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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration / Tenant Improvement) in Red Lodge, Montana

Required for new commercial or multifamily construction, additions, alterations, and tenant improvements within Red Lodge city limits. Red Lodge has no separate commercial application or fee form — commercial work is submitted on the same City of Red Lodge Building Permit Application used for residential construction, reviewed by Building Inspector Brian Hanna under the City's DLI-certified Building (B)-only program. Plans for multifamily and commercial buildings are reviewed against the 2021 IBC (as distinguished from the 2021 IRC applied to one- and two-family dwellings) and the City's Design Criteria. Work within the Commercial Historic Overlay Zoning District (downtown Broadway corridor) additionally requires a Record of Decision under the Zoning Regulations' Design Review procedure, and fire-protection systems (sprinklers, alarms) are permitted separately by Red Lodge Fire Rescue in addition to this Building Permit.

Verified 2026-08-26 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building Permit Application completed: job address, legal description, owner/contractor/architect-designer/engineer contact information, building dimensions and setbacks, class of work (New/Addition/Alteration/Repair), valuation of work (materials and labor), use of building, occupancy group, description of work — the identical form and fields used for residential construction
  • Plans for multifamily and commercial buildings are reviewed against the 2021 IBC, per the City of Red Lodge Design Criteria's own type-of-construction breakdown ('Multifamily and Commercial design per IBC 2021; One- and Two-Family Dwellings design per IRC 2021') and Municipal Code Section 9-1-1(A), under which the City adopts by resolution the most recent IBC edition adopted by the Montana DLI
  • Plans must also comply with City of Red Lodge Design Criteria structural values: 70 psf minimum roof snow load (106 psf ground snow load), wind load by Risk Category under Exposure B (100 MPH Risk Category I up to 120 MPH Risk Category IV), 42-inch frost-depth foundation, two rows of ice & water shield on all roofs
  • Two sets of building plans, including a plot plan, submitted to the City Building Inspector; subject to the Building Official's discretion, plans may be required to be stamped/certified by a licensed design professional
  • A City Business Registration is required before the permit is issued
  • Separate permits are required for electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation, or air conditioning work, issued by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau rather than the City, since Red Lodge holds Building-only certification
  • New construction, an expansion of gross floor area, a height increase, a facade modification, or removal of a historic structure located within the Commercial Historic Overlay Zoning District (CHOZD) additionally requires a Record of Decision, reviewed under the Zoning Regulations' Design Review procedure, before such work may proceed — see the tips below for what triggers this and what is exempted
  • A commercial project needing an automatic fire-extinguishing (sprinkler) system and/or a fire alarm and detection system additionally requires a separate Commercial Building Construction Permit from Red Lodge Fire Rescue for each system category — see the Fire Protection Systems Permit (Sprinkler / Alarm) permit type; that Fire Department review is required in addition to, and is not part of, the City Building Permit described here
  • Fire sprinklers required/not required and off-street parking spaces (required/furnished) must be indicated on the application

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (commercial/multifamily valuation)
Direct read of the City of Red Lodge Building Permit Application (PDF, https://www.cityofredlodge.net/media/13336) confirms a single form is used for every class of work… Show full citationDirect read of the City of Red Lodge Building Permit Application (PDF, https://www.cityofredlodge.net/media/13336) confirms a single form is used for every class of work (New/Addition/Alteration/Repair) with blank 'PLAN CHECK FEE' and 'PERMIT FEE' lines completed by City staff after review — no separate commercial line item, valuation table, or percentage formula is printed on the form or published elsewhere on the City's website (the City's 'Applications, Forms & Fees' page does not resolve). Contact the Building Division at (406) 446-1606 for a current quote.
Not published — contact the department
Plan Check FeeSame Building Permit Application (https://www.cityofredlodge.net/media/13336): the 'PLAN CHECK FEE' line is filled in by City staff with no printed percentage or valuation-based formula, for commercial work as for residential. Left null rather than estimated.
Not published — contact the department
Fire Department Construction Permit Fee (per fire-protection system category, e.g. sprinkler or alarm)
Red Lodge Fire Rescue, Fire Prevention and Safety Fee Schedule (https://www.redlodgefire.com/_files/ugd/b6816d_e4cb68bf126d4f29adfcd0760b2b4dad.pdf) — 'All Construction Permits $75.00', billed once… Show full citationRed Lodge Fire Rescue, Fire Prevention and Safety Fee Schedule (https://www.redlodgefire.com/_files/ugd/b6816d_e4cb68bf126d4f29adfcd0760b2b4dad.pdf) — 'All Construction Permits $75.00', billed once per checked fire-protection category. This is billed by Red Lodge Fire Rescue separately from, and in addition to, the City Building Permit Fee above; see the Fire Protection Systems Permit (Sprinkler / Alarm) permit type for the full fee table (including addressing and inspection fees).
$75.00
Design Review / Record of Decision Fee (Commercial Historic Overlay Zoning District)
No City-published fee schedule specific to a Design Review or Record of Decision application was found after checking the City's Applications and Petitions page… Show full citationNo City-published fee schedule specific to a Design Review or Record of Decision application was found after checking the City's Applications and Petitions page (https://www.cityofredlodge.net/com-dev/page/applications-and-petitions, which lists only Use of City-Owned Land, Temporary Use Permit, and Sign Permits as standalone applications) and the Overlay Zoning Districts section of the Zoning Regulations. The City's separate Conditional Use Permit Application (https://www.cityofredlodge.net/media/5921) states a $600.00 application fee, but Conditional Use is a distinct review process from Design Review/Record of Decision and its fee is not assumed to apply here. Contact the Community Development Department, (406) 446-1606, for a current quote.
Not published — contact the department

