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Residential Rooftop Solar PV Permit in Great Falls, Montana

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.

Verified 2026-07-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • 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

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Fee schedule

Building/Electrical Permit Fee — valuation-basedConfirmed from the City's own 2026 and 2025 Combined Permit Fee Listings showing numerous "RESIDENTIAL ROOFTOP SOLAR PV INSTALLATION" entries billed as Building permits at figures consistent with valuation-based tiers (e.g., $244.63, $170.65, $370.65 across different project valuations)
Determined by declared project valuation against the Resolution 10374 Exhibit A tables (Building Permit Fees or Electric Permit Fees as applicable)

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Great Falls building department
~1–10 business days

How long did your Residential Rooftop Solar PV Permit permit actually take in Great Falls?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough Electrical

    Conduit runs, wire sizing, disconnect placement before energizing

  2. 2

    Final

    Panel mounting, roof penetration sealing, and electrical interconnection verified

See the full Great Falls inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Grid-tied solar interconnection wiring must be completed by a licensed electrical contractor in Montana even if a homeowner self-installs the panels and racking under a Homeowner's Electrical Permit.
  • Great Falls' own permit issuance records confirm rooftop solar PV is an actively and regularly issued permit category — this is not a rarely-used or theoretical permit type in the city.
  • For questions on solar permitting specifics, contact the Montana Building and Commercial Measurements Bureau at (406) 841-2056 or buildingcodes@mt.gov, or the City of Great Falls Building Division at (406) 455-8430.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Rooftop solar PV is a regularly issued permit type in Great Falls, processed either as a Building permit or an Electrical permit depending on the installer. A licensed electrical contractor must complete any grid-tied interconnection regardless of who installs the panels.

In Great Falls, the published Building/Electrical Permit Fee — valuation-based is: Determined by declared project valuation against the Resolution 10374 Exhibit A tables (Building Permit Fees or Electric Permit Fees as applicable). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for a residential rooftop solar pv permit in Great Falls typically runs 1–10 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with City of Great Falls Building Division (Planning & Community Development Department) at (406) 455-8430.

You'll need: Residential Building Permit Application or Homeowner's Electrical Permit Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Great Falls requires 2 inspection(s) for a residential rooftop solar pv permit, in order: Rough Electrical, Final. Schedule each through City of Great Falls Building Division (Planning & Community Development Department) ((406) 455-8430).

Apply through City of Great Falls Building Division (Planning & Community Development Department) at Civic Center, 2 Park Drive South, Room 112, P.O. Box 5021, Great Falls, MT 59403-5021. Phone: (406) 455-8430, email: permit@greatfallsmt.gov. Office hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Official information: https://greatfallsmt.gov/627/Building-Division.

Great Falls, Montana has adopted: 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. Local amendments apply — see the Great Falls overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-02.

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 Great Falls building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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Residential Rooftop Solar PV Permit in other cities

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