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Deck / Accessory Structure Permit in Red Lodge, Montana

Required for construction of decks, garages, sheds, and other accessory structures within Red Lodge city limits, using the standard Building Permit Application. Accessory structures built before the principal use is established are permitted jointly with the principal structure.

Verified 2026-07-03 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building Permit Application completed with building dimensions, setbacks, and class of work (New/Addition) indicated; garage attached/detached box checked if applicable
  • Plans must clearly identify the proposed setback and building height for Building Official review
  • If an accessory structure is constructed prior to establishing the principal use, the building permit for both the accessory structure and the principal use is issued together, and the accessory structure's final inspection is withheld until the principal use receives its rough framing inspection
  • Plans must comply with the 2021 IRC and City of Red Lodge Design Criteria (70 psf roof snow load, wind load per risk category, 42-inch frost depth) where structurally applicable

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit FeeNo fixed, published fee table specific to decks/accessory structures was found; fees are filled in on the same Building Permit Application's blank fee lines, consistent with the City's general absence of a published valuation-based fee schedule. Left null rather than estimated.
Not published — contact the department

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Deck / Accessory Structure Permit 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/Footing

    Required before concrete pour for deck posts or accessory structure foundations

  2. 2

    Frame

    Structural framing and connections per plans

  3. 3

    Final

    Completed structure verified against approved plans and setbacks; for accessory structures built ahead of the principal use, final inspection is withheld until the principal use passes rough framing inspection

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

Tips

  • If you're building a shed or garage before your main house, the accessory structure's building permit is issued together with the principal structure's permit, and its final inspection waits until the principal structure passes rough framing inspection.
  • Retaining walls are capped at 8 feet in height and fences in residential zones at 6 feet above natural grade per the Zoning Regulations' Standards of General Applicability — confirm any taller structure with the Building Division before applying.
  • Call 811 before digging to locate underground utility lines; fences with gates/removable sections may cross municipal utility easements only with written Public Works Director approval.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, accessory structures and decks use the same Building Permit Application as other construction. If built before the main structure, the accessory structure's permit is issued jointly with the principal use's permit, and its final inspection is held until the principal use passes rough framing.

Red Lodge does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact 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 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Plot Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Red Lodge requires 3 inspection(s) for a deck / accessory structure permit, in order: Foundation/Footing, Frame, 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.

Red Lodge, Montana has adopted: Montana has a mandatory statewide building code administered by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) Building Codes Bureau, amended by the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) Title 24, Chapter 301. Cities, counties, and towns may become 'certified' to locally administer permitting and inspection for all or part of the code; non-certified trades in a partially-certified jurisdiction fall under direct state administration by the DLI Building Codes Bureau. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, Certified City, County and Town Programs list (bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits).; Red Lodge is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B) ONLY within city limits; certified building official on file with DLI: Brian Hanna, (406) 446-1606. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, 'Montana Certified Local Government Program' roster, updated 04/22/2026, https://bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/building-codes-permits/certified-city.pdf (verified directly: roster row reads 'Red Lodge | B | Brian Hanna | 446-1606 | City Limits'); City of Red Lodge Municipal Code Title 9, Chapter 1 (Building Codes), Section 9-1-1 (Adoption): the City adopts by resolution (A) the most recent edition of the International Building Code adopted by the Montana DLI, (B) the most recent edition of the International Existing Building Code adopted by the Montana DLI, (C) the most recent edition of the International Residential Code adopted by the Montana DLI, and (D) other Montana DLI-adopted codes deemed appropriate by City Council including the Uniform Plumbing Code, International Mechanical Code, International Fuel Gas Code, National Electrical Code, and International Energy Conservation Code, plus (E) Montana administrative rules modifying/clarifying those codes. Source: City of Red Lodge Municipal Code § 9-1-1 (Ord. 869, 3-13-2007; Ord. 886, 9-14-2010; Ord. 914, 5-26-2015), via eCode360, https://ecode360.com/42581916; Per the City of Red Lodge Building Division page: in 2022 the City Council adopted the 2021 family of International Codes (I-Codes). Source: City of Red Lodge Building Division page, https://www.cityofredlodge.net/com-dev/page/building-division; Per the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's Current Codes page (statewide effective date June 11, 2022, applicable to all certified and state-enforced jurisdictions alike): 2021 IBC, 2021 IRC, 2021 IEBC, 2021 IMC, 2021 IFGC, 2021 IECC, 2021 ISPSC, 2021 UPC, 2020 NEC, 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessibility. Red Lodge's own Building Division page and Design Criteria document reference the 2021 IBC and 2021 IRC by name specifically, consistent with a small B-only-certified jurisdiction enforcing the state-adopted editions. Source: bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits/current-codes; City of Red Lodge design_criteria.pdf; Municipal Code § 9-1-2 (Applicability): the exemption optionally provided to Montana communities under M.C.A. Section 50-60-102(1)(a) does NOT apply in Red Lodge — the IRC applies to residential buildings with fewer than 5 dwelling units, attached structures, any farm/ranch building of any size, and any private garage/storage structure of any size for the owner's own use, within city limits. Source: City of Red Lodge Municipal Code § 9-1-2 (Ord. 854A, 2-23-2003; Ord. 914, 5-26-2015), via eCode360; Municipal Code § 9-1-3 (Agreement to Comply): per M.C.A. Section 7-5-4202, a permittee agrees as a condition of permit application to be bound by all state-adopted building codes referenced in § 9-1-1. Source: City of Red Lodge Municipal Code § 9-1-3 (Ord. 869, 3-13-2007). Local amendments apply — see the Red Lodge overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-03.

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.