Compare ADU zoning rules across 1 New Mexico cities. Average ADU score: 7.0/10.
Gathered from the 1 city below, with the bill or ordinance each one names. Statewide measures are listed once with the cities they reached, rather than repeated for each.
Statewide law sets a floor; the numbers that decide your project are local. Here is the spread across the 1 New Mexico city covered here, taken from each city's own ordinance rather than a state summary.
| Question | Across New Mexico |
|---|---|
| Are ADUs permitted? | 1 of 1 permit them. |
| Detached size cap | Median 650 sq ft, from 650 to 650 sq ft across the 1 cities publishing a numeric cap. |
| Owner-occupancy | Required in none of them. |
| Build cost | $120,000 to $240,000 depending on city and unit type. |
Recomputed whenever a city page changes, so this and the city pages below cannot disagree.
1 of the 1 New Mexico city we cover permit ADUs. Whether yours is allowed depends on your city’s code and your lot; the table below links to each city.
Detached size caps run from 650 to 650 sq ft across the 1 New Mexico cities that publish a number; the median is 650 sq ft. Many cities also cap an ADU at a share of the main house.
None of the cities we cover require the owner to live on site.
$120,000 to $240,000 depending on the city and the type of unit, from each city’s own cost guide.
You apply to your city’s building department for a building permit (or to the county, if the lot is outside city limits). Each city page lists its own process, fees and published review times.
| City | Max Size | Setbacks | Permit Fees | Build Cost | 1BR Rent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | 750 sq ft of gross floor area (IDO 14-16-4-3(F)(6)(a)); an attached garage does not count toward the cap. All accessory buildings together may also cover no more than 25% of the combined side and rear yards (14-16-5-11(C)(4)(a)). Downtown Neighborhood Area CPO-3: 650 sq ft (4-3(F)(6)(g)1). | 5 ft minimum from either the rear or one side lot line (14-16-4-3(F)(6)(b)); other accessory-building lot lines carry no zoning setback (14-16-5-11(C)(4)(d)). Separately, the building code needs 5 ft between buildings unless the casita is fire-rated. | Valuation-based (Plan Review and Building Permit Fees table, rev. April 2010, still posted): a $150,000-$250,000 casita pays about $640-$920 permit plus $415-$600 plan review (65%), $25 zoning, $50 hydrology and trade permits. Site Plan - Administrative fee: see the Planning General Fee Schedule. | $120,000-$240,000 | $1,100-$1,400/mo | 7/10 |
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