Side by side · New Mexico
Compare ADU rules across New Mexico
Flexible on where you build? The same backyard cottage can be routine in one city and impossible next door. This table puts 2 New Mexico cities side by side so you can shortlist the friendly ones before reading a single ordinance, or narrow it to just the cities you are deciding between. Every value is summarized from the city's own code; open a city's page for the full notes, citations, and fine print.
The short answers
Only comparing a few cities?
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Only show cities where:
| City | Detached ADU | Attached / internal | Max size | Owner occupancy | Extra parking | Approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | Allowed | Not allowed | 750 sq ft gross floor area (attached garage does not count); 650 sq ft in the Downtown Neighborhood Area CPO-3 (R-1) | Not required | 1 off-street space per accessory dwelling unit | Permitted use |
| Santa Fe | Allowed | Allowed | Lesser of 1,500 sq ft or the gross floor area of the principal dwelling | Not required | Yes, per Section 14-8.6; on-street parking may count toward the requirement | Permitted use |
Summarized from each city's ordinance text, most recently read July 2026. Tap a value marked with an info icon to see exactly what it depends on, straight from the ordinance. Nearly every value has zone, lot-size, or process caveats beyond that; the per-city pages carry the full notes and code citations. Treat this as orientation, not a permit determination.
These rules change. Be first to know.
Cities amend ADU ordinances all the time. Get one short email when any New Mexico city in this table changes its rules; no newsletter, no noise.
Reading the table
- Detached ADU is the make-or-break column for backyard cottages: minimum lot sizes (often 8,000 to 14,500 sq ft) hide behind many of the "Allowed" values, so check your lot before celebrating.
- Attached / internal (basement apartments, additions) is legal almost everywhere and is usually the path of least resistance.
- Approval: "Permitted use" means staff-level sign-off; "Conditional use" means a public hearing, which adds time, cost, and uncertainty.
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