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State guide

Septic companies in New Mexico

New Mexico runs septic from the state. The Environment Department issues the permit directly out of its district field offices, calls the whole subject liquid waste, and is the authority everywhere except unincorporated Bernalillo County. This guide covers the two agencies behind your contractor, the certificates that exist for unpermitted older systems, and the evaluation the seller has to arrange before a property changes hands.

Companies
105
Counties
26
With Google reviews
52

Who Regulates Septic Systems in New Mexico

Sources: New Mexico Commission of Public Records - State Records Center and Archives; New Mexico Environment Department. Checked 2026-09-18.

New Mexico runs septic from the state. The Environment Department issues your permit directly. The office you deal with is an NMED district field office rather than a county health department.

New Mexico's legal term for this is liquid waste, and that is the term the rule and the permits use. The Onsite Wastewater Bureau ensures septic systems are adequately installed and maintained in a manner protective of public health and the environment opens in a new tab, and the rule, 20.7.3 NMAC, applies to on-site liquid waste systems receiving 5,000 gallons or less a day opens in a new tab. A house sits well inside that.

No person shall install a new on-site liquid waste system, or modify an existing one, without a permit issued by the department opens in a new tab, and for questions on permitting or permit searches the department tells you to contact your local NMED district field office opens in a new tab. The rule's stated objective is preventing public health hazards and surface and groundwater contamination opens in a new tab.

There is exactly one exception, and it is worth knowing if you are near Albuquerque. Bernalillo County is the only county in New Mexico with its own onsite wastewater ordinance, and it applies only to the unincorporated portions of the county opens in a new tab. Everywhere else, and inside the incorporated areas there, NMED is the authority.

Licenses and What to Check Before You Hire

Sources: New Mexico Commission of Public Records - State Records Center and Archives; New Mexico Environment Department; New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department. Checked 2026-09-18.

Two different agencies stand behind the person who works on your system, and the distinction is worth getting right before you hire. The trade licence comes from the Construction Industries Division. The septic specific certificates come from NMED on top of it.

No person shall construct, install or modify an on-site liquid waste system without a valid and appropriate classification of contractor's license issued by the New Mexico construction industries division opens in a new tab. NMED names the qualifying classifications on its own homeowner page opens in a new tab, and the code defines MS-3 as septic tanks and sewer, requiring two years of experience, covering septic tanks, private sewage disposal systems, manholes and sewer lines opens in a new tab.

The Construction Industries Division regulates the industry through policies promoting business growth, safety and the general welfare of the public opens in a new tab, so a contractor's licence is checked there rather than with the Environment Department. That is the opposite way round from the permit.

NMED's own certificates sit on top of the trade licence and each covers one job. The one to know about on an older property is the installer specialist. A person meeting the listed minimum qualifications may apply to the department for certification as an installer specialist opens in a new tab, and these are licensed installers who can also complete unpermitted systems installed before 2 February 2002, having taken a department class and exam plus 16 hours of continuing education opens in a new tab.

Two more certificates cover the jobs around an installation. Third party evaluators evaluate permitted liquid waste systems and unpermitted systems installed before 1 February 2002 opens in a new tab, which is the role that matters at a sale, and septage pumpers must have completed a department approved course covering the safe handling and disposal of septage opens in a new tab.

If you plan to do the work yourself there is a route, and it is an exam. A homeowner must become qualified to install an on-site liquid waste system by passing an exam administered by the department opens in a new tab. We hold no New Mexico register of our own, so no listing here carries a verified credential for this state, and a claim is checked with the Construction Industries Division for the licence and with NMED for the certificate.

Permits, Inspections and Selling a Home

Sources: New Mexico Environment Department; New Mexico Commission of Public Records - State Records Center and Archives. Checked 2026-09-18.

The permit comes in two halves with the work in between. A permit to construct is valid for one year, and in most cases the department can extend it in writing by up to another year opens in a new tab. After the final inspection, if your system is approved, you receive a copy of the permit to operate opens in a new tab.

