Great Falls building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Great Falls, Montana.
Last verified 2026-07-02 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- Civic Center, 2 Park Drive South, Room 112, P.O. Box 5021, Great Falls, MT 59403-5021
- Phone
- (406) 455-8430
- Office hours
- Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Website
- Official site
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Great Falls — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
Codes adopted
Montana adopts a single statewide building code by rule and, by default, enforces it directly — local governments only gain enforcement authority once the state certifies them. Under the Montana Building Codes Act (Mont. Code Ann. Title 50, Chapter 60), the Department of Labor & Industry's Building Codes Bureau adopts one state building code applicable everywhere (§ 50-60-203, codified further at Administrative Rules of Montana Title 24, Chapter 301) — currently the 2021 editions of the IBC, IRC, IMC, IFGC, IECC, IEBC, ISPSC, and UPC, with the 2020 NEC for electrical (effective statewide since 6/11/2022 per the Bureau's own Current Codes page). A city, county, or town may adopt and enforce its own building-code program under § 50-60-301, but its adopted code "may include only codes adopted by the Building Codes Bureau" — a local edition can never diverge from or be less stringent than the state's. Critically, under § 50-60-302, a local government cannot enforce ANY building code — even one it has formally adopted — until the Bureau certifies its program (requiring an approved code, a published fee schedule, an enforcement plan, and properly licensed or nationally certified inspectors); certification is granted per TRADE, not as one blanket designation. The Bureau's own "Certified City, County and Town Programs" list uses the key B=Building, P=Plumbing, E=Electrical, M=Mechanical, SP=Pool, W=Wildland-Urban-Interface — a jurisdiction can be certified for Building only while Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical remain directly state-enforced within the same city limits (e.g., Havre, Anaconda-Deer Lodge), or certified across all trades (e.g., Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell). Non-certified jurisdictions — most of Montana's unincorporated county land, since very few counties appear on the certified list — fall under direct enforcement by the state Building Codes Bureau (§ 50-60-304). Montana also exempts private homes and buildings of four or fewer dwelling units not serving transient guests from the state building-permit requirement entirely, though electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits remain separately required regardless. Always confirm with the specific jurisdiction which trades it is certified for versus which remain directly state-enforced.
- 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted by the City of Great Falls September 9, 2022, effective per city adoption (state effective date June 11, 2022 under ARM Title 24, Chapter 301); city stopped accepting the prior 2018-cycle codes as of November 9, 2022
- 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted September 9, 2022
- 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — adopted September 9, 2022
- 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) — adopted September 9, 2022 (Montana uses the UPC, not the International Plumbing Code)
- 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — adopted September 9, 2022
- 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — adopted September 9, 2022
- 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) — adopted September 9, 2022 (Montana's statewide NEC edition is 2020, not 2021, per ARM Title 24, Chapter 301)
- 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — adopted September 9, 2022
- 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — adopted September 9, 2022
- 2021 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) — part of the certified program scope ("W")
- ICC A117.1-2017 Accessibility Code — statewide standard incorporated by reference
- 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) — adopted separately by the City of Great Falls effective May 25, 2023 (amending OCCGF Title 15), administered by Great Falls Fire Rescue rather than the Building Division
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction)
Required for new single-family and duplex/tri-plex residential construction in Great Falls. Reviewed against the 2021 IRC and 2021 IECC as locally adopted. Plans are reviewed by the Planning & Community Development Department, Building Division, in the order received.
Residential Addition / Alteration / Remodel Permit
Required for additions, remodels, and structural alterations to existing single-family and duplex residences in Great Falls. Uses the same Title 15 valuation-based fee table as new construction. Includes basement finishes and other alterations affecting structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems.
Electrical Permit
Required for electrical installations, alterations, and repairs in Great Falls. Governed by the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted by the City of Great Falls (September 9, 2022) and Montana statewide (effective June 11, 2022). Homeowners may obtain a Homeowner's Electrical Permit for work on their own owner-occupied residence.
Plumbing Permit
Required for plumbing installations, alterations, and repairs in Great Falls. Governed by the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) as adopted by the City of Great Falls. Homeowners performing their own plumbing work on an owner-occupied, non-rental residence may be exempt from needing a permit, or may obtain a Homeowner's Plumbing Permit.
Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, fuel gas, and related mechanical installations in Great Falls. Governed by the 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) and 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) as adopted by the City of Great Falls. Homeowners may obtain a Homeowner's Mechanical Permit for owner-occupied residences.
Roofing Permit (Reroof)
Required for roof replacement on residential structures in Great Falls, issued as a Building permit. Confirmed as an active, regularly-issued permit category ("B-Roofing Permit") in the city's own permit issuance records. Reviewed against the 2021 IRC.
Residential Rooftop Solar PV Permit
Required for installation of residential rooftop solar photovoltaic systems in Great Falls. The City's own permit records confirm this is issued as a Building permit (category "Residential Rooftop Solar PV Installation"), billed on the standard valuation-based Building Permit fee table; systems installed by a licensed electrical contractor may alternatively be processed as an electrical permit with "solar" selected on the application.
