Fire Sprinkler & Fire Alarm Permit in Belgrade, Montana

Belgrade requires a fire sprinkler & fire alarm permit for: Submit fire sprinkler and fire alarm plans directly to Central Valley Fire District through CVFD's own permit portal — not the City's Cityworks portal — per the City of Belgrade Commercial/Multi-Family Document Submittal Checklist ('Central Valley Fire District - Submit to fire Central Valley through their own portal'); City of Belgrade residents voted in 2020 to annex into Central Valley Fire District after years of a contractual Interlocal Agreement; CVFD (215 Wings Way, Belgrade, MT 59714; (406) 388-4480) is now Belgrade's fire code enforcement, inspection, and fire-system permitting authority; Governed by the 2021 International Fire Code as adopted by CVFD Board Resolution 222307 (effective for permits/reviews after April 12, 2023; the 2012 IFC applied before that date), plus the NFPA standards referenced within the 2021 IFC (including NFPA 13/13D sprinkler standards and fire alarm standards); Fire sprinkler/fire alarm layouts and specs must also be included in the plan set submitted to the City of Belgrade Building Department when the system is part of a new commercial building or tenant improvement, per the City's Commercial/Multi-Family Checklist; A failed final inspection or acceptance test requires a paid CVFD re-inspection ($100) before the system can be approved; Operational permits (separate from the installation permit) are required for hazardous occupancies and operations as defined by the International Fire Code. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Belgrade Building Department at (406) 388-3564 before starting work.

A residential fire sprinkler system (NFPA 13D) is a flat $200, covering plan review and final inspection. Commercial sprinkler and fire alarm systems are billed at $150/hour with a 2-hour minimum. Source: Central Valley Fire District Fee Schedule.

Belgrade does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Belgrade Building Department at (406) 388-3564 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Fire Sprinkler/Fire Alarm Plan Submittal. Depending on your project, Belgrade may also ask for: Fire Sprinkler/Fire Alarm Layouts and Specs (Building Department copy). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Belgrade requires 2 inspection(s) for a fire sprinkler & fire alarm permit, in order: Required Inspections, Final Acceptance Testing. Schedule each through City of Belgrade Building Department ((406) 388-3564).

Apply through City of Belgrade Building Department at 91 East Central Avenue, Belgrade, MT 59714. Phone: (406) 388-3564, email: mjohnson@belgrademt.gov. Office hours: Community & Economic Development public counter, 91 E. Central Ave., Monday-Friday 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM (Permits and Licensing Division: 406-388-3560). Building Department general line: 406-388-3760. Chief Building Official Lucas Sobeck: 406-388-3564.. Official information: https://www.belgrademt.gov/166/Building.

Belgrade, 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, etc.); non-certified areas/trades fall under direct state administration by the DLI Building Codes Bureau. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, Certified Local Government Program list (bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/building-codes-permits/certified-city.pdf) and Current Codes page (bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits/current-codes).; Belgrade is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B), Plumbing (P), Electrical (E), Mechanical (M), and Swimming Pool (SP) within Belgrade city limits — the full certification set (matching Billings), not a partial split. Certified building official on file with DLI: Lucas Sobeck, (406) 388-3560/388-3564. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, Montana Certified Local Government Program list (PDF, updated 04/22/2026), bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/building-codes-permits/certified-city.pdf; City of Belgrade has adopted (as of 8/8/2022, per the City's Building FAQ) the 2021 editions of the International Residential Code (IRC), International Building Code (IBC), International Mechanical Code (IMC), International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), International Existing Building Code (IEBC), Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC); the 2017 ICC A117.1 Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities; and the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC). Source: City of Belgrade Building FAQ, 'What building code year has the City of Belgrade most recently adopted?' (belgrademt.gov/Faq.aspx?QID=135); 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — applies to single-family, two-family, and townhouse dwellings; effective statewide per ARM 24.301.154. Source: City of Belgrade Adopted Codes (PDF), belgrademt.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1228/Adopted-Codes; 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — commercial; per ARM 24.301.146; 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — residential and commercial; per ARM 24.301.172; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — residential and commercial; per ARM 24.301.173; 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — residential and commercial; per ARM 24.301.161. Appendix RB (Solar Ready Provisions) adopted for commercial; 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) — per ARM 24.301.401; 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) (IAPMO) — per ARM 24.301.301 (Montana uses the Uniform Plumbing Code, not the International Plumbing Code); 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — commercial; per ARM 24.301.171; 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — commercial; per ARM 24.301.175; Belgrade is DLI-certified for swimming pool (SP) permitting; ICC A117.1-2017 Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities — commercial; per ARM Subchapter 24.301.9; 2012 International Fire Code — per ARM Rule 23.12.601 (state fire code edition; City of Belgrade Building Department coordinates with the Belgrade Fire Department, and per the City's Inspections page, fire inspections within Belgrade city limits are now handled directly through the City's Building Department due to a recent state rule change); IRC Appendix Q (Tiny Houses) — adopted statewide per ARM; Design Live Loading, Snow Load, Frost Depth, Wind Speed, Weathering, and Seismic Design Category are set out in the City of Belgrade Design Criteria document (see localAmendments) — these are notably more stringent than nearby Billings, reflecting Belgrade's local site conditions; Source: City of Belgrade Adopted Codes (PDF), https://www.belgrademt.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1228/Adopted-Codes; City of Belgrade Design Criteria (PDF), https://www.belgrademt.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1016/Design-Criteria. Local amendments apply — see the Belgrade overview page for the full list.

Central Valley Fire District (CVFD) reviews and permits fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems, submitted through CVFD's own portal — separate from the City of Belgrade's Cityworks portal used for building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits. Belgrade annexed into CVFD by a 2020 city vote. Source: City of Belgrade Commercial/Multi-Family Checklist; Central Valley Fire District.