New Mexico is one of the states where selling really does require a septic evaluation, and the duty is the seller's. Prior to the transfer of a property with an established on-site liquid waste system, the transferor of the property shall have the system evaluated opens in a new tab. Transferor means the person selling, so this is a job to start early rather than at closing.

The paperwork has a deadline and a price. A qualified evaluator provides the department approved evaluation report to NMED within 15 days opens in a new tab, and NMED charges a $50 fee to be paid before the report is date stamped as received opens in a new tab. If an evaluation was already done within 180 days of the transfer, another one need not be conducted opens in a new tab.

Buyers of one kind of system have a step of their own. For advanced treatment systems and holding tanks, at the time of transfer of ownership the new owner shall submit an amendment of permit updating the ownership change opens in a new tab. Buyers of a conventional system file nothing.

Keeping a System Working

Sources: New Mexico Commission of Public Records - State Records Center and Archives; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked 2026-09-18.

If yours is an advanced treatment system, New Mexico sets the schedule and the paperwork: these systems shall be maintained and monitored at a minimum semi-annually, or more often as the manufacturer recommends opens in a new tab, and the owner shall enter into a department approved maintenance contract that is in effect at all times opens in a new tab. For a conventional system we found no state pumping or inspection interval, so the EPA's guidance applies: an inspection at least every three years and pumping typically every three to five opens in a new tab.

Help Paying for Repairs

Sources: New Mexico Environment Department; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development. Checked 2026-09-18.

New Mexico has a programme aimed squarely at households, which is worth asking about because it is a pilot rather than a standing fund. The Environment Department announces a pilot Liquid Waste Assistance Fund to help low income householders repair, replace or decommission failing septic systems opens in a new tab. Ask your field office whether the current round is open before you count on it.

The larger state money is priced for organisations, not households. Clean Water State Revolving Fund loans run from 0.01% for public entities that do not qualify for 0%, to 2.375% for private entities opens in a new tab, and the New Mexico Rural Infrastructure Program lends to rural communities for water, wastewater and solid waste projects opens in a new tab.

The standing route for one household is federal. Section 504 provides loans to low and very low income homeowners to repair, improve or modernise their homes, and grants to elderly very low income owners opens in a new tab, while individual homeowners are not eligible to receive 319 grant assistance directly, because those grants go to watershed organisations opens in a new tab.

Find Your NMED District Field Office

New Mexico septic permits come from the state, so the office below is an NMED district field office rather than a county department. Each entry names the office that covers that county. Checked 2026-09-18.

