Skip to main content
PermitBase

Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Remodel, Tenant Improvement) in Manhattan, Montana

Required for construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, or demolition of a commercial building or enclosed structure greater than 200 square feet within Manhattan town limits, under the same Town Code 12-1-2.A authority that governs residential construction. The Town publishes no separate commercial-only application: its 'Residential and Commercial Sub Contractor Building Permit Application' is a single combined form with a 'Commercial' checkbox alongside SFR, Duplex, Remodel, Addition, and Reroof, and also bundles the plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and zoning permits into the same submission. Reviewed against the current model technical codes adopted by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau (2021 IBC, effective June 11, 2022) and incorporated by reference per Manhattan Town Code 12-1-1, with plan review and inspections conducted per the rules and procedures of the City of Bozeman Building Code Enforcement Division per Manhattan Town Code 12-1-2.C.

Verified 2026-08-26 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building permit required for construction of any commercial building or enclosed structure greater than 200 square feet (Town Code 12-1-2.A); bundles plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and zoning permits into one application, the same threshold and bundling rule that governs residential construction
  • Application made at the Town Office on the Town's combined 'Residential and Commercial Sub Contractor Building Permit Application' — the 'Commercial' box is checked alongside the applicable trade boxes (Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical); no dedicated commercial-only application form is published
  • Reviewed against the current model technical codes adopted by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau and incorporated by reference per Town Code 12-1-1 — currently the 2021 IBC, 2021 IEBC, 2021 IMC, 2021 IFGC, 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code, 2021 IECC, 2020 NEC, and ICC A117.1-2017, each effective June 11, 2022 per the Bureau's Current Codes page
  • Plans reviewed and inspections conducted per the rules and procedures of the Bozeman City Building Code Enforcement Division (Town Code 12-1-2.C), the same arrangement documented for the Town's residential building permit
  • Two sets of plans required; plans must be stamped by a Montana-licensed design professional if project valuation exceeds $100,000, per the Town's Plan Review Check List
  • Applicant pays an administrative processing fee plus the cost of plan review and building inspection per a schedule maintained by the building code inspector and available at the Town Office (Town Code 12-1-2.B) — no fixed dollar amounts for commercial work, any more than for residential work, are published in the ordinance text or on the Town website
  • Commercial occupants must notify the Building Department at least two weeks prior to their desired occupancy date, ahead of the final inspection required for a Certificate of Occupancy
  • A separate Fire Suppression (Sprinkler) System Permit is required for fire suppression/standpipe systems in addition to this building permit — that scope is not part of the building permit itself
  • Permit expires if work is not started within 180 days, or if work ceases for 180 days; one-time 180-day extension available by written request; expired permits renewable for 50% of original fee

Required documents

Check off what you have — your progress is saved on this device.

Not ready yet — 0 of 2 required documents checked.

This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our checklist will assemble all of them, free →

Fee schedule

Filing fee
Not published — contact the department

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Remodel, Tenant Improvement) permit actually take in Manhattan?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation/Footing

    Foundation sizing, reinforcement, and anchor bolt placement verified before concealment, per the same Building Department practice documented for residential construction

  2. 2

    Rough-In (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Framing)

    Requested by phone no later than 4:30 PM the preceding day; the Building Department's preference for combining trade rough-ins on one call applies here the same as on residential projects

  3. 3

    Final / Certificate of Occupancy

    Builders must notify the Building Department for final inspection before occupancy; commercial projects require at least two weeks' advance notice ahead of the desired occupancy date

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

Tips

  • Manhattan has no separate commercial-only building permit application — the Town's single 'Residential and Commercial Sub Contractor Building Permit Application' covers both, with a 'Commercial' checkbox alongside the SFR/Duplex/Remodel/Addition/Reroof options.
  • As with every other permit type the Town issues, no commercial fee schedule or plan-review fee figure is published online — dollar amounts are maintained as a document 'available at the town office' per Town Code 12-1-2.B; call (406) 284-3235 or Building Official Brandon Yung at (406) 595-9300 for current figures.
  • Commercial occupants must give the Building Department at least two weeks' notice before their desired occupancy date, longer than the day-ahead notice the Town asks for routine inspections.
  • Fire suppression (sprinkler) systems are permitted separately — see the Town's Fire Suppression (Sprinkler) System Permit; it is not part of this building permit's scope.
  • The Town's Plan Review Check List published on the Forms page is oriented to single-family residential construction (egress windows, garage-to-house fire door, pony walls); no distinct commercial submittal checklist is published, so plan content for a commercial project is governed by the adopted IBC and Bozeman's review practice rather than by a Manhattan-specific checklist.