EV Charger / Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit
Installing an EV charger in Great Falls requires a standard City of Great Falls Electric Permit -- confirmed directly by the City's own issued-permit records (2026 Combined Permit Fee Listing), which include a real permit (ELECR-01017062-2026, issued 04/07/2026, contractor Liberty Electric Inc, 1712 Solis Ln) described as 'POWER APPARATUS- EV CHARGER.' There is no separate EV-specific permit type or fee code in Resolution No. 10374's Electric Permit Fees (Exhibit A) -- EV chargers are billed under the general 'Power Apparatus' line item (System Fee Schedule Item 9), the same category used for motors, generators, transformers, industrial heating, air conditioners, and heat pumps, rated by horsepower/kilowatt/kVA.
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permit
Required for construction of a new ADU on a residential lot in Great Falls. ADUs are allowed by right on any lot with an existing single-family dwelling under Montana's statewide ADU law (MCA 76-2-345). Requires sign-off from multiple city departments and utilities in addition to the standard building permit.
Sign Permit
Required for installation, replacement, or reface of wall signs, freestanding/monument signs, and billboards in Great Falls, governed by Title 17 (Land Development Code), Chapter 60 (Sign Code). One combined Sign Permit Application covers all three sign categories, each with its own submittal requirements. Fees are set by City Commission Resolution No. 10374, Exhibit A (Sign Fees), and cross-verified against the City's standalone Sign Permit Fees schedule (Effective 11/17/2020) -- both documents show identical figures.
Fire Sprinkler / Alarm Permit
Required for new or altered fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, and kitchen hood suppression systems in Great Falls. Jointly processed by the Planning & Community Development Building Division and Great Falls Fire Rescue (GFFR), using a single Fire Sprinkler/Alarm Permit Application that covers all three project types. Great Falls Fire Rescue independently administers the 2021 International Fire Code (adopted by the City effective May 25, 2023) and publishes its own currently-effective fee schedule (Resolution No. 10569, 2025), confirming genuine local fire-code enforcement and acceptance-testing authority beyond the Building Division's Title 15 process.
Change of Occupancy / Change of Use Permit
Great Falls does not publish a separate standalone 'change of use' or 'Certificate of Occupancy' permit application or fee. Per 2021 IBC/IRC Section 105.1 as locally adopted, changing the occupancy classification of a building or structure requires a permit application to the Building Official -- in practice this is processed through the City's standard Commercial Building Permit Application or Commercial Tenant Improvement (TI) Building Permit Application, both of which capture the declared Occupancy Type and Construction Type directly on the form. A Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the Building Official once all required plans, inspections, and approvals are complete.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-05)
- 7units
7 buildings · $3.1M valuation
- Trailing 12 months
- 149units
12 of 12 months reported · #8 in Montana coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-05)
- 38units
38 buildings · $15.4M valuation
5 month(s) reported to Census
- Full year 2025
- 128units
44 buildings · $41.1M valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-05 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Montana building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Great Falls is a MONTANA-CERTIFIED LOCAL BUILDING CODE JURISDICTION — confirmed directly on the state's own Building Codes Bureau certified-government list, certified for Building, Plumbing (incl. Medical Gas), Electrical, Mechanical, Swimming Pool, and Wildland-Urban Interface code enforcement within city limits (Bruce Haman, Building Official, 406-455-8430/8404). Cascade County outside city limits is NOT separately certified and falls under direct State Building Codes Bureau enforcement.
- The City adopted the full 2021 I-Code cycle (IBC, IRC, IEBC, IMC, IFGC, IECC, ISPSC) plus the 2021 UPC on September 9, 2022, stopping acceptance of 2018-cycle plans after November 9, 2022. The 2020 NEC (not 2021) governs electrical work, matching Montana's statewide NEC edition. The 2021 IFC was adopted separately, effective May 25, 2023, administered by Great Falls Fire Rescue.
- Building/plumbing/mechanical/electrical/sign permit fees are set by City Commission Resolution No. 10374 (adopted November 17, 2020, under Title 15 OCCGF), which kept the underlying 2018 fee amounts (Resolution 10252) while adding penalty and investigation fee provisions. As of the March 2026 homeowner permit application forms, the re-inspection rate has since risen to $67.63/hr, above the $62.62/hr figure printed in Resolution 10374 — no newer consolidated fee resolution superseding 10374 was found during this research.
- Residential plan review fee = 50% of the Building Permit Fee; Commercial = 65%. An Investigation Fee equal to 100% of the permit fee is assessed on top of the permit fee if work starts before a permit is issued.
- Homeowners may self-permit electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work on a residence they own AND occupy as their primary, non-rental residence — the work must be done by the owner or a co-resident immediate family member, not hired help, or the homeowner is subject to citation under OCCGF Chapters 15.6/15.8 (up to $500 fine and/or 6 months per OCCGF 1.04.070).
- Montana's statewide ADU-by-right law (MCA 76-2-345) requires Great Falls to allow at least one ADU per single-family lot, caps size at the lesser of 75% of the primary home or 1,000 sq ft, bars extra parking/impact-fee/design-matching requirements, and caps any one-time ADU zoning fee at $250.
- Residential permit review typically takes 5-10 working days after a complete submittal; commercial review takes about 30 business days. Plans are reviewed strictly first-come, first-served.
- Every permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance, or is suspended/abandoned for 180 days.
- A geotechnical soils report (2 signed/stamped copies from a Montana-licensed design professional) is required up front for new residential construction — plans will not be accepted without it.
- Blower door testing by an approved third party is required before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued for new residential construction.
- Rooftop solar PV and reroofing are both actively and regularly issued permit categories in Great Falls (confirmed directly from the city's own monthly permit issuance logs), not rare or undocumented permit types.