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Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) in Whitefish, Montana

Required for new single-family and two-family residential construction, additions, remodels, and repairs within Whitefish city limits. Reviewed against the 2021 IRC and 2021 IECC as adopted by the City of Whitefish, plus the 2021 IWUIC (Fire Risk Assessment required for new construction and additions). Applications are submitted through the City's Citizen Portal or by email to buildingdept@cityofwhitefish.gov.

Verified 2026-07-03 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required for new residential construction, additions, remodels, and any structure greater than 200 square feet (including sheds, decks, porches)
  • Plans must comply with 2021 IBC, 2021 IRC, 2021 IECC, 2021 IEBC, 2021 IMC, 2021 IFGC, 2021 UPC, 2020 NEC, 2021 ISPSC, and 2021 IWUIC as adopted by the City of Whitefish; contact the Building Department for jurisdiction-specific design criteria including snow load
  • Framing plans must indicate proper snow load, Seismic Zone D1, and 110 MPH wind design per the Residential Building Permit Application framing details checklist
  • A Fire Risk Assessment according to the 2021 WUI (International Wildland-Urban Interface Code) is required for new construction and additions
  • Truss design criteria (dead load and live load) from the truss manufacturer must be submitted prior to permit issuance
  • Completed Plumbing Fixture Form (Fixture Information Request) required if there is any change in plumbing fixtures
  • Public Tree Impact Form required if working within 50 feet of a public tree
  • One (1) application must be completed per independent structure
  • $100 non-deductible erosion control fee and $200 plan review fee (deducted from building permit fees) required with application
  • Applications submitted electronically via the Citizen Portal (civicgov4.com/mt_whitefish/portal/) or by email to buildingdept@cityofwhitefish.gov

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit FeeCity of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page, 'Fees' section — the City does not publish a standalone percentage-rate table separate from this statement; confirm exact valuation-fee amount with Planning & Building at (406) 863-2410 or via the Citizen Portal at submittal
Based on a percentage of the estimated project cost (valuation-based); a deposit is required at time of permit submittal
Plan Review Fee (Residential)City of Whitefish Residential Building Permit Application (rev. 03-02-26), Required Documentation checklist
$200.00 (deducted from building permit fees at issuance)
Erosion Control FeeCity of Whitefish Residential Building Permit Application (rev. 03-02-26), Required Documentation checklist
$100.00 (non-deductible)

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel) permit actually take in Whitefish?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footings / Sonotubes / Piers / Columns

    Before concrete pour — string line or letter of survey required per the City's Required Inspections List

  2. 2

    Walls / Foundation Waterproofing

    Foundation walls and waterproofing verified before backfill

  3. 3

    Underslab Plumbing / Underslab Heating / Concrete Slab

    Before slab pour — underslab plumbing and heating verified

  4. 4

    Rough Framing / Shear Wall Nailing

    Framing and shear wall nailing verified before insulation and drywall

  5. 5

    Rough Electrical / Rough Mechanical / Rough Plumbing

    Trade rough-ins verified before walls closed

  6. 6

    Insulation / Drywall Nailing

    Insulation and drywall nailing verified per plans

  7. 7

    Final Building Inspection

    All prior inspections must have passed; includes Final Electrical (over 400 amp or commercial), Final Mechanical (meter tag), Final Water (pre-final service line/meter), Final Planning, and Final Public Works as applicable

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

Tips

  • A minimum of 24 hours notice is required to schedule any inspection — call (406) 863-2414 or email buildingdept@cityofwhitefish.gov with the project address.
  • The $200 residential (or $500 commercial) plan review fee is deducted from the total building permit fee once calculated; the $100 erosion control fee is separate and non-deductible.
  • A Certificate of Occupancy and permanent water/sewer service are withheld until all City Code requirements are met (City Ordinance No. 03-23) — plan for this when scheduling final utility connection.
  • Townhome projects require additional Party Wall / Common Wall drywall inspections per the Required Inspections List (two separate fire-rated walls, or one common wall with a two-hour rating, each with staged drywall/taping inspections).
  • reviewTimelineDays is null (hard-unpublished): the City of Whitefish does not publish a plan-review turnaround for residential building permits on its Building Permits / Inspections page, Planning & Building page, Planning & Building FAQ, Current Fee Schedule PDF, or Citizen Portal. City Code 10-1-4 (Building Permits) and 10-1-1 (Adoption of Technical Codes) set no review-day period — the '30 days' in 10-1-1(C) is the City Manager's deadline to adopt state code amendments, not a permit-review clock. The Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's published 'on average three weeks' plan-review figure applies only to STATE-administered permits and explicitly excludes projects inside a certified local program; Whitefish is a fully DLI-certified jurisdiction that reviews its own plans, so the state figure does not govern here. No real governing figure was found after exhausting the city site, city code, and MT DLI. Contact Planning & Building at (406) 863-2410 for current review timelines.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, if the proposed structure will be greater than 200 square feet in size — this includes both residential and commercial structures, as well as accessory structures such as sheds, decks, and porches. Contact the Building Department at (406) 863-2410 with questions. Source: City of Whitefish Planning & Building FAQ.

