Frequently Asked Questions

Road sweeping consists of sweeping paved roads that are City owned. Only City owned roads are swept as conditions permit. The City is able to sweep high traffic volume roads twice a year.  The City attempts to sweep all residential roads at least once every other year.

Pavement Maintenance is performed to extend the life of the existing pavement and improve driving surfaces.  Full reconstruction only is needed when a roadway reaches the end of its lifecycle.  When cracks and potholes become major deficiencies, but full reconstruction is not warranted, then another method must be used to extend the lifecycle of the roadway.  One such method is surface seals such as microsurfacing.  These seals are not new pavement but a surface treatment to help protect the roadway from further weather deterioration.  Whereas, a mill and inlay is a method that removes the existing asphalt and then replaces the removed asphalt with new asphalt.  Both methods require underlying cracks and other deficiencies to be repaired before either method can be used, and both methods extend the lifecycle of the roadway by seven (7) to fifteen (15) years respectively.

The City repairs cracks and potholes on paved City roadways.  Crack sealing is performed on cracks that are less than or equal to two (2) inches wide, whereas, crack patching is performed on cracks that are greater than two (2) inches wide.  Crack sealing and crack patching have very long repair times and are often scheduled a year in advance.  Each year the Governing Body is consulted to allow for funding to fix cracks in the roadways.  When funding is approved, each Council District is allocated the same number of repairs.

Potholes on paved City roadways are taken care of every other Friday, as conditions permit and in the order that they were reported.  For more information visit our Road Repair page.

There are two reasons why cracks may still be visible after City crews perform crack sealing: they may not be finished with the road yet or the crack is larger than two (2) inches in width and requires crack patching. If the crack requires crack patching, it will be completed at a later date, if funding permits.

Snow is removed from roadways that are high traffic volume, such as arterial and collector roadways; roadways with large hills, and roads around schools, hospitals, and fire and police stations first.  Other high traffic volume roadways are cleared second.  The City does not perform snow and ice removal from residential roads.  Please see the Snow Removal page for more information.

Dirt roads are graded on a revolving schedule.  You can see the revolving schedule on our Dirt Road Maintenance page.

Per New Mexico State Law, Chapter 3, Article 33 NMSA, 1978 Improvement Districts the City cannot pave local roads for residents. If you would like to investigate paving your road, please visit our Special Assessment District (SAD) page.

Road construction is overseen by four main areas: the Capital Improvements Section of the Engineering Division in the Department of Public Works, the Engineering Division of the Development Services Department (DSD), Sandoval County, and the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). The Capital Improvements Section takes care of road construction on capital projects, a list of which can be found on the Current City Projects page. The Engineering Division of DSD handles the road construction of new subdivisions or for commercial development. Sandoval County typically does work outside the City Limits, but occasionally does work within City Limits. NMDOT handles road construction on state roads: NM 528, US 550, and Paseo del Volcan (NM 347).

Please see our Road Work page for construction delays that may be present in the City of Rio Rancho. For areas outside of Rio Rancho you may want to check the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s (New Mexico Roads).

Construction and maintenance of NM 528, as well as, US 550, and Paseo del Volcan (NM 347) is conducted by the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT).

Capital Improvement Projects are City projects to maintain and improve the infrastructure of the City. Please see our Capital Improvements Section for more information.

Capital Improvement Projects are approved by the City’s Governing Body.

Each Capital Improvement Project is funded differently. They can be funded by a combination of grants issued by the State or Federal government, City money generated from City water/wastewater bills, or local taxes.

Each Capital Improvement Project has phases. These phases are typically: preliminary design, final design, and construction. Each phase takes time to complete. Each phase of the project has to be funded and approved by the City’s Governing Body. Thus Capital Improvement Projects are designed years in advance to limit the time it would take to construct the project.

The Engineering Division created standard details and design criteria for City projects. This way each project has a uniform attention to detail and meets standard engineering practices.

The design criteria and standard details are updated as needed or sometimes if other agencies update their standards.

