Building permits, zoning and land rules in Chaves County, New Mexico

Yes. Chaves County provides local plan review, inspections and building-permit issuance under Building Code Ordinance No. 60¹. New Mexico's residential code covers detached one- and two-family dwellings statewide, with limited permit exemptions that include certain one-story accessory structures no larger than 120 square feet and fences no taller than 6 feet^8,9. An owner may use a homeowner permit for the owner's single-family primary residence, but the permit does not waive applicable codes or inspections, and the owner must complete the major portion of the work by dollar amount⁷. Chaves County has temporarily suspended electrical permit applications and inspections, so electrical work currently routes to the New Mexico Construction Industries Division's Las Cruces office⁶.

Start with the Chaves County Planning & Zoning Department at 1 St. Mary’s Place, Suite #170, Roswell, NM 88203, or call 575-624-6606⁶. Confirm the building and zoning application requirements with that department because the available county material does not state the full general process. Electrical permits and inspections currently go to the New Mexico Construction Industries Division's Las Cruces office at 575-524-6320⁶. For a driveway, cattle guard, drainage culvert or pipeline crossing or adjoining a county road or right-of-way, contact the Chaves County Road Department at 1505 E Brasher Road, Roswell, NM 88203, or 575-624-6610¹⁰. County-regulated RV parks also face specific entrance-width, spacing and paving standards².

Yes. Chaves County zoning applies outside the Roswell-Chaves County Extraterritorial Zoning Area and the municipal limits of Roswell, Dexter, Hagerman and Lake Arthur². Roswell, Dexter and Hagerman have municipal zoning, while Roswell shares a two-mile extraterritorial zone with the county². County land is divided into areas and Agriculture, Residential, Commercial and Industrial zones, so verify the parcel's map designation before relying on a dimensional rule². In Area II, a new parcel must contain at least 5 acres, while Area I had no minimum size for new parcels and other districts can differ². Zone A and Zone B residential lots have front and rear setbacks of at least 40 feet and side setbacks of at least 25 feet, with the front-yard measurement tied to road or survey lines². Building height in those zones is capped by applicable FAA height regulations².

The New Mexico Environment Department, not Chaves County, handles onsite wastewater applications for Chaves County³. A regulated new or modified system requires a Liquid Waste Permit application with proof of ownership, a site diagram, bedroom or fixture information and supporting site details⁵. The published fee for a conventional system with design flow up to 1,000 gallons per day is $225, while system type and flow can change the charge⁵. After approval, request the state inspection 48 hours, or 2 business days, in advance and do not cover the system before inspection^4,5. A homeowner may install a conventional system at the homeowner's personal residence after qualifying with the department, but not at a rental property⁴. Only 29.3% of Chaves County soils rate free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so test feasibility early¹¹.

Under the county zoning ordinance's special-use provisions, a temporary second dwelling or RV on one parcel requires a Special Use Permit and is limited to caring for an immediate family member². The county rule does not confirm broader temporary camping or full-time RV living, so ask the Planning & Zoning Department about the parcel and proposed duration before moving an RV onsite⁶. Within a county-regulated RV park, manufactured homes, mobile homes and conventional dwellings cannot be occupied for living purposes except as the park office or manager's residence². Zone B allows accessory living quarters for one family, but not separate rental, sale or business use². New Mexico recognizes a permanent-foundation tiny house with complete independent living facilities and no more than 400 square feet excluding lofts; a unit retaining its chassis and permanent axle is treated as an RV¹².

1. Ask the Planning & Zoning Department whether county zoning, a municipality or the Roswell-Chaves ETZ governs the parcel, then confirm its area and zone².
2. Confirm building-permit, manufactured-home placement and floodplain requirements with Planning & Zoning before finalizing plans^1,6,13.
3. If using a homeowner permit, document that the project is the owner's primary residence and plan to self-perform the major portion by dollar amount⁷.
4. Route electrical permitting to the state Construction Industries Division's Las Cruces office while the county suspension remains in effect⁶.
5. Apply to the New Mexico Environment Department for the septic permit, pay the applicable system fee after approval and leave the installation uncovered for inspection^4,5.
6. Obtain a Road Department permit for work crossing or adjoining a county road or right-of-way¹⁰.

Confirm the governing zoning map first: county rules exclude the municipalities and the Roswell-Chaves ETZ, and county dimensional rules vary by area and district². Confirm water rights and likely well yield because Chaves County averages 13.4 inches of precipitation annually and has experienced severe drought in about 48% of years¹¹. Test septic feasibility early because only 29.3% of county soils rate free of severe limits for a conventional drain field¹¹. Chaves County has a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance for mapped flood-hazard areas, so ask Planning & Zoning to determine the parcel's floodplain requirements^6,13. Verify legal access and contact the Road Department before planning a driveway or other work along a county right-of-way¹⁰. The effective property-tax rate is about 0.6%, and the median annual property-tax bill is about $915¹¹.