What a permit bond is
Some cities and counties require a bond before they issue a building or work permit. It guarantees you'll follow local codes and the permit conditions, and pays the agency if you don't, for example if public property is damaged.
In New Mexico
New Mexico has no statewide building permit bond separate from the contractor license bond. NMSA § 60-13-49 and 14.6.3 NMAC require all licensed contractors to carry a $10,000 surety bond covering certified code violations within two years of final inspection; this bond is tied to licensure, not to individual permits. Under NMSA § 60-13-45, trade bureaus may separately require an inspection-fee bond of $500 to $1,500. Cities and counties may require additional permit-specific bonds, but state law prohibits municipalities from requiring licensed contractors to obtain a second license bond.
- Municipalities cannot require a contractor holding the state license bond to post an additional license bond as a condition of doing business within the municipality (NMSA § 60-13-1 et seq.).
You need this bond if you're
- A contractor pulling permits where the city or county requires a bond
- Demolition and house-moving contractors
- Sign, sewer and grading contractors
- Owner-builders in some jurisdictions
What the surety looks at
Basic business details and credit.