Residential roads may be dug up near the water meter for two reasons: there is a leak that is being repaired or the service line is being replaced. Leaks that are present in the road are the responsibility of the City of Rio Rancho and are fixed as soon as possible, with regards to the other types of leaks that maybe present in the City. Service lines are being replaced as part of an ongoing project known as the Water Service Line Replacement Project. This project has several phases in order to replace aging service lines with new copper ones.

You can find out ways to slow down traffic on your road by looking at our Traffic Calmingpage.

Speed humps have a limited effectiveness which means that there are not many streets that would benefit from their placement. However, you can still slow down traffic on your road by following the steps listed on our Traffic Calming page.

There are two types of traffic studies: traffic impact study and a traffic volume study. A traffic impact study analyzes the impact of traffic from a new development, business, or a new road to name a few examples. A traffic volume study analyzes the amount of traffic in a given area.Traffic volume studies are usually conducted to determine if there is a requirement for traffic calming.

A Traffic Study analyzes the traffic on a given road.It records the amount of traffic, average speed of traffic, the speed of most of the vehicles, and the speed of those vehicles that exceed the speed of most drivers.It is with this data that Traffic Calming may be implemented.

The only recorded data is for Traffic counts at intersections for a specified project. This data is stored in a *.mio file format.It is deleted at the completion of the project. For further details please see our Collection and Use of Traffic Video Data Policy^PDF.

You may request data on Traffic Impact and Traffic Volume studies by calling: (505) 891-5016. Please specify the area (cross streets or street) that you would like the information from.

Please see our Collection and Use of Traffic Video Data Policy^PDF to see how long any traffic data is kept, if it is kept at all.

Traffic impact studies are conducted as needed. Traffic volume studies are conducted on a road as requested. Please call (505) 891-5016 to request a Traffic volume study on your road.

You can pay your traffic ticket at the Municipal Court (500 Quantum Road) at one of the payment windows. If you have any questions about the ticket, you can call (505) 891-5999.

Traffic cameras at intersections for red light running and speeding violations only take pictures when they are activated. They do not record on a constant basis. For more information about how the cameras operate please call (505) 896-8307.

The speed vans are programmed to start their engine to charge their battery for the cameras and operating system. The program triggers automatically when the battery is below a certain percentage.

Both red light cameras and mobile speed monitoring units are part of the Safe Traffic Operations Program (STOP). If you have any questions please call (505) 896-8307 or use the Rio Rancho Safe Traffic Operations Program (STOP) Form on the Request Trackerpage.

You can report it by going to our Report Rio Rancho application to fill out a service request, or by calling (505) 891-5016 to report the street light. Please include the location (cross streets or in front of an address), and the behavior of the light (is it flickering, completely out, been run over, etc.). If you would like updates, such as when parts are ordered or when it will be fixed, then please leave your name and a contact number. We will put it on our log and fix it as soon as we are able.

You can report it by going to our Report Rio Rancho application to fill out a service request, or by calling (505) 891-5016 to report the street sign. Please include the location (cross streets), and the sign or signs that are missing. If you would like updates, such as when parts are ordered or when it will be fixed, then please leave your name and a contact number. We will put it on our log and fix it as soon as we are able.

You can report it by going to our Report Rio Rancho application to fill out a service request, or by calling (505) 891-5016 to report the malfunctioning traffic signal. If it is after normal business hours please call (505) 896-7300. Please include the location (cross streets), what time of day the malfunction was observed, and details on what the malfunction is (please include directions of travel when this malfunction occurs). If you would like updates, such as when parts are ordered or when it will be fixed, then please leave your name and a contact number. We will put it on our log and fix it as soon as we are able.

There are two ways to get street lights in your neighborhood. One way is if you are forming a Special Assessment District and would like to add street lights to the proposal. You can find information on a Special Assessment District by clicking on the link. If you have further questions please see the Miscellaneous page.

The second way is by calling (505) 896-8773 to request a study for street lights to be conducted. This method is only done if a Special Assessment District is not being considered.

A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on the Earth’s surface.GIS can show many different kinds of data on one map.This enables people to more easily see, analyze, and understand patterns and relationships.This system helps to create the maps that are used by Global Positioning Systems (GPS).