Review timeline

Plan reviewRed Lodge’s published plan-review target
5+ business days

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration / Tenant Improvement) permit actually take in Red Lodge?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation

    After excavation for footings is complete and any required reinforcing steel is in place; for concrete foundations, required forms must be in place prior to inspection

  2. 2

    Concrete Slab or Under-Floor

    After all in-slab or under-floor building service equipment, conduit, piping accessories, and other ancillary equipment items are in place, but before concrete is placed or floor sheathing/subfloor installed

  3. 3

    Frame

    After the roof, all framing, fire blocking and bracing are in place and all pipes, chimneys, and vents are complete, and rough electrical, plumbing, and heating wires/pipes/ducts (state-permitted trades) are approved

  4. 4

    Lath or Gypsum Board

    After all lathing and gypsum board joints and fasteners are taped and finished

  5. 5

    Final

    After finish grading and the building is completed and ready for occupancy; a Certificate of Occupancy may be issued upon request once compliance with the City-adopted Building Codes and the Zoning Regulations is confirmed

See the full Red Lodge inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Red Lodge does not have a separate commercial building permit application or fee form — commercial, multifamily, and tenant-improvement projects use the identical Building Permit Application as residential construction, just reviewed against the 2021 IBC rather than the 2021 IRC.
  • Downtown Broadway-corridor commercial buildings should check whether their property sits within the Commercial Historic Overlay Zoning District (CHOZD): new construction, a facade modification (materials, windows, doors, trim, or repainting to a color outside the Benjamin Moore Historical Color Collection), a gross-floor-area expansion, a height increase, or removal of a historic structure within the CHOZD requires a Record of Decision under the Zoning Regulations' Design Review procedure, reviewed against the U.S. Secretary of the Interior's Standards, in addition to the Building Permit. Routine maintenance, in-kind replacement, and repainting to another color already in the approved collection are exempted. Source: City of Red Lodge Zoning Regulations, Article 4.3, Section 4.3.173, Commercial Historic Overlay Zoning District (PDF), https://www.cityofredlodge.net/media/8286.
  • The CHOZD also sets commercial-specific design standards on Broadway itself: primary exterior materials of brick or stone (painted horizontal clapboard allowed only on single-story buildings), a maximum 1-foot front setback for new principal buildings, ground-floor display windows with transoms, and parapet/cornice dimensions where a parapet is used. Source: Zoning Regulations Section 4.3.173, https://www.cityofredlodge.net/media/8286.
  • A commercial project needing a fire sprinkler system and/or a fire alarm system pulls a separate $75.00 Construction Permit per system category directly from Red Lodge Fire Rescue — this runs alongside, not instead of, the City Building Permit process documented here.
  • Red Lodge publishes no commercial-specific plan-review timeline distinct from the general 5-working-day minimum stated on the Building Permit Application; budget separately for the CHOZD Record of Decision process and the Fire Department's review where either applies, since neither publishes its own turnaround.

