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Sign Permit in Lewistown, Montana

Required for erection, structural alteration, or relocation of most exterior signs and awnings within Lewistown city limits, under the LEWISTOWN SIGN ORDINANCE (City Code Title 5, Chapter 21). This is a DISTINCT permit administered by the Public Works Director (as chapter "administrator"), separate from the Building Department's Building Permit -- the City's own Commercial Building Permit Checklist (Rev. 9/1/2022) cross-references this requirement directly: "Signage plan (separate permit required for signs)."

Verified 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Application submitted to the administrator (public works director or designated representative) on a form provided by the administrator, per City Code 5-21-71
  • Application must include: name and address of the sign owner; street address/location of the property with property owner name and address; the type of sign or sign structure and its weight; a site plan with measurements showing the proposed sign location and the locations of all existing signs on the same premises; and specifications/drawings showing materials, design, dimensions, structural supports, and electrical components
  • Initial permit fee of $20.00 per sign due with the application (City Code 5-21-72)
  • Signs exceeding thirty-two (32) square feet require additional review by the Design Review Board after administrator approval, before the permit is finalized (City Code 5-21-74)
  • All signs must be installed in compliance with the City's building and electrical codes (City Code 5-21-60(A))
  • No person may engage in erecting, altering, relocating, constructing, or maintaining signs for hire without a valid city sign contractor's/business license and all required state and federal licenses (City Code 5-21-37)
  • If a sign is installed prior to permit issuance, the permit fee is doubled; this does not waive other penalties (City Code 5-21-75(C))
  • The following sign types are EXEMPT from the permit requirement (but must still conform to all other chapter requirements): church/civic-organization signs, construction signs ≤16 sq ft, directional/information signs ≤6 sq ft, holiday/special-event decorations, nameplates ≤2 sq ft, political signs, public/emergency signs, real estate signs, window signs, incidental signs, garage sale signs, temporary special event signs, and snipe signs (City Code 5-21-33)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Sign permit fee (per sign)City Code 5-21-72, verified directly against the codified ordinance text. Doubles to $40.00 if the sign is installed before the permit is issued (City Code 5-21-75(C)). Refunded in full if the permit is denied (5-21-75(A)), or refundable on request if no inspections/work have occurred and the permit and sticker/tag are returned within 45 days of issuance (5-21-75(B)).
$20.00

Review timeline

Plan reviewLewistown’s published plan-review target
0–5 business days

How long did your Sign Permit permit actually take in Lewistown?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Inspection

    The administrator may require a final inspection upon completion of sign installation, alteration, or relocation, including an electrical inspection and inspection of footings on freestanding signs. The administrator may also require advance written notification before installation of certain signs. (City Code 5-21-76)

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

Tips

  • The sign permit is issued by the Public Works Department (administrator = public works director), not the Building Department -- confirm you are contacting the correct city office, (406) 535-1760.
  • Installing a sign before the permit is issued doubles the fee from $20 to $40 and does not excuse other chapter penalties -- apply first.
  • Signs over 32 square feet require Design Review Board review in addition to administrator sign-off, which is not bound by the standard 5-day issuance window -- budget extra time if your sign exceeds this threshold.
  • A long list of small/temporary sign types (real estate signs, window signs, political signs, nameplates ≤2 sq ft, incidental signs, etc.) do not require a permit at all, though they must still meet the chapter's other requirements (City Code 5-21-33).

Frequently asked questions

Most exterior signs require a permit under the Lewistown Sign Ordinance (City Code Title 5, Chapter 21), issued by the Public Works Department. A specific list of small or temporary sign types (e.g., real estate signs, window signs, nameplates under 2 sq ft, political signs) is exempt from the permit requirement, though they must still meet the chapter's other standards. Source: City Code 5-21-32, 5-21-33.

$20.00 per sign, due with the application. The fee doubles to $40.00 if the sign is installed before the permit is issued. Source: City Code 5-21-72, 5-21-75(C).

Lewistown's published plan-review target for a sign permit is 0–5 business days.

You'll need: Sign Permit Application; Site Plan and Sign Specifications/Drawings. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Lewistown requires 1 inspection(s) for a sign permit, in order: Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Lewistown Building Department — Building Inspector Joe Ward; city-certified for Building (B) permits only. Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits within Lewistown city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, not the City. ((406) 535-1776).

Apply through City of Lewistown Building Department — Building Inspector Joe Ward; city-certified for Building (B) permits only. Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits within Lewistown city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, not the City. at 305 W Watson St, Lewistown, MT 59457 (Building Department office also cited at 308 4th Avenue South, Lewistown, MT). Phone: (406) 535-1776, email: building@ci.lewistown.mt.us. Office hours: Not published on the City's Building Department page as of this review. Building Inspector: Joe Ward, (406) 535-1776, building@ci.lewistown.mt.us; general Building Department line/fax (406) 535-1760 / (406) 535-3323 per city directory listings.. Official information: https://www.cityoflewistown.com/services/building-department.

Lewistown, 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 Local Government Program roster (bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits).; Lewistown is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B) ONLY within city limits; certified building official on file with DLI: Holy Phelps, (406) 535-1776. 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 against the PDF (row: 'Lewistown | B | Holy Phelps | 535-1776 | City Limits').; Per the City of Lewistown's own Public Notice 'Adoption of Building Codes' (Lewistown Public Works Administrative Order, dated August 12, 2022, issued pursuant to Lewistown Ordinance Section 4-4-1 adopted by the City Commission May 6, 2002, signed by Public Works Director Tim Majerus), the following codes are adopted and effective within the City of Lewistown as of September 1, 2022: International Building Code 2021 Edition (as amended by ARM 24.301.131), International Residential Code 2021 Edition (as amended by ARM 24.301.154), International Energy Conservation Code 2021 Edition (as amended by ARM 24.301.161), and International Existing Building Code 2021 Edition (as amended by ARM 24.301.171). Source: City of Lewistown, images/pdf/2021-Code-adoption.pdf; The City's Commercial Building Permit Checklist (Revised 9/1/2022) additionally references the International Fire Code, 2012 Edition, as amended by ARM 23.12.601, and the City of Lewistown's Ordinance #1749 and #1750 as part of the adopted codes and ordinances applicants must show compliance with. Source: City of Lewistown, images/pdf/Commercial-Permit-Checklist-10.2022.pdf; The City's Residential Building Permit Application Procedure (Admin approved 1/30/2015) states plans must comply with the '2012 International Residential Code (IRC), 2012 International Energy Conservation Code as amended by ARM 24.301.161' — this is a stale reference predating the City's own September 2022 code-adoption notice; the governing current codes are the 2021 editions per the City's 2022 Public Works Administrative Order above. Source: City of Lewistown, images/pdf/Respremit012015.pdf (dated 2015, superseded in substance by the 2022 adoption notice but still the only published residential application-procedure document found); Per the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's Current Codes reference (statewide effective date June 11, 2022): 2021 IBC, 2021 IRC, 2021 IEBC, 2021 IMC, 2021 IFGC, 2021 IECC, 2021 ISPSC, 2021 UPC, 2020 NEC, 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessibility — consistent with the codes the City of Lewistown's own 2022 adoption notice cites for its Building-certified scope.. Local amendments apply — see the Lewistown overview page for the full list.

Other permits in Lewistown

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Sign Permit in other cities

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