You can purchase a map of the City of Rio Rancho from the Development Services Department located in City Hall (3200 Civic Center Circle, NE) Suite 130 on the first floor.You can also call them at (505) 891-5005.

Yes.You can purchase a map of the City of Rio Rancho from the Development Services Department located in City Hall (3200 Civic Center Circle) suite 130 on the first floor.You can also call them at (505) 891-5005.

You can also view some of our interactive maps on our Map Application Gallery page.

Yes.You can find the data on our GIS Data Download page.The files come as *.shp or *.kmz files.If you do not find the data you are looking for, please fill out our GIS Data Request in the Request Tracker or by going to our Department of Public Works Forms page.Please note you will need to create a user name and password to access that form.

You can find the GIS data that is available on our GIS Data Download page.The files come as *.shp or *.kmz files.

Please call (505) 891-5016 so that we can help direct you to the proper manager to explain your complaint.

All City vehicles, with the exception of heavy equipment, is maintained and repaired by the Fleet Maintenance Section of the Department of Public Works.

Please see our Fleet Maintenance Section page to find information on the decommissioning process.

The City purchases its fuel for all of its vehicles and has a designated fuel pump area for its vehicles.This fuel pump area is owned and operated by the City for City use only.

No.City fuel is for City vehicles use only.

Used oil, batteries, and tires are disposed of in accordance to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

No.Please dispose of your used oil, batteries, or tires in accordance to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

All permits, with the exception of the CIP ROW permit, are handled in the Development Services Department on the first floor of City Hall (3200 Civic Center Circle, NE) Suite 130.

All permits are handled in the Development Services Department on the first floor of City Hall (3200 Civic Center Circle, NE) Suite 130.

Inspections for your home are handled in the Development Services Department on the first floor of City Hall (3200 Civic Center Circle, NE) Suite 130.

You can apply for a Business License at the Office of the City Clerk located on the first floor of City Hall (3200 Civic Center Circle, NE) Suite 150.

A CIP ROW Permit stands for Capital Improvement Project Right-of-Way Permit.This permit is for use by contractors working on City Capital Improvement Projects.

A Special Assessment District, also known as a SAD, is a means to provide property owners infrastructure that was not built at the time their subdivision was created.The State of New Mexico refers to such subdivision land as “Premature Platting”.Please see our Special Assessment District (SAD) Information page for more information.

Developers of planned subdivisions are required to build the necessary infrastructure associated with their development.However, as a result of the “Premature Platting” having been performed long before the City of Rio Rancho existed (incorporated in 1981) there is no single developer of the subdivision.Each individual property owner, when he or she builds on the individual property owned, is the developer of that lot.Therefore, a SAD places the cost of the infrastructure on the developed who, in this case, is also the individual property owner.

The address used for the mailing list is obtained from the County Assessor’s Office.Therefore, the mailing are sent to the same persona and address that the County Property Tax bills are sent.It is thus in your best interest to contact the County Tax Assessor’s Office to verify that they have the correct name and contact information.It is best if you provide them with both the physical address (if one exists) and the legal address.For the legal address be sure to provide the Unit Number, Block Number, and Lot Number of each lot of concern.

At the very beginning of a SAD the City sends out a poll to each property owner to reflect their desire to participate in a SAD.The poll is not part of the legal SAD process and is, therefore, only sent via regular mail to the same address as the County Property Tax bills.The legal SAD process notifications such as those for the Benefit Hearing and the Assessment Hearing are sent via certified mail.

Inclusion of infrastructure improvements is determined based on engineering research.Therefore, the improvements either will be included or not be included based on engineering principles.

If the inclusion of additional improvement is supported by engineering research and the other SAD participants then it may be possible.Such changes are governed by the maximum benefit to the property, the cost of the improvements, and the timing of the request.

Developers of planned subdivisions are required to build the necessary infrastructure associated with their development.However, as a result of the “Premature Platting” having been performed long before the City of Rio Rancho existed (incorporated in 1981) there is no single developer of the subdivision.Each individual property owner, when he or she builds on the individual property owned, is the developer of that lot.Therefore, a SAD places the cost of the infrastructure on the developed who, in this case, is also the individual property owner.

