11 permits · verified 2026-10-12
What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in Santa Fe County?
In short
A contractor or trade in Santa Fe County, NM has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Santa Fe County Treasurer charges $35 per calendar year, for each place of business; not prorated; late fee $10.00 (Code §110.03(1)(b), §110.06) for the county business registration (annual, per place of business). 3 of the 11 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 contractor or trade in Santa Fe County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Occupation Business License Review (no, low or medium impact)only if it applies to you | Santa Fe County Growth Management Department, Building and Development Services Division | $50–$500 per application by category (Code §37.06): no impact $50.00; low impact $100.00; medium impact home occupation (conditional use permit) $500.00; the $35.00 business registration and the $25.00 fire inspection are charged separately | per application, before the home business opens | 2026-10-12 |
| Contractor Licenseonly if it applies to you | New Mexico Construction Industries Division, Regulation and Licensing Department | $30 non-refundable application fee, plus $100 a year for the GA-98, GB-2, GB-98, GF-98, EE-98 and MM-98 classifications or $50 a year for others | one year, or two years at double the annual fee | 2026-10-09 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Santa Fe County
| 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 | Varies — formula on the Santa Fe County page | one-time, before the business begins operating | 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 |
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
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | New Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services Division | Varies — formula on the NM page | perpetual, but a biennial report is due every two years | 2026-10-09 |
| General Business License — State of New Mexico positiononly if it applies to you | New Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services Division | No fee | not applicable | 2026-10-09 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | New Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $50 one-time filing | perpetual — the LLC fee section lists no annual or biennial report | 2026-10-09 |
| Corporate Biennial Reportonly if it applies to you | New Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $25 every two years; filing late adds a $200 penalty | biennial — due on or before the 15th day of the fourth month after the close of the tax year | 2026-10-09 |
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 contractor or trade in Santa Fe County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 11 records listed for a contractor or trade in Santa Fe County, NM, 2 apply to every business of this type and 9 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 2 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $35.00. That is a floor, not a total. 3 of the 11 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Home Occupation Business License Review (no, low or medium impact): $50–$500 per application by category (Code §37.06): no impact $50.00; low impact $100.00; medium impact home occupation (conditional use permit) $500.00; the $35.00 business registration and the $25.00 fire inspection are charged separately
The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Santa Fe County permits page and the NM state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Santa Fe County?
Permits for a contractor or trade in Santa Fe County, NM come from 5 separate offices: Santa Fe County Treasurer, Santa Fe County Growth Management Department, Building and Development Services Division, Santa Fe County Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division, New Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services Division, New Mexico Construction Industries Division, Regulation and Licensing Department. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Santa Fe County TreasurerIssues 1 permit on this page: County Business Registration (annual, per place of business)www.santafecountynm.gov/treasurer
- Santa Fe County Growth Management Department, Building and Development Services DivisionIssues 4 permits on this page: Business Registration Land-Use Review (no site development permit required), Home Occupation Business License Review (no, low or medium impact), Development Permit: Non-Residential Remodel up to $50,000 Valuation, Sign Permit505-986-6225www.santafecountynm.gov/growth-management/building-development
- Santa Fe County Fire Department, Fire Prevention DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Fire Inspection Before Commencement of Operations35 Camino Justicia, Santa Fe, NM 87508www.santafecountynm.gov/fire/fire-preventionrisk-reduction/fee-schedule-fire-inspection-plan-review
- New Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionIssues 4 permits on this page: Articles of Incorporation, General Business License — State of New Mexico position, Articles of Organization (LLC), Corporate Biennial Report325 Don Gaspar, Suite 300, Santa Fe, NM 87501 · (505) 827-3600www.sos.nm.gov/business-services
- New Mexico Construction Industries Division, Regulation and Licensing DepartmentIssues 1 permit on this page: Contractor License(505) 476-4700www.rld.nm.gov/construction-industries
What does a contractor or trade need in Santa Fe County that other businesses do not?
1 of the 2 permits particular to a contractor or trade here applies to no other business type we cover in Santa Fe County: Contractor License.
Contractor License
Under 14.5.5.8 NMAC, an applicant for an initial license or for any additional classification pays a non-refundable $30 application fee. The basic fee for an initial or renewed license is $100 a year, or $200 for two years, for each GA-98, GB-2, GB-98, GF-98, EE-98 or MM-98 classification, and $50 a year, or $100 for two years, for any other classification. General building work, electrical work and mechanical work are all licensed by the Construction Industries Division under 14.6.6 NMAC: GB-98 (general building) covers residential and commercial buildings and includes the GB-2, GF-5, GF-7 and GS classifications but excludes structures covered by the EE, MM, GA or GF classifications; EE-98 covers residential and commercial electrical work; MM-98 covers mechanical work.
Shared with other businesses in Santa Fe County
- Home Occupation Business License Review (no, low or medium impact) — Santa Fe County Growth Management Department, Building and Development Services Division, $50–$500 per application by category (Code §37.06): no impact $50.00; low impact $100.00; medium impact home occupation (conditional use permit) $500.00; the $35.00 business registration and the $25.00 fire inspection are charged separately, per application, before the home business opens. Also required for salons and barbers, fitness studios and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
The other 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Santa Fe County, NM; what each one involves is set out on the Santa Fe County permits page. The 4 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across NM and are covered on the NM state page.
How does a contractor or trade compare with other businesses in Santa Fe County?
The closest match is a salon or barber, which shares 1 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs Contractor License. A salon or barber needs Barber or Cosmetology Establishment License, which a contractor or trade does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a contractor or trade | Only a contractor or trade needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Retail stores | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Coffee shops | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Food trucks | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Restaurants | 5 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
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 shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Santa Fe County permits page and the NM state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- New Mexico Administrative Code 14.5.5.8 — contractor license fee scheduleNew Mexico Construction Industries Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- New Mexico Administrative Code 14.6.6 — contractor classifications (compiled)New Mexico State Records Center and Archives · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.