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

Yes. Residential construction, alteration, repair or improvement covered by New Mexico's rules requires a state building permit in unincorporated Curry County¹. New Mexico has adopted a statewide residential building code for covered homes and accessory structures⁹.

Some small projects are exempt from the state building permit, including a one-story detached tool or storage shed no larger than 120 square feet, a fence no higher than 6 feet, and a qualifying detached deck no larger than 200 square feet and no more than 30 inches above grade¹⁰. Separate plumbing, electrical or mechanical permits may still apply to otherwise exempt work¹⁰. State building-permit fees are based on project valuation and cover plan review, the permit and certain inspections, so ask CID to calculate the project-specific amount¹.

The New Mexico Construction Industries Division issues residential building permits for unincorporated Curry County¹. CID's Albuquerque office is at 5500 San Antonio Dr. Suite F, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109, and its phone number is (505) 222-9800¹¹. State building-permit applications can be completed through CID's published online permitting portal¹². Inside Clovis, the city's building-permit rules apply¹³. Septic permit review inside Clovis stays with the New Mexico Environment Department's local field office³.

Before applying, ask the Curry County Manager's Office whether the parcel needs county floodplain, subdivision or other clearance; the office is at 417 Gidding St., Suite #100, Clovis, NM 88101, and the phone number is (575) 763-6016¹⁴. Permitted residential work requires inspections that include foundation, slab or under-floor, frame, weather-resistive barrier and final stages; final trade inspections come before the final general construction inspection¹.

Curry County has no county zoning outside city limits⁴. Unincorporated land has no county zoning setback, minimum dwelling-size or building-height standard².

No county zoning does not make a parcel unrestricted: building, septic, subdivision, floodplain, access, easement and utility requirements can still control a project². Clovis administers its own zoning, including district-specific use and dimensional rules¹⁵. Septic permit review inside Clovis remains with NMED³. Curry County has no land-use authority inside Clovis, Texico, Melrose or Grady; Clovis also reviews subdivision plats within one mile and state building-permit applications within two to five miles¹⁶. Confirm the parcel's jurisdiction before relying on the unincorporated-county answer¹⁶.

The New Mexico Environment Department administers onsite liquid-waste permits in Curry County, with applications submitted to the local NMED field office³. An NMED permit and fee are required before installing or modifying an onsite system, except for a graywater discharge or system that meets the state's specific graywater requirements⁵. Include proof of ownership, a site diagram showing structures, wells, boundaries, wastewater systems and setbacks, a bedroom floor plan, and a plat or survey where relevant⁵. The published septic permit fee for design flow up to 1,000 gallons per day is $225 for a conventional system or $450 for an alternative or advanced-treatment system¹⁷.

For permitting or permit-search questions, contact NMED's Clovis field office at 100 E Manana, Unit 3, Clovis, NM 88101, phone 575-762-3728, or Clovis.ehb@env.nm.gov¹⁸. Request the NMED inspection 48 hours, or two business days, in advance and do not cover the system before inspection; approval results in a Permit to Operate³. About 59.4% of Curry County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, but that countywide measure is not approval for an individual site¹⁹.

Unincorporated Curry County has no county zoning, so no county zoning district governs RV occupancy there, but we could not confirm any county or municipal ordinance that specifically regulates long-term RV living or temporary camping^2,16. Ask the Curry County Manager's Office, or the city or town if the parcel is inside Clovis, Texico, Melrose or Grady, before relying on RV living¹⁴. A tiny house used as a dwelling is allowed on a permanent foundation when it provides complete independent living facilities and complies with the New Mexico Residential Code⁷. Tiny houses built in New Mexico or transported into the state must be inspected for compliance with the New Mexico Residential Code⁷.

A tiny house on a chassis with a permanent axle is treated as a recreational vehicle and must meet recreational-vehicle codes and licensing requirements while the axle remains in place⁷. After axle removal and placement on supports or a foundation, the unit must meet the code requirements for a permanent-foundation tiny house⁷. RV or tiny-home wastewater arrangements remain subject to New Mexico's liquid-waste rules even where no county zoning rule applies⁵.

1. Confirm that the parcel is outside city limits and ask the Curry County Manager's Office whether municipal review, subdivision or floodplain clearance applies^14,16.
2. If the site needs onsite wastewater, submit the septic application to the local NMED field office before installing or modifying the system⁵.
3. Apply for the state CID building permit through the published permitting process and ask CID to calculate the valuation-based fee^1,12.
4. If building your own primary residence, confirm homeowner-permit eligibility; the homeowner must complete the major portion of the work by dollar amount⁶.
5. Schedule required building and trade inspections through CID¹.
6. If access connects directly to a state highway, obtain an NMDOT access permit before constructing or modifying the driveway²⁰.

Start with jurisdiction: Curry County has no zoning outside city limits, but municipal zoning and nearby review vary by location^2,16. If a seller describes acreage as agriculturally exempt, verify the exact basis; Curry County's exemption is for qualifying land divisions, including certain parcels of at least 35 acres used primarily and continuously for agriculture for the preceding three years, not a blanket exemption from building rules⁸.

Check water and wastewater feasibility before committing: Curry County receives about 17 inches of precipitation a year, and about 59.4% of its soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field¹⁹. Development in a Special Flood Hazard Area needs approval from the local Floodplain Administrator before work begins²¹. A driveway onto a state highway needs an NMDOT access permit²⁰. Curry County's effective property-tax rate is about 0.6%, with a median annual bill of about $893¹⁹.