Frequently Asked Questions about Building and Safety Division

• Building permits and inspections are required for commercial, public, private and residential new construction, additions, remodeling work, accessory structures, and fences.

   

• As a rule of thumb, the following common projects do not require a permit. Replacement of appliances, painting, Replacement cabinets and flooring, Replacement of toilets and tubs unless there is plumbing required.

• Plan review typically takes approximately 3 days for residential and 5 days for commercial projects depending on the size and complexity of the project.  The permit will be issued when all reviews have been completed.

• Yes, you can apply through the Citizen Self Service Portal (CSS), which allows you to submit plans and applications online along with supporting documents.

Apply Online, Click Here.

• Fees are based on the valuation of the project, that is material costs as well as labor. Plan review fees are 65% of the permit fee and due at time of submittal.  Permit fees are paid when the permit is approved.

Building Permit Fee Schedule.(PDF, 319KB)

• Two complete sets of plans and specifications must be submitted to the Los Alamos Building Division and must be sufficiently clear to show the project in its entirety.

• Yes, to determine set-back distance requirements, to determine compliance with planning items, and to enable the plan reviewer to determine floor and ceiling Joist/rafter spans. ¼” per foot is the minimum scale allowed.

• A building permit is valid for 2 years and construction must commence within 180 days from the date it was issued.  You must also have an inspection 118 days to keep the permit active. 

• You can send an e-mail to buildinginspectionrequests@losalamosnm.gov or you can call our permit technicians at 505-662-8120.

• You can do construction work yourself, if you pull a homeowner’s building permit, and you are familiar with all building codes.

• You can navigate our website for Los Alamos County and under the Building Safety Division, you will find the building codes currently adopted. 

• On your building permit a list of required inspections will be provided, depending on the scope of work in which the building permit was submitted.

• You can navigate our website by going to Los Alamos County, under Building Division you will find all our submittal checklists.  You can also come into the department and talk to our permit technicians who will assist you with obtaining the correct checklist for your project.