Bernalillo County guide · as of August 6, 2026
Bernalillo County septic permits: which agency handles the property?
Bernalillo County is New Mexico's only county with a separate local onsite-wastewater ordinance. The key question is jurisdiction: unincorporated county property is generally handled by the county, while incorporated municipalities remain under NMED.
Last reviewed: August 6, 2026
Start with the property boundary
- Confirm whether the parcel is inside Albuquerque, Tijeras, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, or another incorporated municipality.
- If it is in unincorporated Bernalillo County, begin with Bernalillo County Planning and Development Services.
- If it is inside an incorporated municipality, begin with the NMED Onsite Wastewater Bureau and its appropriate field office.
- When the address, mailing city, or map boundary is ambiguous, ask the agencies to confirm jurisdiction before paying for design or site work.
Why a mailing address is not enough
An “Albuquerque” postal address can still be outside city limits. The legal parcel location—not the mailing label—determines whether the county’s local ordinance or NMED’s state process applies.
What to have ready
- Street address, parcel or UPC number, and a boundary or assessor map.
- Existing permit, inspection, or property-transfer records.
- A basic site plan showing structures, wells, water lines, and the proposed or existing system.
- The type of work: new installation, modification, repair, replacement, or property-transfer evaluation.
Existing records can require two checks
NMED’s online permit finder is a historical starting point and warns about its date coverage and incomplete Bernalillo County data. For unincorporated property, check with the county; for state-jurisdiction property, use NMED’s permit-search and field-office routes.
Next steps
After confirming jurisdiction, review the statewide permit workflow and then search the directory only for providers whose cited service and area information matches the work.
Official sources
- Onsite Wastewater Program
New Mexico Environment Department. Official statewide program page and permit-search routes; it identifies Bernalillo County as the state's separate local liquid-waste jurisdiction. Accessed August 6, 2026.
- Bernalillo County Planning and Development Services
Bernalillo County. Official county route for planning, development, and unincorporated-area permit questions. Accessed August 6, 2026.
- 20.7.3 NMAC — Liquid Waste Disposal and Treatment
New Mexico Commission of Public Records. State liquid-waste rule and the Bernalillo County jurisdiction exception. Accessed August 6, 2026.
- NMED Onsite Wastewater Bureau contacts
New Mexico Environment Department. Official contact route for state jurisdiction and permit-record questions. Accessed August 6, 2026.