Albuquerque, NM Frost Line Depth: 16 in

Verified

16in

41 cm · 1 ft 4 in

Set in the building code Albuquerque has adopted.

Source and how we checked

Document: documents.cabq.gov

Climate: 124 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Rio Grande Nature Ctr, 2.7 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Footings Deck Water line Fence post

124nights a year at or below 32 °F
76%of nearby soil rated “none” for frost action (USDA)

How deep is the frost line in Albuquerque?

Albuquerque's building authority sets the frost line depth at 16 in (41 cm). Footings, piers and other permanent supports must reach at least this depth (IRC R403.1.4.1).

Who sets the frost line depth in Albuquerque?

New Mexico leaves the frost line depth to each city or county, and Albuquerque fills it in when it adopts the residential code. The value above comes from Albuquerque’s own document on documents.cabq.gov. See how New Mexico sets frost line depth.

How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Albuquerque?

House or garage footing Deck footing Water service line Fence post

House or garage footing in Albuquerque: dig at least 16 in (41 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Minimum depths in Albuquerque with a 16 in frost line
Project	Depth	Rule
House or garage footing	16 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)	16 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line	22 in	6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom	16 in	No code rule; common practice is below the frost line

Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.

How cold does it get in Albuquerque?

Average lows are at or below freezing from Nov to Mar. 124 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Dec is coldest, with an average low of 20.6 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Rio Grande Nature Ctr station, 2.7 mi away, elevation 4,944 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table

°F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low	21.4	24.3	30.6	37.1	45	53.4	61.5	58.9	50.4	39	27.5	20.6
High	51.9	57.6	67.2	75.9	84.3	94.2	94.9	92.2	86.5	75	60.8	49.5

Albuquerque has fewer freezing nights than 8 of the 16 other New Mexico places we track. The New Mexico median is 124. Coldest: McKinley County; mildest: Lea County.

How likely is the soil in Albuquerque to heave?

None 76%Low 24%

USDA rates the sampled soil around Albuquerque as 76% none, 24% low for frost action (main soils: Wink, Gila, Glendale).

USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.

How do you confirm the frost line before you dig in Albuquerque?

Call 811 at least a few working days before you dig, so buried lines are marked.
Confirm the frost line depth with the Albuquerque building department.
Ask whether your project needs a permit (decks, larger sheds and footings usually do).
Dig below 16 in unless the building department tells you otherwise.
Book the footing inspection before you pour concrete.

Albuquerque at a glance

Frost line depth: 16 in
County: Bernalillo County
Population (2023 est.): 560,274
Mean annual temperature: 56.7 °F
ZIP codes (20): 87048 · 87101 · 87102 · 87104 · 87105 · 87106 · 87107 · 87108 · 87109 · 87110 · 87111 · 87112 · 87113 · 87114 · 87116 · 87120 · 87121 · 87122 · 87123 · 87124