The amount of the assessment is first estimated by the design engineer so a cost may be compared to the benefit to the property.This estimated amount is available at the time of Resolution 2.However, the actual amount of the assessment will not be known until bids are received from the contractor and the low bidder is identified.This information is mailed to each property owner and is presented at the Assessment Hearing.

Assessments may be financed through the City or they may be paid in full during the cash pay period.On the average it takes about a year from the time a SAD is started to the time of the Cash Pay Period.If the assessment is financed the payback period and schedule is set in the Assessment Ordinance after Resolution 4.

If the assessment is financed the payback period and schedule is set in the Assessment Ordinance after Resolution 4.

The interest rate is set by the New Mexico Finance Authority at the time the bonds are sold.

Trash service is mandatory in the City of Rio Rancho.You can go to Waste Management of New Mexico to setup your trash and recycling service.

Trash pickup is sometimes delayed due to a holiday.To see when your trash will be picked up or to request it to be picked up please go to Waste Management of New Mexico.

There are two landfills within the City.The Sandoval County Landfill is located at 2708 Iris Rd. NE. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed Sundays and most holidays 

The Waste Management landfill is located at 1132 Carpenter St. NE. Hours of operation are 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturday 

To learn more visit their websites: 

Sandoval County http://www.sandovalcountynm.gov/departments/public-works/solid-waste/

Waste Management https://rrnm.gov/657/Landfills

Yes.Waste Management landfill accepts cardboard and glass for recycling at the gatehouse. They are located at 1132 Carpenter St. NE.

The Sandoval County landfill accepts recycling from county residents who reside outside of the city of Rio Rancho. Items accepted include: Cardboard, plastics, scrap metal, mixed paper, electronics (computers and TV’s also), appliances (Freon-containing appliances also), tires (4 per visit, passenger tires only), and is located at
2708 Iris Road NE, Rio Rancho, NM.

You will need to contact Waste Management of New Mexico to request a recycling bin.It is encouraged to request the bin at the beginning of setup of your service, because you are paying for the recycling bin in your bill.Their number is (505) 892-1200.

To learn more about what can be recycled in your Waste Management curbside bins click here.

For information about Waste Management's At Your Door  service, which provides Rio Rancho residents disposal options for TV's, electronics, and household hazardous waste, visit their website by clicking here.

For more information about community recycling initiatives and programs, visit Keep Rio Rancho Beautifiul's web page or contact them at 505-891-5015.

Residents are responsible for weeds and litter on their own property to the right-of-way.  The Streets & Right-of-Way (ROW) Division takes care of weeds and litter in City right-of-way, when it is not in front of a home or business.  Sometimes Home Owners Associations (HOAs) are responsible for the weeds along roads.  To see which roads the Streets & ROW Division maintains versus an HOA, visit our VisionView map.

Your neighbor is responsible for weeds and litter in their yard.  Even if the lot is vacant.  Please contact report the violation on our Report Rio Rancho application.

There are various entities that can take care of graffiti, depending on its location.  Please see the Graffiti Section page for details and who to contact.

The Building Maintenance Section of the Department of Public Works is responsible for the American flags only.All other flags are taken care of by the Parks and Recreation Department (PRD).Please contact PRD for any missing flags, which are not American flags, at (505) 891-5015. For American flags that are missing please report them to (505) 891-5016.

All flags, with the exception of the American flags on NM 528, are taken care of by the Parks and Recreation Department (PRD).Please contact PRD for any missing flags at (505) 891-5015.

You can visit our Council District Map to figure out which district your property falls under.

You can find information about some upcoming Public Meetings by going to our Governing Body page.

Please see our Land Coordinator page to get information on the Acquisition Process.

There are many different avenues that you can take in regards to the 1099 tax form.Please call our Land Coordinator at (505) 891-5220 for more information.

A Fiscal Year (FY) is the length of a calendar year but starts in July and ends in June of the following year.For example: July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015.

A Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) is the length of a calendar year but starts in October and ends in September of the following year. For example: October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015.

MS4 is maintained by the Development Services Department Engineering Division.They also maintain the Development Process manual.

Please see our instructions on our Apply for a new Water/Wastewater Utility Account page.

Please see our instructions on our Change a Water/Wastewater Utility Account page.

Please see our instructions on our Turn On/Off Water at a Property page.

Please see our instructions on our Change a Water/Wastewater Utility Account page.

Please see our instructions on our Finalize Water/Wastewater Utility Account page.

Please see our instructions on our Finalize Water/Wastewater Utility Account page.

Your high water/wastewater bills can be caused by leaks. If you are not sure if you have a leak please see our Detect and Fix Leaks page for details on how you can use your water meter to help you find common leaks in your home. You can also learn about water conservation method on our Water Conservation page. If you have exhausted the previous avenues then you may need to seek monetary assistance, please see our Water Assistance Programs page.

The Winter Quarter Average (WQA) is calculated by using your water/wastewater utility consumption used during the December, January, and February billing cycle. The WQA is used because it shows indoor domestic water consumption, which irrigation does not interfere with. The WQA is divided by the total amount of service days in the billing cycle to get a daily average usage. The daily average is then multiplied by 30.42, or 30.50 for leap years, to get your monthly average. Once this is calculated the new wastewater rate based off of your WQA is started in March every year. For more information visit our Water, Wastewater, and Recycled Water Rates page.

Example of the equation:(C ÷D)×Y =WQA

• C = Total Consumptions for the WQA billing cycle.
• D = Total number of days in the WQA billing cycle.
• Y=daily average multiplication number.
  • Use 30.42 for non-leap years.
  • Use 30.50 for leap years.
• WQA = this is the gallons per month charged as your wastewater rate for the next year.

The Winter Quarter Average (WQA) is used because it shows indoor domestic water consumption, which irrigation does not interfere with and it is a lower rate for figuring the average wastewater usage.

You will be classified as a new customer. All new residential customer’s wastewater volume charge is based on actual consumption or the class average, whichever is less until the next Winter Quarter Average period. The residential class average is currently four (4) thousand gallons.

The new Winter Quarter Average takes effect in March of every year.

In order to get a lower Winter Quarter Average: start conserving your water in November, fix any leaking toilets or faucets, replace old toilets and washers with high-efficiency ones, and see our Water Conservation page for more information.

You can conserve water by detecting and fixing leaks early, replace high water usage appliances with high-efficiency ones, adhere to the water restrictions that are in place, and see about investing in xeriscaping. More detailed information can be found on our Water Conservation page.

You can find information on our rebates by going to the Rebates page.

You can find information on xeriscaping and its benefits by visiting our Xeriscaping Information page.

No, the City will not fill up your pool because the City has to work on conserving water in order to be granted more water rights for the citizens of Rio Rancho.

First, your pool will need to be dechlorinated prior to discharging. This can be done by letting your pool sit in the sun for 10 days without adding chlorine chemicals. If you require a quicker dechlorination process, you are able to buy dechlorination chemicals through pool and spa vendors.

After the pool is dechlorinated, you have two options. If your home is near a paved road, you can slowly discharge the water to the street. If your home is surrounded by dirt roads, please slowly discharge the water to the wastewater cleanout at your home. The wastewater cleanout can be located in the front or back of your property so you will need to locate this prior to discharge.  *PLEASE NOTE these discharges must be done slowly over time to prevent flooding and avoid overwhelming the storm sewers or wastewater treatment plant. 

If pools are not discharged correctly, you may be subject to a water waste fine. Please call the Environmental Programs Manager at 505-896-8737 with any questions or concerns.

A Water Variance is for those who are: repairing or maintaining an irrigation system, have newly landscaped areas, or need a single-day irrigation for the application of chemicals for landscape. This means that those with a granted Water Variance can water outside of the Watering Restrictions.

If you need a Water Variance you must call the Environmental Programs Section at (505) 896-8737.

The first thing to do is identify if the leak is on your property or in the street. If the leak is on your property you should call a plumber immediately. If the leak is in the road, visit our Report a Water Leak page.

