Sign Permit in Belgrade, Montana

Belgrade requires a sign permit for: A zoning permit (Sign Permit) is required to erect, place, relocate, expand, modify, maintain, or otherwise alter a sign in the City, per Belgrade City Code 10-5-1, unless the sign qualifies for an exemption under 10-5-2 (e.g., signs not visible from a public right-of-way, small yard signs, home-occupation signs, A-frame/T-frame signs, temporary new-business banners up to 90 days, one small wall sign per residential lot up to 1 square foot, and similar categories); Sign permit applications must be filed with Planning staff on City-provided forms and include: name/contact information for the sign owner, property owner, and sign contractor; a scaled and dimensioned PDF site plan showing all buildings and existing signs; clear scale drawings with sign description, nominal dimensions, and construction materials; a time-stamped photo (at most one year old) of the proposed sign location; a before-and-after color rendering; wind pressure load calculations/evidence of compliance; evidence of required liability insurance or bond; and signatures of the applicant and property owner (Belgrade City Code 10-6-13.A); Signs encroaching on the public right-of-way require additional application content: identification of the encroachment, an acknowledgment the City may revoke encroachment permission, a hold-harmless agreement, and a certificate of general liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence (Belgrade City Code 10-6-13.B); A properly completed sign permit application not formally granted or denied within ten (10) days constitutes cause for an appeal to the Planning Board (Belgrade City Code 10-6-13.C.1); Erecting, altering, moving, or structurally modifying a sign without a permit — or in violation of an issued permit — requires removal or compliance within 5 days of written notice; the after-the-fact permit fee is double the normal fee (Belgrade City Code 10-6-13.E.1); A Sign Variance (Belgrade City Code 10-6-17) may be requested if the sign regulations impose undue or unnecessary hardship. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Belgrade Building Department at (406) 388-3564 before starting work.

A standard Sign Permit is $150. A Master Sign Plan (for multi-tenant/multi-sign properties) is $400, and a Sign Variance request to the Planning Board is $1,250. Source: City of Belgrade Master Fee Schedule, Planning & Zoning table.

Belgrade's published plan-review target for a sign permit is 10–10 business days.

You'll need: Sign Permit Application; Scaled PDF Site Plan; Sign Scale Drawings; Time-Stamped Site Photo; Before-and-After Color Rendering; Wind Pressure Load Calculations. Depending on your project, Belgrade may also ask for: Certificate of General Liability Insurance ($1,000,000 minimum). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Belgrade requires 1 inspection(s) for a sign permit, in order: Sign Installation Verification. 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.

No. Belgrade City Code 10-5-2 exempts a number of sign types — including small yard signs, A-frame/T-frame sidewalk signs, home-occupation signs, temporary new-business banners, and signs not visible from a public right-of-way — though these remain subject to the chapter's other standards.