CountyEnvironmental health office
BernalilloNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Rio Rancho District 1 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Bernalillo County is the only county in New Mexico with its own onsite wastewater ordinance, and it applies only to the unincorporated portions of the county; Tijeras, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque and the City of Albuquerque stay under NMED (https://www.env.nm.gov/septic/laws-and-regulations/). NMED's pages contradict each other about the Albuquerque field office and this is not resolved here, only recorded: the septic Liquid Waste Regulations page says 'For assistance please contact the Albuquerque Field Office at (505) 222-9500'; the septic contacts page (https://www.env.nm.gov/septic/liquid-waste-program-contact-page/) lists Albuquerque under District 1 as 'PERMANENTLY CLOSED. For in-person services, please visit NMED's Rio Rancho field office', with phone 505-670-6936 and email Albuquerque.ehb@env.nm.gov; and the NMED Office Locations page (https://www.env.nm.gov/contact-us/) still lists an Albuquerque field office at 5401 Watson Dr SE with hours M-F 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and the same redirect note. Bernalillo is routed here to Rio Rancho because the septic contacts page is the septic-specific page and that is the office it names. The permit search form's pair for Bernalillo County is 'Albuquerque (Bernalillo)', which is the office the contacts page reports closed. Current address and phone for the Rio Rancho field office, 4359 Jager Drive NE, Suite B, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, phone 505-771-5980, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 1 Liquid Waste Specialist: Helene Sickler, Rio Rancho District 1 Office, 505-362-8860. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Bernalillo County page
Doña AnaNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Las Cruces District 3 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Las Cruces (Dona Ana)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Las Cruces field office, 2301 Entrada Del Sol, Las Cruces, NM 88001, phone 575-288-2050, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 3 Liquid Waste Specialist: Peter Mitchell, Las Cruces District 3, 575-388-1934. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Doña Ana County page
EddyNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Carlsbad District 3 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Carlsbad (Eddy)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Carlsbad field office, 406 N Guadalupe, Suite C, Carlsbad, NM 88220, phone 575-885-9023, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 3 Liquid Waste Specialist: Peter Mitchell, Las Cruces District 3, 575-388-1934. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Eddy County page
GrantNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Silver City District 3 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Silver City (Grant)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Silver City field office, 3082 32nd Street Bypass, Suite D, Silver City, NM 88061, phone 575-388-1934, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 3 Liquid Waste Specialist: Peter Mitchell, Las Cruces District 3, 575-388-1934. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Grant County page
LeaNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Hobbs District 3 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Hobbs (Lea)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Hobbs field office, 2120 N Alto, Hobbs, NM 88240, phone 575-393-4302, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 3 Liquid Waste Specialist: Peter Mitchell, Las Cruces District 3, 575-388-1934. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Lea County page
LincolnNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Ruidoso District 3 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Ruidoso (Lincoln)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Ruidoso field office, 1216 E Mechem, Building 2, Ruidoso, NM 88345, phone 575-258-3272, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 3 Liquid Waste Specialist: Peter Mitchell, Las Cruces District 3, 575-388-1934. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Lincoln County page
McKinleyNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Gallup District 1 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Gallup (Mckinley)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Gallup field office, 1720 East Aztec Avenue, Gallup, NM 87301, phone 505-722-4160, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 1 Liquid Waste Specialist: Helene Sickler, Rio Rancho District 1 Office, 505-362-8860. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices.
OteroNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Alamogordo District 3 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Alamogordo (Otero)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Alamogordo field office, 811 E First St, Suite D, Alamogordo, NM 88310, phone 575-437-7115, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 3 Liquid Waste Specialist: Peter Mitchell, Las Cruces District 3, 575-388-1934. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Otero County page
Rio ArribaNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Espanola District 2 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Espanola (Rio Arriba)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Espanola field office, 712 La Joya Street, Espanola, NM 87532, phone 505-753-7256, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 2 Liquid Waste Specialist: Glenda Weahkee, Santa Fe District 2 Office, 505-412-9856. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Rio Arriba County page
San JuanNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Farmington District 2 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Farmington (San Juan)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Farmington field office, 1800 E 30th St, Suite B, Farmington, NM 87401, phone 505-566-9741, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 2 Liquid Waste Specialist: Glenda Weahkee, Santa Fe District 2 Office, 505-412-9856. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · San Juan County page
San MiguelNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Las Vegas District 2 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Las Vegas (San Miguel)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Las Vegas field office, 2538 Ridgerunner Road, Las Vegas, NM 87701, phone 505-454-2801, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 2 Liquid Waste Specialist: Glenda Weahkee, Santa Fe District 2 Office, 505-412-9856. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · San Miguel County page
SandovalNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Rio Rancho District 1 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Rio Rancho (Sandoval)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Rio Rancho field office, 4359 Jager Drive NE, Suite B, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, phone 505-771-5980, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 1 Liquid Waste Specialist: Helene Sickler, Rio Rancho District 1 Office, 505-362-8860. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Sandoval County page
Santa FeNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Santa Fe District 2 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Santa Fe (Santa Fe)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Santa Fe field office, 2540 Camino Edward Ortiz, Santa Fe, NM 87507, phone 505-827-1840, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 2 Liquid Waste Specialist: Glenda Weahkee, Santa Fe District 2 Office, 505-412-9856. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Santa Fe County page
SocorroNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Los Lunas District 1 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. No NMED field office remains in Socorro County. NMED permanently closed its Socorro field office at 103 Neel Street on 2020-10-07 and moved the work to Los Lunas: the news release says the Socorro office 'offered services including permitting and inspections for local restaurants, temporary food service events, residential and commercial septic systems and public pools and spas' and that 'all in-person transactions, including submitting permit applications or modifications and payment of permit and application fees, may be completed at our Los Lunas office located at 475 Courthouse Road SE Suite B', with compliance assistance and inspections also initiating from Los Lunas (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2020-10-07-Socorro-field-office-closed.pdf, read with pdftotext on this box). Current address and phone for the Los Lunas field office, 475 Courthouse Rd SE, Suite B, Los Lunas, NM 87031, phone 505-841-5280, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 1 Liquid Waste Specialist: Helene Sickler, Rio Rancho District 1 Office, 505-362-8860. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Socorro County page
TaosNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Taos District 2 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Taos (Taos)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Taos field office, 145 Roy Road, Suite B, Taos, NM 87571, phone 575-758-8808, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 2 Liquid Waste Specialist: Glenda Weahkee, Santa Fe District 2 Office, 505-412-9856. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Taos County page
ValenciaNew Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Environmental Health Bureau, Los Lunas District 1 Field Office (onsite wastewater / liquid waste permitting) opens in a new tabNMED, not the county, issues septic (liquid waste) permits in New Mexico and there is no county health department lane; the office a homeowner contacts is an NMED Environmental Health Bureau district field office. Office assignment comes from NMED's own 'Request for Liquid Waste Permit Search' form (https://www.env.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Liquid-Waste-Permit-Search-Request-20210104-Auto-Fill-Pull-Down.pdf), which lists every district field office as a '<city> (<county>)' pair under its district; the pair for this county is 'Los Lunas (Valencia)', that is, the NMED field office located inside the county. Current address and phone for the Los Lunas field office, 475 Courthouse Rd SE, Suite B, Los Lunas, NM 87031, phone 505-841-5280, are from the NMED septic contacts page itself, which is also where the district grouping comes from; the permit search form is older and some of its addresses and phone numbers are stale. District 1 Liquid Waste Specialist: Helene Sickler, Rio Rancho District 1 Office, 505-362-8860. NMED publishes no county-by-county coverage table for its field offices. · Valencia County page

