fee is set by ordinance in the codified chapter 110, current through Ord. No. 2026-07.

Business Registration Land-Use Review (no site development permit required)

When a business in the unincorporated county is registered without new development, the Building and Development Services Division reviews it under the Sustainable Land Development Code. The county's Commercial Business License page states: "If a development project is being undertaken as a part of starting a new business the necessary requirements, inspections and fees will be included as a part of that approval process. If, however, an existing business is sold to a new owner or if a business is established without any new related development, a development application form and all related documents are submitted for that action." The §37.06 fee schedule sets $225.00 for "Business registration (when site DP not req'd)". The figure is from the fee schedule in Santa Fe County Code §37.06, adopted by Ordinance 2016-8 (adopted December 13, 2016, recorded December 14, 2016, effective 30 days after recording) and carried unchanged in the codified text current through Ord. No. 2026-07. Under §37.08, fees are due at the time of application and are not refundable; under §37.05, a permit not picked up within thirty days of approval is void and needs a new application and fee. Contact Building and Development Services at 505-986-6225.

Fire Inspection Before Commencement of Operations

The county's Home Occupation page states: "Businesses require an inspection by Fire Prevention Specialists before the commencement of operations. Depending upon the type of occupancy, certain businesses will require an annual Fire Prevention inspection." Under the county fire code, the fee for the inspection prior to commencement of operations is $25.00 for no impact and low impact businesses, $50.00 for businesses of 1,500 square feet or less, $75.00 for 1,501 to 3,000 square feet, $100.00 for 3,001 to 6,000 square feet, $125.00 for 6,001 to 9,000 square feet and $150.00 for more than 9,000 square feet, with reinspections at $50.00. The fire code requires the applicant to pay the fee at the time the application is submitted and before work on it begins. The figures are from the county fire code, Ordinance 2023-06 (adopted August 29, 2023, recorded September 7, 2023, effective 30 days after recording), §15, codified in Santa Fe County Code chapter 96 with the same amounts through Ord. No. 2026-07, and repeated on the Fire Department's fee schedule page. The fire code applies in the unincorporated county; Ord. 2023-06 repealed the earlier fire fee ordinance, Ord. 2018-8.

Fire Protection System Plan Review and Construction Permit (commercial)

A business that installs, rehabilitates or modifies a fire protection or life safety system in the unincorporated county (for example a sprinkler system, a fire alarm, or an alternative automatic extinguishing system such as a kitchen hood system) applies to the Fire Prevention Division for plan review and a construction permit. Under the county fire code, construction documents go to the fire marshal in two or more sets with each permit application and must also meet the minimum requirements of the New Mexico State Fire Marshal's Office. The commercial fees are $200.00 for an automatic sprinkler system, $150.00 for fire alarm/detection, $100.00 for an alternative automatic extinguishing system and $100.00 for a water tank/draft hydrant, with resubmissions at $50.00; fees are paid when the application is submitted. A business that does not install or change such a system has no plan review under this section. The figures are from the county fire code, Ordinance 2023-06 (adopted August 29, 2023, recorded September 7, 2023, effective 30 days after recording), §15, codified in Santa Fe County Code chapter 96 with the same amounts through Ord. No. 2026-07, and repeated on the Fire Department's fee schedule page. The fire code applies in the unincorporated county; Ord. 2023-06 repealed the earlier fire fee ordinance, Ord. 2018-8.

Development Permit: Non-Residential Remodel up to $50,000 Valuation

A remodel of non-residential premises in the unincorporated county needs a county development permit under the Sustainable Land Development Code. The §37.06 fee schedule sets $75.00 for a non-residential "Remodel up to $50,000.00 valuation". The Building and Development page states that all building and development outside the incorporated areas of Santa Fe, Edgewood and Espanola must comply with the SLDC and requires a development permit from the county. The Building and Development Services FAQ states: "Inspections for foundations, framing, electrical and plumbing are conducted by the State Construction Industries Division (CID)." The figure is from the fee schedule in Santa Fe County Code §37.06, adopted by Ordinance 2016-8 (adopted December 13, 2016, recorded December 14, 2016, effective 30 days after recording) and carried unchanged in the codified text current through Ord. No. 2026-07. Under §37.08, fees are due at the time of application and are not refundable; under §37.05, a permit not picked up within thirty days of approval is void and needs a new application and fee.

Sign Permit

A business in the unincorporated county that puts up a sign applies to the Building and Development Services Division for a sign permit under the Sustainable Land Development Code. The §37.06 fee schedule sets the sign permit fee at $245.00. The permit applies only to a business that puts up a sign. The figure is from the fee schedule in Santa Fe County Code §37.06, adopted by Ordinance 2016-8 (adopted December 13, 2016, recorded December 14, 2016, effective 30 days after recording) and carried unchanged in the codified text current through Ord. No. 2026-07. Under §37.08, fees are due at the time of application and are not refundable; under §37.05, a permit not picked up within thirty days of approval is void and needs a new application and fee. Contact Building and Development Services at 505-986-6225.

Permit	Issuing agency	Fee	Renews	Last checked
County Business Registration (annual, per place of business)	Santa Fe County Treasurer	$35 per calendar year, for each place of business; not prorated; late fee $10.00 (Code §110.03(1)(b), §110.06)	calendar year; registration and fee due before March 15 each year (within 30 days of starting for a business that begins after March 15)	2026-10-12
Business Registration Land-Use Review (no site development permit required)only if it applies to you	Santa Fe County Growth Management Department, Building and Development Services Division	$225 per application ("Business registration (when site DP not req'd)", Code §37.06)	per application, when a business is registered without a site development permit	2026-10-12
Fire Inspection Before Commencement of Operations	Santa Fe County Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division	$25–$150 one-time, by business floor area: no impact and low impact (home occupation) $25.00; 1,500 sq ft or less $50.00; 1,501-3,000 sq ft $75.00; 3,001-6,000 sq ft $100.00; 6,001-9,000 sq ft $125.00; more than 9,000 sq ft $150.00; reinspections $50.00	one-time, before the business begins operating	2026-10-12
Fire Protection System Plan Review and Construction Permit (commercial)only if it applies to you	Santa Fe County Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division	$100–$200 per system permit: commercial automatic sprinkler $200.00; commercial fire alarm/detection $150.00; commercial alternative automatic extinguishing $100.00; commercial water tank/draft hydrant $100.00; resubmissions $50.00	per permit, before installing, rehabilitating or modifying a fire protection or life safety system	2026-10-12
Development Permit: Non-Residential Remodel up to $50,000 Valuationonly if it applies to you	Santa Fe County Growth Management Department, Building and Development Services Division	$75 per development permit for a non-residential remodel up to $50,000.00 valuation (Code §37.06)	per permit; void if not picked up within 30 days of approval	2026-10-12
Sign Permitonly if it applies to you	Santa Fe County Growth Management Department, Building and Development Services Division	$245 per sign permit (Code §37.06)	per permit; void if not picked up within 30 days of approval	2026-10-12

Business licenses and permits in Santa Fe County, New Mexico

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