Frequently asked questions

Manhattan requires a commercial building permit (new construction, addition, remodel, tenant improvement) for: Building permit required for construction of any commercial building or enclosed structure greater than 200 square feet (Town Code 12-1-2.A); bundles plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and zoning permits into one application, the same threshold and bundling rule that governs residential construction; Application made at the Town Office on the Town's combined 'Residential and Commercial Sub Contractor Building Permit Application' — the 'Commercial' box is checked alongside the applicable trade boxes (Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical); no dedicated commercial-only application form is published; Reviewed against the current model technical codes adopted by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau and incorporated by reference per Town Code 12-1-1 — currently the 2021 IBC, 2021 IEBC, 2021 IMC, 2021 IFGC, 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code, 2021 IECC, 2020 NEC, and ICC A117.1-2017, each effective June 11, 2022 per the Bureau's Current Codes page; Plans reviewed and inspections conducted per the rules and procedures of the Bozeman City Building Code Enforcement Division (Town Code 12-1-2.C), the same arrangement documented for the Town's residential building permit; Two sets of plans required; plans must be stamped by a Montana-licensed design professional if project valuation exceeds $100,000, per the Town's Plan Review Check List; Applicant pays an administrative processing fee plus the cost of plan review and building inspection per a schedule maintained by the building code inspector and available at the Town Office (Town Code 12-1-2.B) — no fixed dollar amounts for commercial work, any more than for residential work, are published in the ordinance text or on the Town website; Commercial occupants must notify the Building Department at least two weeks prior to their desired occupancy date, ahead of the final inspection required for a Certificate of Occupancy; A separate Fire Suppression (Sprinkler) System Permit is required for fire suppression/standpipe systems in addition to this building permit — that scope is not part of the building permit itself; Permit expires if work is not started within 180 days, or if work ceases for 180 days; one-time 180-day extension available by written request; expired permits renewable for 50% of original fee. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Town of Manhattan Building Division at (406) 284-3235 before starting work.

No specific figure is published. The Town's building permit guide states residential plans typically take up to 10 working days, and that commercial plans can take longer if they are a complex design, without giving a commercial range. The state's 10-working-day certified-program deadline (MCA 50-60-106(2)(c)) applies only to single-family-dwelling checklist submissions, so it does not fill the gap for commercial review.

You'll need: Residential and Commercial Sub Contractor Building Permit Application; Construction Drawings. Depending on your project, Manhattan may also ask for: Stamped Structural Plans. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Manhattan requires 3 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction, addition, remodel, tenant improvement), in order: Foundation/Footing, Rough-In (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Framing), Final / Certificate of Occupancy. Schedule each through Town of Manhattan Building Division ((406) 284-3235).

Apply through Town of Manhattan Building Division at 207 South Sixth Street (P.O. Box 96), Manhattan, MT 59741. Phone: (406) 284-3235, email: townofmanhattan@gmail.com. Office hours: Town Office, 207 S. 6th St., Manhattan, MT 59741, Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (Town Office/Zoning: 406-284-3235; Building Official Brandon Yung: 406-595-9300, byung.town@gmail.com). Official information: https://www.townofmanhattan.com/building-zoning.

No. The Town's combined 'Residential and Commercial Sub Contractor Building Permit Application' covers both — check the 'Commercial' box along with Plumbing, Mechanical, and/or Electrical as applicable. Source: Town of Manhattan Building Permit Application form.

No fee schedule is published online. Per Town Code 12-1-2.B, the applicant pays an administrative processing fee plus the cost of plan review and building inspection, set out in a schedule maintained by the building code inspector and available only at the Town Office; call (406) 284-3235 for current figures.

No. A separate Fire Suppression (Sprinkler) System Permit is required in addition to the building permit.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-26.

Fee schedules

Applications & forms

Online permit portal

Codes & ordinances

Department & other records

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.

This one’s complicated · Get an expediter

Tell us about your project and we’ll connect you with a permit expediter who works in Manhattan.

PermitBase may receive a referral fee from the expediter. This is a service introduction, not verified permit data or legal advice.

Other permits in Manhattan

Residential Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Remodel)Electrical PermitPlumbing PermitMechanical / HVAC PermitFence PermitDemolition PermitSolar PV PermitEV Charger / EVSE PermitSign PermitFire Suppression (Sprinkler) System PermitCertificate of Occupancy

Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Addition, Remodel, Tenant Improvement) in other cities

Anaconda-Deer Lodge, MontanaBelgrade, MontanaBillings, MontanaBozeman, MontanaChoteau, MontanaCity of Deer Lodge, MontanaColumbia Falls, MontanaConrad, Montana

Compare commercial building permit (new construction, addition, remodel, tenant improvement) fees across Montana →

Look up this fee in a different city →

Embed this data card →

Now live

Build your Manhattan project checklist

Describe your project once and get every permit, document, and fee it triggers in Manhattan — in one checklist. Free, for any city and any number of projects.

Get started →