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Deck / Accessory Structure Permit (Garage, Pole Barn, Patio Cover) in Cut Bank, Montana

Required for building an uncovered deck, adding a garage, constructing a pole barn, or adding a patio cover within Cut Bank city limits, using the same Building Permit Application as new construction. Effective May 1, 2024, deck installations were explicitly brought under the City's permitting program alongside roofing. Small sheds and minimal decks remain exempt per IRC R105.2.

Verified 2026-07-03 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Building Permit Application required for decks, garages, pole barns, and patio covers (not exempt under R105.2)
  • Exempt only if: one-story detached accessory structure (shed) 200 sq ft or less in floor area, OR a deck 200 sq ft or less, not more than 30 inches above grade at any point within 36 inches of the deck edge, not attached to the dwelling, and not serving a required exit door under R311.4
  • Plot plan showing setbacks from property lines required for all non-exempt accessory structures and decks
  • Guide handouts available from the City for adding a garage, building a pole barn, adding a patio cover, and building an uncovered deck

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same schedule as new construction; $100.00 minimum)City of Cut Bank Building Fees and Permits schedule
$23.50 minimum tier scaling per the Building Fees and Permits table (e.g., $69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14.00 per additional $1,000 up to $25,000), subject to the $100.00 minimum permit fee

Review timeline

Plan reviewCut Bank’s published plan-review target
4–7 business days

How long did your Deck / Accessory Structure Permit (Garage, Pole Barn, Patio Cover) permit actually take in Cut Bank?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing/Foundation

    Required before concrete pour for deck posts, garage foundations, or pole barn footings, verifying the 48-inch frost depth

  2. 2

    Final

    Completed structure verified against approved plans and setbacks

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

Tips

  • Effective May 1, 2024, the City explicitly added deck installations to its permitting program under new Building Official Kory Sandon — do not assume older guidance that decks were unregulated still applies.
  • A deck is exempt from a building permit ONLY if it meets all four conditions together: 200 sq ft or less, 30 inches or less above grade at any point within 36 inches of its edge, unattached to the dwelling, and not serving a required exit door.
  • The City publishes free project-specific guides (Guide for Adding a Garage, Guide to Building a Pole Barn, Guide to Adding a Patio Cover, Guide for Building an Uncovered Deck) available on the Permits page.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, unless the deck is 200 square feet or less, no more than 30 inches above grade at any point within 36 inches of its edge, not attached to the dwelling, and does not serve a required exit door. Effective May 1, 2024, deck installations were explicitly added to the City's permitting program. Source: City of Cut Bank Permitting FAQ's and Building Department page.

In Cut Bank, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same schedule as new construction; $100.00 minimum) is: $23.50 minimum tier scaling per the Building Fees and Permits table (e.g., $69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14.00 per additional $1,000 up to $25,000), subject to the $100.00 minimum permit fee. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Cut Bank's published plan-review target for a deck / accessory structure permit (garage, pole barn, patio cover) is 4–7 business days.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Plot Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Cut Bank requires 2 inspection(s) for a deck / accessory structure permit (garage, pole barn, patio cover), in order: Footing/Foundation, Final. Schedule each through City of Cut Bank Building Department — Building Official Kory Sandon, Certified Residential & Commercial Building Inspector; city-certified for Building (B) permits only. Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits within Cut Bank city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, not the City. ((406) 873-5526).

Apply through City of Cut Bank Building Department — Building Official Kory Sandon, Certified Residential & Commercial Building Inspector; city-certified for Building (B) permits only. Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits within Cut Bank city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, not the City. at 221 West Main Street, Cut Bank, MT 59427. Phone: (406) 873-5526, email: ksandon@cityofcutbank.org. Office hours: City Hall (Winter Hours): Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Building Official Kory Sandon can be reached directly at (406) 873-5526 or ksandon@cityofcutbank.org.. Official information: https://www.cityofcutbank.org/building-department.

Cut Bank, 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 trades in a partially-certified jurisdiction fall under direct state administration by the DLI Building Codes Bureau. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, Certified City, County and Town Programs list (bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits).; Cut Bank is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B) ONLY within city limits; certified building official on file with DLI: Kory Sandon, (406) 873-5526. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, 'Montana Certified Local Government Program' roster, updated 04/22/2026, https://bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/building-codes-permits/certified-city.pdf — roster row: 'Cutbank | B | Kory Sandon | 873-5526 | City Limits' (verified directly via pdftotext extraction of the primary-source PDF, not a third-party mirror).; The City of Cut Bank's own Building Permit Fee Schedule and Permitting FAQ (published on cityofcutbank.org) confirm the City issues Building permits only, while explicitly directing applicants to the Montana DLI for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits: 'Where do I get my mechanical, electrical, or plumbing permit? Online from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.' Source: City of Cut Bank Permitting FAQ's (PDF), cityofcutbank.org/media/2616; Per the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's Current Codes page (statewide effective date June 11, 2022, applicable to all certified and state-enforced jurisdictions alike): 2021 IBC, 2021 IRC, 2021 IEBC, 2021 IMC, 2021 IFGC, 2021 IECC, 2021 ISPSC, 2021 UPC, 2020 NEC, 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessibility. Cut Bank's own Building Permit Application checklist references the adopted Uniform/International Residential Code framework (IRC Section R105.2 exemptions, R301.1.3 engineered design, R314/R315 smoke and CO alarms, R311.4 egress) consistent with enforcement of the state-adopted IRC edition rather than a locally-amended one. Source: bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits/current-codes; City of Cut Bank Building Permit Application Checklist (PDF), cityofcutbank.org/media/2766. Local amendments apply — see the Cut Bank overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-03.

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 Cut Bank building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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