Frequently asked questions

Red Lodge requires a commercial building permit (new construction / addition / alteration / tenant improvement) for: Building Permit Application completed: job address, legal description, owner/contractor/architect-designer/engineer contact information, building dimensions and setbacks, class of work (New/Addition/Alteration/Repair), valuation of work (materials and labor), use of building, occupancy group, description of work — the identical form and fields used for residential construction; Plans for multifamily and commercial buildings are reviewed against the 2021 IBC, per the City of Red Lodge Design Criteria's own type-of-construction breakdown ('Multifamily and Commercial design per IBC 2021; One- and Two-Family Dwellings design per IRC 2021') and Municipal Code Section 9-1-1(A), under which the City adopts by resolution the most recent IBC edition adopted by the Montana DLI; Plans must also comply with City of Red Lodge Design Criteria structural values: 70 psf minimum roof snow load (106 psf ground snow load), wind load by Risk Category under Exposure B (100 MPH Risk Category I up to 120 MPH Risk Category IV), 42-inch frost-depth foundation, two rows of ice & water shield on all roofs; Two sets of building plans, including a plot plan, submitted to the City Building Inspector; subject to the Building Official's discretion, plans may be required to be stamped/certified by a licensed design professional; A City Business Registration is required before the permit is issued; Separate permits are required for electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation, or air conditioning work, issued by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau rather than the City, since Red Lodge holds Building-only certification; New construction, an expansion of gross floor area, a height increase, a facade modification, or removal of a historic structure located within the Commercial Historic Overlay Zoning District (CHOZD) additionally requires a Record of Decision, reviewed under the Zoning Regulations' Design Review procedure, before such work may proceed — see the tips below for what triggers this and what is exempted; A commercial project needing an automatic fire-extinguishing (sprinkler) system and/or a fire alarm and detection system additionally requires a separate Commercial Building Construction Permit from Red Lodge Fire Rescue for each system category — see the Fire Protection Systems Permit (Sprinkler / Alarm) permit type; that Fire Department review is required in addition to, and is not part of, the City Building Permit described here; Fire sprinklers required/not required and off-street parking spaces (required/furnished) must be indicated on the application. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Red Lodge Building Division — Building Inspector Brian Hanna; city-certified for Building (B) permits only. Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits within Red Lodge city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, not the City. at (406) 446-1606 before starting work.

Red Lodge's published plan-review target for a commercial building permit (new construction / addition / alteration / tenant improvement) is 5+ business days.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Construction Drawings / Plot Plan. Depending on your project, Red Lodge may also ask for: Record of Decision Application (Commercial Historic Overlay Zoning District only). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Red Lodge requires 5 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction / addition / alteration / tenant improvement), in order: Foundation, Concrete Slab or Under-Floor, Frame, Lath or Gypsum Board, Final. Schedule each through City of Red Lodge Building Division — Building Inspector Brian Hanna; city-certified for Building (B) permits only. Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits within Red Lodge city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, not the City. ((406) 446-1606).

Apply through City of Red Lodge Building Division — Building Inspector Brian Hanna; city-certified for Building (B) permits only. Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits within Red Lodge city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, not the City. at 1 South Platt Avenue, PO Box 9, Red Lodge, MT 59068. Phone: (406) 446-1606. Office hours: City Hall: contact (406) 446-1606 x8 to reach Building Inspector Brian Hanna directly; applicants should call the building official to schedule an appointment for application submittal, per the City's Building Division page.. Official information: https://www.cityofredlodge.net/com-dev/page/building-division.

No. Commercial, multifamily, and tenant-improvement projects use the same Building Permit Application as residential construction, submitted to City Building Inspector Brian Hanna. Plans are reviewed against the 2021 IBC rather than the 2021 IRC, per the City's Design Criteria and Municipal Code Section 9-1-1(A).

Yes, for property within the Commercial Historic Overlay Zoning District (the historic Broadway corridor). New construction, qualifying expansions, height increases, facade modifications, and historic-structure removal require a Record of Decision under the Zoning Regulations' Design Review procedure, reviewed against the U.S. Secretary of the Interior's Standards, in addition to the City Building Permit. Source: Zoning Regulations Section 4.3.173.

The City publishes no fixed valuation-based fee schedule for the Building Permit or Plan Check Fee — both are filled in by City staff after review, for commercial as for residential. A project needing fire-protection systems separately pays Red Lodge Fire Rescue $75.00 per system category. No City-published fee was found for the Design Review/Record of Decision process in the Commercial Historic Overlay Zoning District. Contact the Building Division, (406) 446-1606, for a current quote.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-26.

Fee schedules

Applications & forms

Codes & ordinances

Department & other records

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Red Lodge building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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