Yes, You Need a Permit
Yes. Replacing a roof requires a permit everywhere in our service area: the City of Albuquerque, unincorporated Bernalillo County, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas and the rest of New Mexico. State rules require a permit and inspections for every new roof and every reroof. Even a roof coating needs a permit. Only two kinds of people can pull the permit: a contractor licensed by the state Construction Industries Division (CID), or a homeowner working on their own primary residence under the state's homeowner permit rules.
If you hire a roofer, the roofer pulls the permit. Timberwolf holds NM License #426379 · GB-98 and handles the permit and inspections on every job.
Who Issues the Permit Where You Live
| Location | Permit issued by | How to check a permit |
|---|---|---|
| City of Albuquerque | City Planning Department, Building Safety Division | ABQ-PLAN online portal |
| Unincorporated Bernalillo County (North and South Valley, most of the East Mountains) | Bernalillo County Building Services | County's Accela Citizen Access portal |
| Rio Rancho | City of Rio Rancho Building Division | 505-891-5005 |
| Los Lunas | NM Construction Industries Division (the Village handles zoning and floodplain only) | CID Albuquerque office, 505-222-9801 |
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. The Village of Los Ranchos has its own Application for Re-Roof Zone Review Permit, filed with the Village at 6718 Rio Grande Blvd NW, separate from anything the City of Albuquerque issues. It asks for two complete sets of plans, a signed contract (the form says the Village won't process the application without one), a site plan, plat or survey drawn to scale, and truss drawings if the roof is being converted, such as flat to pitched. Fees are due when you submit. The Village doesn't enforce private covenants, so check HOA rules on your own. Call Village Planning and Zoning at (505) 344-6582 to confirm current fees and whether anything else applies to your project.
What Gets Inspected
State rules set two minimum inspections for a reroof:
- Decking inspection after the old roof is torn off and before the new underlayment goes down. The inspector checks the roof deck for rot, damage and proper attachment.
- Final inspection when the new roof is complete.
The City of Albuquerque asks for its inspection once the work is at least 50% complete, with a day's notice. Rio Rancho offers virtual inspections for occupied homes. CID also requires the manufacturer's installation specifications to be submitted with the permit, and it says residential permits usually take 3 to 4 working days to process.
Can a New Roof Go Over the Old One?
New Mexico uses the 2021 International Residential Code as its residential building code, with state amendments. Under its reroofing rule, one new layer can go over a single existing layer that is sound. A full tear-off down to the deck is required when:
- there are already two or more layers of roofing
- the existing roof is water-soaked or has deteriorated
- the existing roof is wood shake, slate, clay tile, concrete tile or asbestos-cement tile
- there is pumice or other granular fill on the roof
Metal over shingles. The same rule applies to a metal roof. With a permit, metal panels can go over one sound layer of shingles, installed to the panel maker's instructions. The City of Albuquerque's residential reroofing handout spells out the permit requirement and the full tear-off once there are two or more layers. For the Zia panel options, see metal roofing.
We usually recommend a tear-off even when an overlay is allowed. It's the only way to see the deck and catch rot around flashing, and it lets the decking inspection happen. See roof replacement for how a Timberwolf tear-off works.
Can a Homeowner Pull Their Own Permit?
Yes, with limits. New Mexico's homeowner permit is only for the owner's primary residence, and the owner has to do most of the work themselves. It can't be used for a single-trade job like a roof that's handed to someone else. It also can't be used when a licensed general contractor is hired to manage the project, and it's limited to one homeowner permit per owner every 12 months. If someone offers to reroof your house but asks you to pull the permit in your own name, treat it as a red flag. See storm-chasing roofing scams.
Why the Permit Matters to You
- Resale. Buyers' inspectors and appraisers may ask about the roof's permit history.
- Insurance. A permitted, inspected roof is easier to document if you ever file a claim.
- A second set of eyes. The decking inspection catches problems before they're covered up.
- A licensed contractor. Only a CID-licensed contractor can pull the permit, so a contractor who can't get one is a contractor to avoid.
New Mexico licenses roofing work under the GS-21 Roofing classification. General contractor licenses (GB-2 for residential, GB-98 for general building) also cover roofing. You can look up any contractor's license with CID before you sign. See questions to ask before hiring a roofer.