Questions People Ask

Who issues a septic permit in New Mexico?

The Environment Department, directly. No person may install or modify an on-site liquid waste system without a permit issued by the department, and the office you contact is your local NMED district field office. The one exception is unincorporated Bernalillo County, which has its own ordinance.

What does my installer need to hold?

Two things, from two agencies. A contractor's licence in an appropriate classification from the Construction Industries Division, which is what the rule requires to construct or modify a system, and then any NMED certificate the job needs on top. The code defines MS-3 as septic tanks and sewer, requiring two years of experience.

Do I need an evaluation to sell my house?

Yes, and it is the seller's duty. Before the transfer of a property with an established system, the transferor shall have the system evaluated. The report goes to NMED within 15 days, there is a $50 fee before it is date stamped, and an evaluation done within 180 days of the transfer counts.

My system was never permitted. What now?

That is what the installer specialist certificate exists for. These are licensed installers who can also complete unpermitted systems installed before 2 February 2002, after a department class and exam and 16 hours of continuing education. A third party evaluator can also evaluate unpermitted systems installed before 1 February 2002.

Can I install my own system?

There is a route, and it is an exam. A homeowner must become qualified to install an on-site liquid waste system by passing an exam administered by the department. That is separate from the contractor licence a hired installer needs.

Sources

Cities in New Mexico

Counties in New Mexico

How these are ranked

By verification score, out of 100, across six checks published in full on how we rank. No company paid to appear and none can pay to rank higher. The score counts records and is not a judgment about workmanship.