Once a leak has been reported it is assigned a number. It will take 24 hours before you will see the leak noted on our Active Water Leaks Map. Leaks are fixed in order of priority. Water main leaks are fixed first because of the amount of water loss that happens when a main breaks. Then service lines are fixed and then meter leaks. Service lines and meter leaks have a 48 hour waiting period to allow other Utilities to spot their lines per State Law. Please be patient and know that we will get to the leak as soon as we are able.

The most common type of water leak in the City comes from the service line. These leaks occur because of the material the line is made of which is polyethylene. These polyethylene lines were used extensively in Rio Rancho by builders and developers because of the high price of copper. Unfortunately, these lines do not survive well with the normal pressure changes throughout its lifetime. These lines are being replaced through our ongoing project known as Water Service Line Replacement Project. This project has several phases in order to replace aging service lines with new copper ones.

The most common type of leak in your home is from the toilet or faucets. You can learn how to identify these leaks and how to fix them by visiting our Detect and Fix Leaks page.

More leaks occur in the summer because there is a greater demand on the water system for irrigation. As pressure varies from usage, the line develops cracks which then makes it leak.

You must be within City Limits to get access to water/wastewater services. Please call our Utility Engineer Technician at (505) 891-5061 or our Utility Systems Engineer at (505) 891-5046 to find out if water/wastewater is available at your property.

Polyethylene lines were used extensively in Rio Rancho by builders and developers because of the high price of copper. Unfortunately, these lines do not survive well with the normal pressure changes throughout its lifetime. These lines are being replaced through our ongoing project known as Waster Service Line Replacement Project. This project has several phases in order to replace aging service lines with new copper ones.

Water service lines are being replaced through our ongoing project known as the Water Service Line Replacement Project. This project has several phases in order to replace aging service lines with new copper ones. All of the polyethylene pipes in the road will be replaced, as budget allows. The streets with the worst and frequent water leaks that were reported are being taken care of first to reduce the amount of water that is lost. The other streets will be taken care of in order of severity. If you have any questions, please contact Public Works at (505) 891-5016.

If water line infrastructure is constructed on your road, and you already have an existing domestic well, then you can tie into the line at any time. However, if you choose not to tie in, and your domestic well has a catastrophic failure and must be re-drilled, then you are required to tie into the new water line. However, when tying into the new line you will need to fill out the proper forms. For more information please call our Utility Systems Engineer at (505) 891-5046.

If wastewater line infrastructure is constructed on your road, and you already have an existing septic tank, then you can tie into the line at any time. However, if you choose not to tie in, and your septic tank has a catastrophic failure and must be redone, then you are required to tie into the new wastewater line. However, when tying into the new line you will need to fill out the proper forms. For more information please call our Utility Systems Engineer at (505) 891-5046.

Call the City immediately at (505) 896-8715. If the City is not open then please call a plumber immediately.

Call the City immediately at (505) 896-8715.

You can find information on our rebates by going to the Rebates page.

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A short-term rental unit is all or a portion of a “dwelling unit,” providing accommodation for rent to guests for less than 30 days. A short-term rental unit can only be located in a single-family residence. They may be one or two rooms in an owner-occupied house or the entire house.

Hotels, apartments, condos, and RV’s cannot be used as short-term rental units.

Short-term rentals are often advertised and rented through online hosting platforms like Airbnb, VRBO or Expedia.

As of July 1, 2025, a short-term rental permit is required to operate, rent, offer to rent, or advertise a short-term rental within the City. Short-term rentals will be permitted in single-family residential zoning districts E-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-5. 

Short-term rental permits will be issued to “natural persons” (individual human beings) only, with a limit of two permits per natural person. The fact that a permit must be issued to a natural person does not mean that the property cannot be titled in such entities as a revocable trust, an LLC, or a corporation. If the subject property is owned by a legal or business entity, the permit must be held in the name of a person with legal authority to act on behalf of that entity.

Short-term rental permits will be capped annually at one percent (1%) of the total housing units in the City as determined by the “Comparative Housing Characteristics” table of the most recent U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey as of January 1st of each year.” For calendar year 2025, permits will be limited to 420.

