Lovington, NM Zoning, Building Permits & Septic Rules

The City of Lovington, New Mexico (Lea County) runs its own zoning and requires permits to construct, alter or move a building inside city limits¹. Zoning approval comes first, and state building permits cover plumbing, electrical and structural work¹. Septic systems are permitted by the New Mexico Environment Department, not the city².

At a glance

Zoning: Yes. The city has four zones: single-family, multi-family, commercial and industrial³
Building permit: Required inside city limits; zoning approval comes first¹
Minimum home size: 800 sq ft for a single-family home in zone A⁴
Mobile and manufactured homes: Not permitted by right outside mobile home parks; city approval required⁵
RV living: RV parks only, in zone C on a platted tract⁶
Septic: Permitted by the New Mexico Environment Department²
Owner-builder: Homeowner permit available statewide, with conditions⁷

Who to call

Zoning

City of Lovington Planning and Zoning

Zoning, subdivision, mobile home and RV park applications and development permits inside Lovington city limits

(575) 396-9301

Septic permits

New Mexico Environment Department — Hobbs Field Office

Local liquid-waste (septic) permitting questions and permit searches

575-393-4302

Hobbs.ehb@env.nm.gov

2120 N Alto, Hobbs, NM 88240

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Lovington means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Lovington, NM have zoning, and what does it mean for homes and RVs?

Yes. The City of Lovington divides land inside city limits into four zones: single-family residential, multi-family residential, commercial and industrial³. The first step in developing a lot is to identify its zone, because the zone decides what you may build⁸.

A single-family home in zone A must be at least 800 square feet⁴. Mobile and manufactured homes are not permitted by right in any zone except mobile home parks; siting one elsewhere takes city approval⁵. Recreational vehicle parks are permitted in zone C, and the tract must be platted under the multi-family residential rules⁶. The city's materials describe RV parks, not living in a single RV on a private lot, so ask the planning office before you plan on that.

Do you need a building permit in Lovington, and who issues it?

Yes. Permits are generally required to construct, alter, repair, remove, demolish or move any building or structure inside Lovington¹. City zoning and subdivision approval is required before you submit development permits¹.

For a site-built or modular home, state building permits cover the plumbing, electrical and structural work¹. State permit applications are handled by the New Mexico Construction Industries Division, which also requires inspections including foundation, frame and final⁹. A homeowner building their own primary residence can use a homeowner's permit, but must sign and notarize the Homeowner's Responsibilities Form⁷. We could not confirm which building code or inspection office the city itself applies; ask the City of Lovington Planning and Zoning office¹⁰.

How do septic permits work in Lovington?

The New Mexico Environment Department Onsite Wastewater Bureau administers the statewide septic program for Lea County². Septic and holding tanks must be permitted by the state, and new tanks need county pre-approval before state approval¹¹.

We could not confirm whether the city requires a sewer connection for a given lot. Ask the city planning office whether your address is on city sewer, and the NMED Hobbs field office about any septic permit¹⁰¹².

Building a home in Lovington: the steps, in order

Identify the lot's zone and confirm your use is allowed there; the city encourages a pre-application meeting¹³.
Submit the planning and zoning application at least three weeks before the meeting where it will be heard¹³.
If you are dividing land, plat or re-plat it first; subdivisions of up to three lots may use the alternate summary process¹⁴.
Obtain the state building permit once zoning is approved¹.
Request required inspections, then a certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in¹⁵.

What stays with Lea County, and what to check before you buy near Lovington

Outside city limits the rules change. Land within one mile of the city boundary falls under the Lovington-Lea County Extraterritorial Zoning Ordinance, administered through the county¹⁶. County driveway permits, floodplain permits and RV-park approvals are county matters for unincorporated land¹⁷. For land outside the city, use Lea County's page.

County-level context: farmland averages about $979 per acre¹⁸, the effective property tax rate in Lea County is 0.5%¹⁹, and drought has been severe in about 37% of years²⁰.

Watch-outs

City code details such as setbacks, lot sizes, fees and accessory dwellings inside Lovington were not confirmed; ask the City of Lovington Planning and Zoning office at (575) 396-9301 before you buy¹⁰.
A mobile or manufactured home needs city approval to be sited outside a mobile home park, and each home in a park needs a placement permit⁵.
Zoning approval is required before the city will accept development permit applications¹.

Sources

Written October 14, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Lovington publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lea County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lovington, New Mexico