Certificate of Occupancy — Manhattan, Montana · Requirements sheet
Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source: https://www.townofmanhattan.com/s/10-How-to-obtain-a-building-permit.pdf
PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency. Requirements change and vary by project — confirm current details with the building department before you submit.
Certificate of Occupancy in Manhattan, Montana
Required before occupancy of any residential or commercial building or structure in Manhattan following construction, addition, remodel, or other building-permitted work. Issued by the Building Department after a final inspection confirms the work complies with the approved plans and permit. Manhattan has no standalone 'change of use' permit application distinct from this Certificate of Occupancy / final-inspection process and the zoning-use compliance check built into the Town's Building Permit Zoning Review form.
Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source
When you need this permit
- Builders must notify the Building Department for final inspection of all projects (residential and commercial) before occupancy of the structure, per the Town's 'How To Obtain A Building Permit' guide
- For commercial projects, the Building Department must be notified two weeks prior to the desired occupancy date
- Most lending institutions require a final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy from the Building Department prior to final release of construction funds
- The Building Official may, at his discretion, approve a temporary Certificate of Occupancy for a commercial building — allowing the owner to open to the public before all conditions of approval are met, generally where only landscaping improvements remain outstanding; in such cases, some improvements may need to be financially guaranteed
- Change of use / change of occupancy for an existing building without new construction is not addressed by a standalone Town application; the Town's Building Permit Zoning Review form (used for the zoning-permit component of the combined building permit) includes a 'Use: Permitted / Not Permitted / Requires Conditional Use Permit' determination made by the Zoning Administrator, which is the closest documented mechanism for a use-compliance review — but no separate 'Change of Use Permit' product, application, or fee was found published
Required documents
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Fee schedule
Review timeline
Inspection process
- 1
Final Inspection
Building Official confirms completed work matches approved plans and permit before issuing a Certificate of Occupancy; commercial projects require two weeks' advance notice to the Building Department
See the full Manhattan inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →
Tips
- Manhattan has no standalone 'Change of Use' permit or application — a use change on an existing building is evaluated through the 'Use: Permitted / Not Permitted / Requires Conditional Use Permit' determination on the Town's Building Permit Zoning Review form, and/or through the Certificate of Occupancy final-inspection process if paired with any building work.
- Commercial occupants must notify the Building Department at least two weeks before their desired occupancy date — plan the final inspection request accordingly.
- A temporary Certificate of Occupancy is available at the Building Official's discretion for commercial buildings with only minor outstanding items (commonly landscaping) — ask directly rather than assuming it isn't available.
- Lenders commonly require a final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy before releasing construction funds — factor this into project financing timelines.
Frequently asked questions
Sources & verification
Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-22.
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 Manhattan building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.
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