Short-term rental units must be 100 feet part. A short-term rental permit will not be issued for a short-term rental unit if it is located within a 100-foot radius, as measured from the subject property boundary, of a currently permitted short-term rental unit.

For the purposes of determining proximity, completed applications will be considered in the order in which they are submitted.  Applications will be considered "complete" once Development Services has notified you that all application information has been properly submitted.  Failure to provide complete information or falsifying information will result in a delay in reviewing your application or denial of your application.

A 5% Lodgers' Tax is imposed on all short-term rentals.  This is the primary funding for the Convention & Visitors Bureau/Visit Rio Rancho. This revenue is used to publicize and promote tourist-related facilities and attractions and tourist-related events in Rio Rancho.

It is unlawful to operate any short-term rental unit within the City of Rio Rancho in violation of any of the provisions contained within the Short-term Rental Regulations Ordinance. 

Development Services may issue a fine of up to $500 per day for a violation of the short-term rental permit requirements. Development Services may also revoke any short-term rental permit or fine any short-term rental operator for non-compliance with any requirement. Failure to pay any fine imposed by Development Services within 15 days may result in the revocation of the short-term rental permit.

Lastly, anyone operating a short-term rental in violation of the Short-term Rental Regulations can be cited to Municipal Court with a penalty of up to $500 and/or 90 days imprisonment.

To report concerns about a property you believe to be a short-term rental that is in violation any of the city's regulations or ordinances, you can call the 24-hour hotline (available in July 2025) or submit a report. All reports will be sent to the short-term rental operator and Rio Rancho Code Enforcement.

A short-term rental operator or “host” is the owner or party otherwise responsible for a short-term rental unit. An operator must get a short-term rental permit to operate, rent, offer to rent, or advertise a short-term rental within the City. To qualify for a short-term rental permit, the operator will need to:  

1. Be available to respond to the property within one (1) hour, twenty-four (24) hours per day while the property is rented;
2. Have a valid business registration;
3. Pay all applicable local, state, and federal taxes, including lodgers' tax, gross receipts tax, and income tax associated with the operation of each short-term rental unit;
4. The short-term rental unit meets all building, fire, and safety codes for the applicable zoning of the property;
5. Maintain short term rental insurance coverage for each short-term rental unit in the minimum amount of $250,000 per short-term rental unit;
6. Notify all guests in writing of relevant city ordinances;
7. Provide adequate off-street parking.
   • one (1) parking space for a short-term rental unit with zero (0) to two (2) bedrooms available for rent;
   • two (2) parking spaces for a short-term rental unit with three (3) to four (4) bedrooms available for rent; and
   • three (3) parking spaces for a short-term rental unit with five (5) or more bedrooms available to rent.

8. Clearly display inside each short-term rental unit a copy of the applicable short-term rental permit issued.
9. Include the permit number issued by the City on all marketing materials for each short-term rental unit they operate, including listings on a host platform.

The Short-Term Rental Permit Application will be available beginning May 15, 2025. However, any permits issued prior to July 1, 2025, will not be effective until July 1, 2025.

You can complete the Short-term Rental Permit Application by clicking here. Applicants are encouraged to prepare to read the application instructions and prepare required information or documentation prior to starting the application process.

• $100 Application Fee. This non-refundable fee covers the cost to review and process your application for a short-term rental permit and the initial safety inspection. This payment is due at the time your application is submitted. Your application will not be considered complete until this fee is paid.  
• $50 Reinspection Fee. If a short-term rental unit fails to meet the requirements of the initial safety inspection, the Operator will be charged this fee each time another inspection is scheduled.
• $35 Business Registration Fee. Operators are required to maintain a valid business registration with the City of Rio Rancho. You can apply for your business registration once your application is reviewed and your inspection is complete.
• $300 Annual Permit Fee. Once your application is reviewed and approved, and your business registration is complete, this fee will need to be paid before your short-term rental permit is issued.  
• $50 Late-fee. This fee applies to annual renewals only and is required to hold your permit (for 15 days) if you have not successfully completed the renewal process by the expiration date.
• $1.75 Transaction fee. A transaction processing fee will be charged for each credit card payment made through the web portal. This fee can be avoided by paying invoices in person at City Hall (3200 Civil Center Circle, Rio Rancho, NM 871244)

