Great Falls building permits

Requirements

• Building permit and plan review required prior to starting construction (OCCGF Title 15)
• Complete application with main point of contact; total project cost (labor, material, subcontractor costs, including homeowner's own labor at actual cost) must be disclosed
• A completed Utility Locate Form (completed no more than 30 days prior to permit issuance)
• Address must be assigned by Mapping & Addressing (406-455-8437) prior to application submittal
• Geotechnical soils report required for new construction — two complete, signed reports stamped by a Montana-licensed design professional, coordinated with foundation design
• Two complete sets of plans: site plan, building elevations (all 4 sides), foundation plan, floor plan (each floor), wall detail, stair detail, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC plans
• Energy code compliance via Option A (IRC prescriptive insulation values) or Option B (REScheck submitted with the application)
• Blower door test required prior to Certificate of Occupancy issuance (new construction), performed by an approved third party
• Structural plans/calculations required for wood glu-lam beams, steel beams, and retaining walls over 4 feet (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall)
• Minimum plan paper size 11" x 17"; plans marked "Not for Construction" will not be accepted

Required documents

• RequiredResidential Building Permit ApplicationCity of Great Falls Planning & Community Development Dept. application form (Effective Date 3/2026)
• RequiredResidential Building Permit ChecklistBuilding Permit Application Requirements — Residential New Construction, Addition, Remodels (Effective Date 5/2019)
• RequiredUtility Locate FormMust be completed no more than 30 days before permit issuance
• RequiredGeotechnical Soils ReportTwo signed/stamped reports from a Montana-licensed design professional; required for new construction
• RequiredREScheck or Prescriptive Energy Compliance DocumentationDemonstrates 2021 IECC compliance via prescriptive insulation table or REScheck software output

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Room additions, basement finishes, and structural alterations to existing residences
• Complete application disclosing total project value (contract price or estimated material/labor value for owner-performed work)
• Two complete sets of plans showing scope of work, floor plan, wall detail, and any structural changes
• Structural calculations required for any wood glu-lam beam, steel beam, or retaining wall over 4 feet in height
• Energy code compliance documentation required where the addition affects conditioned floor area

Required documents

• RequiredResidential Building Permit ApplicationSame application form used for new construction, additions, and remodels
• RequiredResidential Building Permit ChecklistCompleteness checklist covering site plan, elevations, floor plan, framing plan, and energy code compliance

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Electrical permit required for any installation in new construction, remodeling, or repair (OCCGF Title 15)
• A homeowner may wire their own home, garage, and premises using a Homeowner's Electrical Permit — work must be performed by the owner or an immediate family member who also resides in the home; using the permit for work performed by anyone else is a citable violation under OCCGF Chapter 15.8.060
• Homeowner permit applicant must certify the home has not been sold, is not being sold, is the applicant's primary residence, and is not used for rental purposes
• All work governed by the 2020 NEC as locally adopted

Required documents

• OptionalHomeowner's Electrical Permit ApplicationRequired for owner-occupant self-permitted electrical work; includes acknowledgment checkboxes on occupancy/ownership status (Updated 3/2026)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Plumbing permit required for installation, alteration, or repair of plumbing systems including water heaters, fixtures, and water/sewer service lines
• Homeowners doing their own plumbing installation on their owner-occupied, non-speculative, non-rental residence may perform the work without obtaining a permit, per Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau guidance as applied in Great Falls
• A Homeowner's Plumbing Permit is available where the homeowner wants formal permit coverage; work must be performed by the owner or an immediate family member residing in the home
• Governed by the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), not the International Plumbing Code

Required documents

• OptionalHomeowner's Plumbing Permit ApplicationFor owner-occupant self-permitted plumbing work; includes occupancy/ownership acknowledgment checkboxes (Updated 3/2026)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Mechanical permit required for installation, relocation, or alteration of furnaces, boilers, gas piping, and related equipment
• Homeowners may obtain a Homeowner's Mechanical Permit for work on their own owner-occupied, non-rental residence; work must be performed by the owner or an immediate family member residing there
• Governed by the 2021 IMC and 2021 IFGC as locally adopted

