Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Use Permit in Kalispell, Montana

Kalispell requires a certificate of occupancy / change of use permit for: A Certificate of Occupancy is required before a completed building may be occupied; it is issued only after the Building Department requests a final inspection and every applicable department — Building (building/plumbing/mechanical/electrical/accessibility/energy/life safety), Building/Fire (fire, sprinklers, fire alarms, alternate fire suppression, life safety), Parks (trees/landscaping/park land/bike paths, where applicable), Zoning (parking, architectural review, outdoor lighting, floodplain, signs, CUP, PUD), Public Works (streets/sidewalks/access/slopes/drainage/water & sewer/right-of-way), and Fire (fire lanes, access, hydrants) — has approved the project and notified the Building Department, per the City's Certificate of Occupancy Procedure; Other departments have five working days after the Building Department's final-inspection notification to inspect, approve or disapprove, and report back before the CO can issue; Remodeling of an existing commercial, industrial, or multi-family structure that results in a change of use or a structural expansion is subject to Major Site Plan Review — not the lighter Minor Site Plan process, which applies only to single-family/duplex uses or non-expanding exterior remodels — reviewed by the Site Development Review Committee per Kalispell Municipal Code Section 27.20; Major Site Plan Review submittal requires three sets of working drawings and five sets of site plans covering topography, utilities, parking, and landscaping, among other site information, per KMC 27.20; In designated Gateway Entrance areas, a change of use — or property improvements equal to or greater than 20% of the building's replacement value at the time of building permit — also triggers Gateway Entrance landscaping requirements, per KMC 27.20; It is the applicant's/owner's responsibility to coordinate directly with each reviewing department to resolve any conditions before a CO will be issued. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Kalispell Building Department at (406) 758-7730 before starting work.

In Kalispell, the published Commercial Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same Building Permit Fee Schedule as other commercial building permits) is: $23.50 minimum (valuation $1-$500) scaling to $6,444.85 for the first $1,000,000 plus $5.25 per additional $1,000 over $1,000,000. Additional published fees: Work Commenced Without a Permit — 200% of the original permit amount. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Kalispell does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Kalispell Building Department at (406) 758-7730 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Certificate of Occupancy Procedure Checklist; Commercial Building Permit Application. Depending on your project, Kalispell may also ask for: Major Site Plan Review Submittal. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Kalispell requires 3 inspection(s) for a certificate of occupancy / change of use permit, in order: Building/Trade Final Inspections, Fire/Life Safety Final, Zoning, Parks, Public Works & Fire Sign-off. Schedule each through City of Kalispell Building Department ((406) 758-7730).

Apply through City of Kalispell Building Department at 201 1st Avenue East, Kalispell, MT 59901 (mailing: PO Box 1997, Kalispell, MT 59903). Phone: (406) 758-7730, email: bldgdept@kalispell.com. Office hours: Not published on the department page; phone (406) 758-7730 and email bldgdept@kalispell.com listed as primary contact methods. Official information: https://www.kalispell.com/614/Building.

No distinct change-of-use permit or fee exists. A change of use (or structural expansion) in an existing commercial, industrial, or multi-family building triggers Major Site Plan Review under Kalispell Municipal Code Section 27.20, in addition to a standard Commercial Building Permit for any construction and the same multi-department Certificate of Occupancy sign-off process used for new buildings.

Six: Building, Building/Fire, Parks, Zoning, Public Works, and Fire. Per the City's Certificate of Occupancy Procedure, each non-Building department has five working days after the Building Department requests a final inspection to inspect and report back before the CO issues.