In Whitefish, the published Building Permit Fee is: Based on a percentage of the estimated project cost (valuation-based); a deposit is required at time of permit submittal. Additional published fees: Plan Review Fee (Residential) — $200.00 (deducted from building permit fees at issuance); Erosion Control Fee — $100.00 (non-deductible). These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Whitefish does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Whitefish Planning & Building Department at (406) 863-2410 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Residential Building Permit Application; Construction Drawings (1/4-inch scale); Energy Code Compliance (Prescriptive or REScheck). Depending on your project, Whitefish may also ask for: Plumbing Fixture Form (Fixture Information Request); Public Tree Impact Form. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Whitefish requires 7 inspection(s) for a residential building permit (new construction / addition / remodel), in order: Footings / Sonotubes / Piers / Columns, Walls / Foundation Waterproofing, Underslab Plumbing / Underslab Heating / Concrete Slab, Rough Framing / Shear Wall Nailing, Rough Electrical / Rough Mechanical / Rough Plumbing, Insulation / Drywall Nailing, Final Building Inspection. Schedule each through City of Whitefish Planning & Building Department ((406) 863-2410).

Apply through City of Whitefish Planning & Building Department at 418 E 2nd Street, PO Box 158, Whitefish, MT 59937. Phone: (406) 863-2410, email: buildingdept@cityofwhitefish.gov. Office hours: Planning & Building Department, 418 E 2nd Street, Whitefish, MT 59937 (inspection requests: (406) 863-2414 or buildingdept@cityofwhitefish.gov, minimum 24 hours notice required). Official information: https://www.cityofwhitefish.gov/191/Building-Permits-Inspections.

Whitefish, 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 (building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, swimming pool, WUI, etc.); non-certified areas fall under direct state administration by the DLI Building Codes Bureau. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, Certified City, County and Town Programs and Current Codes pages (bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits).; Whitefish is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B), Plumbing (P), Electrical (E), Mechanical (M), Swimming Pool (SP), AND Wildland-Urban Interface (W) within Whitefish city limits — the fullest certification tier on the DLI list, matching only Bozeman and Columbia Falls statewide. Certified Building Official of record: Tad Lisowski, (406) 863-2410. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, 'CITY CODES BUILDING OFFICIAL PHONE JURISDICTION' certified-jurisdictions PDF (bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/building-codes-permits/certified-city.pdf), updated 04/22/2026. Legend on that PDF: B = Building, P = Plumbing, M/G = Medical Gas, E = Electrical, M = Mechanical, SP = Pool, W = WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) — 'W' is NOT a water-heater designation.; 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — statewide effective June 11, 2022; cited directly on the City of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page as a code applicable plans must meet; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — statewide effective June 11, 2022; cited on the City of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page; 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — statewide effective June 11, 2022; cited on the City of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page; energy code compliance demonstrated via Prescriptive path, REScheck (residential), or COMcheck (commercial); 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — statewide effective June 11, 2022; cited on the City of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page; 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — statewide effective June 11, 2022; cited on the City of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — statewide effective June 11, 2022; cited on the City of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page; 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) — statewide effective June 11, 2022; cited on the City of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page (Montana uses the Uniform Plumbing Code, not the International Plumbing Code); 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) — statewide effective June 11, 2022; cited on the City of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page; 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — statewide effective June 11, 2022; cited on the City of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page; Whitefish is DLI-certified for swimming pool (SP) permitting; 2021 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) — statewide edition; cited on the City of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page ('2021 IWUIC'); Whitefish is DLI-certified for WUI (W) and requires a Fire Risk Assessment per the 2021 WUI code on new construction and addition Residential Building Permit applications; City of Whitefish Code of Ordinances, Title 10 (Building Regulations), Chapter 1 (Building Codes): Section 10-1-1 Adoption of Technical Codes and Administrative Regulations; Section 10-1-4 Building Permits. Source: codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/whitefishmt. Local amendments apply — see the Whitefish overview page for the full list.

Building permit fees are based on a percentage of the estimated cost for the project, and a deposit is required at the time of permit submittal. Source: City of Whitefish Building Permits / Inspections page.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-03.

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

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