village of ruidoso Building Permits & Inspections

Village of Ruidoso Building Permits & Inspections

Village of Ruidoso Building Permits & Inspections

The Ruidoso Community Economic Development Department oversees all residential and commercial construction activities to ensure compliance with local and state building codes and regulations and to provide public safety to the community.

A building permit is required for most types of construction, including residential and commercial remodels, demolition and minor electrical, mechanical and plumbing work. The permitting and inspection process is designed to ensure the health and safety of residents and visitors and to protect the environment.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

DO I NEED A PERMIT?

View Village of Ruidoso Permits Information and Regulations

 

WHY DO I NEED A BUILDING PERMIT?

A permit is required mainly to ensure that work meets minimum safety codes and standards and determine if the project is in a flood zone. Please be aware that if you do work without a permit, it may affect your ability to sell your property at a future date. Lenders scrutinize changes made to a building and often request proof of inspections.

Subject to CILA Section 60-13-3, section 60-13-45, and the provisions of the NM CID rules, no building or structure shall be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted or demolished, and no electrical wiring, plumbing or mechanical work as defined and described in the applicable New Mexico construction codes for those trades, may be installed, repaired or maintained in or on such building or structure, unless the applicable permit has first been obtained from the division. All re-roofs require a building permit and inspections.

Permits can be issued only to licensed contractors, or to the homeowner. If the homeowner applies for a permit, he/she must meet the State of New Mexico requirements for “Homeowners Responsibilities for any Type of Alteration or Construction made to a Residential Building”.

Exceptions to Requirement for Construction Permits:

  • One story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed 120 square feet

  • Decks not to exceed 120 feet in area, that are not more than 30" above grade at any point, are not attached to a dwelling and do not serve the exit door required by section R-311.2 of the IRC

  • Oil derricks

  • Retaining walls that are not over 48 inches in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding class I, II, or III-A liquids

  • Water tanks supported directly upon grade if the capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons and the ratio of height to diameter or width does not exceed 2 to 1

  • Sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above grade and not over any basement or story below and which are not part of an accessible route.

  • Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work.

  • Temporary motion picture, television and theater stage sets and scenery.

  • Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to group R-3 occupancies, as applicable in the NMRBC, which are less than 24 inches (610mm) deep, do not exceed 5,000 gallons and are installed entirely above ground.

  • Shade cloth structures constructed for nursery or agricultural purposes and not including services systems.

  • Swings and other playground equipment accessory to one-and two-family dwellings.

  • Window awnings supported by an exterior wall of group R-3, as applicable in the NMRBC, and group U occupancies.

  • Moveable cases, counters and partitions not over 5 feet 9 inches in height.

  • Any work not otherwise regulated by the New Mexico construction codes and the CID rules.

Some of the above items require Zoning permits, please contact the Zoning office.

Important Homeowner & Contractor Information

Please Be Aware!

Water Heater & Furnace Change-outs

HOW DO I GET A PERMIT?

Permit applications and construction codes can be downloaded online or obtained at the Planning Department at 313 Cree Meadows Drive in Ruidoso. Many projects will require a set of drawings to be submitted with the application, detailing the proposed alterations or construction. Please include a site plan. Two or three sets of drawings will be required depending on whether the work is commercial or residential. Plan review can take from 2 days to several weeks depending on the complexity of the project. Electronic submittal is allowed for plan checking for some projects. To see if your project can be submitted electronically please contact us. When plan review is completed and approved, you will be notified by department personnel of the fee amount.

 

HOW MUCH IS A BUILDING PERMIT?

Building permit fees are based on the valuation of the project. There is no difference in the fee for homeowners or contractors. Click here to see Resolution 2022-24 regarding permit fees and here for the fee chart.

 

HOW DO I SCHEDULE AN INSPECTION?

The Village of Ruidoso is responsible for permitting and inspections for electrical, building, mechanical, and plumbing in the Village limits and the surrounding Lincoln County area. To schedule an inspection, contact the Inspection Request Hotline at 575-258-6996 at least one day prior to the inspection. The inspection will be scheduled subject to availability.

 

HOW DO I GET FLOODPLAIN INFORMATION?

Portions of the Village of Ruidoso are in flood zones; please contact our office prior to starting any construction work for permits and to determine if the project is in a flood zone. Construction in flood zones can cost more due to additional requirements and flood certification costs like, doing assessments on existing structures, raising the building pad, flood vents and more. Please contact the office at 575-258-6999 to schedule an appointment with Samantha Serna.

CLICK HERE FOR FEMA FLOOD MAP

 

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT CONSTRUCTION CODES?

There is hereby adopted by the Village of Ruidoso for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, removal, conversion, demolition, occupancy, equipment, use, height, area and maintenance of buildings or structures, and providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees there for, and providing penalties for the violation thereof, the 2021 International Residential Code (2021 IRC); the 2021 International Building Code (2021 IBC); the 2020 National Electrical Code(2020 NEC); the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (2021 UPC); the 2021 Uniform Mechanical Code(2021 UMC); the 2015 Uniform Solar Energy Code (2015 USEC); the 2015 Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa, and Hot Tub Code (2015 USPSHTC); the 2021 International Existing Building Code (2021 IEBC); the NMAC 10.25.5 Fire Code; the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (2021 IECC); including but not limited to any amendments to the provisions of the above described codes which are adopted by the State of New Mexico, whether such amendments are adopted as of or subsequent to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section.

Click here to see the State of New Mexico Construction Codes

Click here to see the Municipal Code

The plumbing and mechanical codes have been changed from the 2015 Uniform Plumbing and Uniform Mechanical Codes to the 2021 Uniform Plumbing and Uniform Mechanical Codes. Please see the following links for important changes in these codes.

2021 UMC (Uniform Mechanical) Code Guide to Important Code Changes

2015 to 21 UPC-Code-Comparison

**Please email all completed permit applications, plans and forms to CommunityDev@ruidoso-nm.gov

The Ruidoso Building and Permits Department code updates class materials are now available for download HERE.