Residential New Construction Permit in Bozeman, Montana

Bozeman requires a residential new construction permit for: Applies to construction of NEW single-family, two-family, or townhome dwellings; Submit through ProjectDox (electronic plan review) after creating a permit application via the online portal; 2021 Residential Checklist must be satisfied before submittal is accepted at pre-screen; Site-specific geotechnical (soils) analysis required at permit application; Final Observation Report required prior to footing inspection; Landscape & Irrigation Self-Certification Form required for new construction (per Ordinance 2155 / Resolution 5586, effective for projects not through prescreen by June 14, 2024); Storm Water Permit required (applied for separately). If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Bozeman — Community Development, Building Division at (406) 582-2375 ext. 1 before starting work.

In Bozeman, the published Building Permit Fee (formula-based) is: (Administrative Charges/Employee/Hour + Inspector's Hourly Pay Rate) x Table A factor (amount of inspection time per sq ft, by construction type and fire rating) x Building Square Footage. Additional published fees: Plan Review Fee (formula-based) — (Administrative Charges/Employee/Hour + Plans Examiner Hourly Pay Rate) x Table B factor (amount of plan review time per sq ft, by construction type and fire rating) x Building Square Footage; Construction valuation basis — ICC Building Valuation Data, February 2025 edition, with a Cost Modifier of 70% applied to new-square-footage fees (increased from 60%, per the three-year escalation scale) and a 'Bozeman Multiplier' of .0051 (Building fund annual budget / prior-year permitted valuation, decreased from .0078); Reinspection Fee — Based on extra time expended multiplied by the building inspector's total hourly rate; minimum 2 hours; Work commenced without a permit — Additional fee not to exceed twice the permit fee amount. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for a residential new construction permit in Bozeman typically runs 10–15 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with City of Bozeman — Community Development, Building Division at (406) 582-2375 ext. 1.

You'll need: 2021 Residential Checklist (PDF); Landscape & Irrigation Self-Certification Form (PDF); Water Service Fixture Count (PDF); Sump Drain Policy acknowledgment (PDF); Site Drainage Self Certification Form (PDF); Truss/Structural Calculations; Preliminary Soil Analysis. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Bozeman requires 4 inspection(s) for a residential new construction permit, in order: Footing/Foundation, Framing, Insulation, Final. Schedule each through City of Bozeman — Community Development, Building Division ((406) 582-2375 ext. 1).

Apply through City of Bozeman — Community Development, Building Division at 20 East Olive Street, Bozeman, MT 59715 (Professional Building front counter); mailing/administration at 121 N Rouse Ave, Bozeman, MT 59715. Phone: (406) 582-2375 ext. 1, email: building@bozemanmt.gov. Office hours: Professional Building front counter (20 East Olive St.): Mon, Wed, Fri 9am-4pm; Tue, Thu 9am-1pm. Plans Examiner appointments (commercial or residential) bookable via Vagaro, 30-minute slots daily.. Official information: https://www.bozemanmt.gov/departments/community-development/building.

The 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) as adopted statewide by Montana (ARM 24.301.154), enforced locally by the City of Bozeman's certified Building Division. Montana plans to move to the 2024 ICC code family statewide in mid-2026; check the Adopted Codes page for the effective date before submitting.

The City of Bozeman, because it is a certified local government building code enforcement jurisdiction under MCA 50-60-302, confirmed on the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's own certified-jurisdiction list. Only areas of Montana without a certified local program (including unincorporated Gallatin County) are permitted directly by the state Building Codes Bureau in Helena.