Required documents

• OptionalHomeowner's Mechanical Permit ApplicationFor owner-occupant self-permitted mechanical work; includes occupancy/ownership acknowledgment checkboxes (Updated 3/2026)

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Reroofing work is issued under the Building Division's "B-Roofing Permit" category, billed on the standard valuation-based Building Permit fee schedule
• Governed by the 2021 IRC as locally adopted
• Project valuation (contract price for the roofing work) must be disclosed on the application

Required documents

• RequiredResidential Building Permit ApplicationSame general building permit application form is used, with project scope described as roofing

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Licensed electrical contractor installations: apply for an electrical permit and select "solar" as the work type; fee based on the total value of the electrical work
• Homeowner self-installation: a homeowner may obtain a Homeowner's Electrical Permit selecting "solar" for interior/exterior wiring, but the grid-tied interconnection must still be completed by a licensed electrical contractor
• City of Great Falls building permit records show residential rooftop solar PV installations processed as a Building permit ("B" permit prefix) type, valuation-based
• Commercial solar work always requires a licensed electrical contractor to pull the permit

Required documents

• RequiredResidential Building Permit Application or Homeowner's Electrical Permit ApplicationDepending on installer type — contractor-installed systems use the standard building/electrical permit application; homeowner-installed systems (non-grid-tied portions) may use the Homeowner's Electrical Permit

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A licensed electrical contractor pulls a standard City of Great Falls Electric Permit for the EV charger installation; homeowners may alternatively use the Homeowner's Electrical Permit for self-installed work
• The charger's rating (in HP, KW, KVA, or KVAR) determines the applicable Power Apparatus fee tier under Resolution 10374, Exhibit A, Item 9
• If the installation also requires a new or upgraded electrical service, the Services fee (Item 10) applies in addition to the Power Apparatus fee
• Governed by the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted by the City of Great Falls (September 9, 2022)

Required documents

• RequiredElectric Permit Application or Homeowner's Electrical Permit ApplicationStandard City of Great Falls electrical permit application; no separate EV-charger-specific form is published -- the City's own permit records confirm EV chargers are described and billed as 'Power Apparatus'

Fee schedule

Requirements

• ADUs are allowed by right on any lot with an existing single-family dwelling, per MCA 76-2-345(1)(a) — Great Falls cannot prohibit them in single-family-only zones
• Maximum ADU size: the lesser of 75% of the primary dwelling's gross floor area or 1,000 sq ft, per MCA 76-2-345(1)(b-c)
• ADU setbacks in Great Falls match the city's standard accessory-structure setback requirements
• May be attached to, detached from, or located inside the primary residence
• State law bars the city from requiring extra parking, imposing impact fees, requiring architectural matching to the primary home, restricting occupancy based on ownership/relation, or setting stricter building/design rules than apply to regular houses (MCA 76-2-345(2)(a)-(i))
• ADU Application requires sign-off from: NorthWestern Energy, City Engineering Dept., Environmental Dept., Great Falls Fire Rescue, Great Falls Addressing, Great Falls Utilities, the Floodplain Administrator, and the Planning & Community Development Director — all signatures must be obtained before submitting the application
• A one-time ADU zoning application fee may be charged but is statutorily capped at $250 (MCA 76-2-345(4))
• The city may require approval letters from water and sewer systems before an ADU is built (MCA 76-2-345(7))

Required documents

• RequiredADU ApplicationCity of Great Falls Planning & Community Development Dept. ADU-specific application requiring multi-department/utility sign-off before submittal (Effective Date 3/2026)
• OptionalAttachment A — A Simple Explanation of Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) RulesCity-published plain-language summary of MCA 76-2-345 ADU rules, citing specific statute subsections