Yes. To obtain a permit, all short-term rental units must successfully complete a safety inspection conducted by Development Services. Once your application for a permit is determined to be complete, you will be contacted to schedule an inspection of your unit(s). If a short-term rental unit fails to meet the requirements of the initial safety inspection, the Operator will be charged a $50 reinspection fee each time another inspection is conducted. Operators are advised to review the Short-term Rental Safety Inspection Checklist and prepare their unit(s) prior to scheduling their safety inspection

Despite the City’s short-term rental permit program, Homeowners Associations (HOA) may still prohibit short-term rentals from operating within their covered neighborhood. Applicants are encouraged to check with their HOA to ensure short-term rentals are permitted in their neighborhood prior to submitting a Short-term Rental Permit Application.

A Short-term Rental Unit can be rented a maximum of six separate times within a calendar month. There is no rental frequency limitations during the month of October each year.

The maximum overnight occupancy of a short-term rental unit is limited to two people per bedroom plus an additional two people per unit. For the purpose of calculating occupancy, children under the age of two are excluded. If you are renting one room in your house, the occupancy limit is two people, excluding children under two years of age.  For a four-bedroom, full-house rental, the maximum occupancy is ten people, excluding children under two years of age.

Gatherings in the short-term rental unit are limited to two times the maximum overnight occupancy.

A permit is required to operate, rent, offer to rent, or advertise any short-term rental unit in the City of Rio Rancho regardless of how often the unit is rented. Failure to obtain a permit may subject the operator to the citation to Municipal Court.

Operators are responsible for collecting and paying all applicable local, state, and federal taxes, including lodgers' tax, gross receipts tax, and income tax associated with the operation of each short-term rental unit. Operators will need to work with state and federal tax authorities to pay applicable gross receipts and income taxes.

Lodgers' Tax is remitted to the City through the Lodgers' Tax Payment Portal (available by the end of September 2025).  

Under the City’s Lodgers' Tax Ordinance (hyperlink), Operators are required to impose a 5% occupancy tax on the gross taxable rent on all short-term rental stays. These taxes must then be reported and remitted to the City by the 25th of the following month using the Lodgers' Tax Portal. For example, Lodgers' tax collected on rentals in July 2025 will be due on August 25, 2025.

Lodger’s Tax is not automatically collected by online hosting platforms for the City of Rio Rancho.  Operators are required to collect this tax and remit it to the City through the Lodgers’ Tax Payment Portal (available by the end of September 2025).

Additionally, all Operators may be subject to a random audit conducted by the City each year. For this reason, Operators are required to maintain records of all taxes and proceeds received for use of the Short-term unit.

A Short-term Rental Operator must renew a short-term rental permit and the associated business registration each year by the expiration date of the previous short-term rental permit. An application for renewal of a short-term rental permit needs to include the same information and documentation as the initial permit.

If a short-term rental permit is not renewed by the date the previous short-term rental permit expires, the owner may pay a late fee of fifty dollars $50.00 to extend the time for filing by fifteen 15 days.  

If a permit is not renewed by its expiration date, including the 15 day extension, then the permit will revert to Development Services and will become available to the next eligible applicant. 

Under the ordinance, applicants are required to provide proof of at least $250,000 of liability coverage for all short-term rental stays. Some platforms, such as Airbnb and VRBO, automatically provide sufficient coverage for short-term rental stays. In these cases, operators may submit their user terms and conditions, which detail this coverage for each platform on which they advertise, as documentation.

If, however, operators are booking through other platforms that don't include this coverage, they will need to demonstrate sufficient coverage for those stays. Homeowner's or landlord insurance policies do not necessarily cover short-term rental stays. Therefore, if relying on private insurance, the operator will have to provide documentation of a policy that specifically covers short-term rental stays at the required amount.