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A complete Sign Permit Application (Form Updated 12/2023) covering the applicable sign category: Wall Signs, Freestanding/Monument, or Billboard
• Wall Signs: a scaled site plan with north arrow showing sign locations, plus a detailed sketch with dimensions in linear feet, distance from roofline, attachment method, substrate, and any electrical information; building wall dimensions on all four sides are needed to establish total allowable signage area (not required for refaces)
• Freestanding/Monument Signs: a detailed scaled site plan with north arrow, street names, boulevard widths, property lines, existing utilities, existing signage, and setback distances; a detailed sketch with dimensions, height, footings, and electrical information; a footings plan showing the system of support and attachment; engineering design plans are required for all new freestanding signs
• Billboards: the same site plan, sketch, and footings plan requirements as freestanding signs, plus engineering design plans for all new billboards and a completed Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) permit application for all new billboards
• Projects that include electrical work require a separate Electrical Permit, which must be inspected before sign placement and installation
• The applicant must remain in compliance with Title 17, Chapter 60 (Sign Code) at all times after permit issuance; the property owner is responsible for maintenance of all property signage
• A written letter of authorization from the property owner is required if the applicant is not the owner
• Applications deemed abandoned after 180 days will be billed for the plan review fee

Required documents

• RequiredSign Permit ApplicationCity of Great Falls Planning & Community Development Dept. application covering Wall, Freestanding/Monument, and Billboard sign categories (Form Updated 12/2023)
• RequiredSite Plan and Detailed SketchScaled site plan with north arrow and a detailed sketch of the sign structure with dimensions; specific content required varies by sign type (wall vs. freestanding vs. billboard)
• OptionalFootings Plan and Engineering Design PlansRequired for all new freestanding/monument signs and all new billboards; not required for wall signs or refaces
• OptionalState of Montana MDT Permit ApplicationRequired for all new billboards in addition to the City application

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A complete Fire Sprinkler/Alarm Permit Application (Effective 5/2024), selecting the applicable project type: Fire Sprinkler, Fire Alarm, or Kitchen Hood Suppression
• All plan sets must be submitted electronically to permit@greatfallsmt.gov -- hard-copy plan sets are not required under the current (5/2024) application, which supersedes older guidance on the Building Division FAQs page referencing a 4-hard-copy-set requirement
• Until further notice, the City of Great Falls uses a third-party consultant to review Fire/Sprinkler Permit Applications rather than in-house Building Division staff
• Valuation of work must be disclosed on the application
• A written letter of authorization from the property owner is required if the applicant is not the owner
• Acceptance testing and inspections are conducted and billed separately by Great Falls Fire Rescue's Fire Prevention Bureau, in addition to any plan review fee
• Governed by the 2021 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted by the City of Great Falls effective May 25, 2023 and administered by Great Falls Fire Rescue rather than the Building Division

Required documents

• RequiredFire Sprinkler/Alarm Permit ApplicationCovers Fire Sprinkler, Fire Alarm, and Kitchen Hood Suppression project types on one form; submitted electronically to permit@greatfallsmt.gov (Effective Date 5/2024)
• OptionalLetter of Authorization from Property OwnerRequired if the applicant is not the property owner

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Any change in the occupancy classification of a building or structure requires an application to the Building Official and issuance of a permit, per 2021 IBC/IRC Section 105.1 as locally adopted -- confirmed directly from the City of Great Falls Building Division FAQs
• Great Falls has no distinct change-of-occupancy application; the change is processed through the standard Commercial Building Permit Application or the Commercial Tenant Improvement (TI) Building Permit Application, both of which require the applicant to declare Construction Type and Occupancy Type on the form itself
• Governed by the 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), Chapter 10 (Change of Occupancy), as adopted by the City of Great Falls September 9, 2022, in addition to the 2021 IBC/IRC permit requirement
• Commercial plans must be stamped by a Montana-licensed architect or engineer
• A Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the Building Official once all required plans, inspections, and approvals for the new occupancy are complete

Required documents

• RequiredCommercial Building Permit Application or Commercial Tenant Improvement (TI) Building Permit ApplicationNo distinct change-of-occupancy application exists in Great Falls; whichever standard commercial application matches the scope of work is used, capturing the declared Occupancy Type and Construction Type
• RequiredCommercial Building Permit Checklist or TI Building Permit ChecklistCompleteness checklist for the corresponding commercial application

Fee schedule