Havre building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Havre, Montana.
Last verified 2026-07-02 · Source
Building department
- Address
- 520 4th Street, PO Box 231, Havre, MT 59501
- Phone
- (406) 265-4941
- Office hours
- Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Website
- Official site
Codes adopted
Montana adopts a single statewide building code by rule and, by default, enforces it directly — local governments only gain enforcement authority once the state certifies them. Under the Montana Building Codes Act (Mont. Code Ann. Title 50, Chapter 60), the Department of Labor & Industry's Building Codes Bureau adopts one state building code applicable everywhere (§ 50-60-203, codified further at Administrative Rules of Montana Title 24, Chapter 301) — currently the 2021 editions of the IBC, IRC, IMC, IFGC, IECC, IEBC, ISPSC, and UPC, with the 2020 NEC for electrical (effective statewide since 6/11/2022 per the Bureau's own Current Codes page). A city, county, or town may adopt and enforce its own building-code program under § 50-60-301, but its adopted code "may include only codes adopted by the Building Codes Bureau" — a local edition can never diverge from or be less stringent than the state's. Critically, under § 50-60-302, a local government cannot enforce ANY building code — even one it has formally adopted — until the Bureau certifies its program (requiring an approved code, a published fee schedule, an enforcement plan, and properly licensed or nationally certified inspectors); certification is granted per TRADE, not as one blanket designation. The Bureau's own "Certified City, County and Town Programs" list uses the key B=Building, P=Plumbing, E=Electrical, M=Mechanical, SP=Pool, W=Wildland-Urban-Interface — a jurisdiction can be certified for Building only while Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical remain directly state-enforced within the same city limits (e.g., Havre, Anaconda-Deer Lodge), or certified across all trades (e.g., Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell). Non-certified jurisdictions — most of Montana's unincorporated county land, since very few counties appear on the certified list — fall under direct enforcement by the state Building Codes Bureau (§ 50-60-304). Montana also exempts private homes and buildings of four or fewer dwelling units not serving transient guests from the state building-permit requirement entirely, though electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits remain separately required regardless. Always confirm with the specific jurisdiction which trades it is certified for versus which remain directly state-enforced.
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Remodel)
Required for new single-family residential construction, additions, remodels, repairs, and alterations within Havre city limits. Issued by the City of Havre Public Works Department under its DLI-certified local Building program (2021 IBC/IRC editions). Paper application submitted at City Hall.
Roofing Permit (Repair or Replacement)
Required for roof repair or replacement within Havre city limits, issued by the City of Havre Public Works Department. Covers sheathing, insulation, ice/water barrier, and ventilation compliance under the 2021 IBC/IRC/IECC.
Miscellaneous Building Permit (Fence, Driveway, Sidewalk, Curb Cut)
Required within Havre city limits for fences, driveways, sidewalks, and curb cuts. Issued by the City of Havre Public Works Department.
Residential Electrical Permit
Required for residential electrical work anywhere in Havre (city limits) and Hill County. Because Havre is NOT electrically-certified, this permit is issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau (Helena) — not the city — under the 2020 NEC. Covers new single-family service, rewiring, change of service, accessory buildings, modular/mobile homes, and alternative energy (solar) add-ons.
Residential Plumbing Permit (including Water Heater)
Required for plumbing work anywhere in Havre (city limits) and Hill County, including new water heater installation/replacement. Because Havre is NOT plumbing-certified, this permit is issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau (Helena) under the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code, not the city.
Residential Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for mechanical/HVAC work anywhere in Havre (city limits) and Hill County, including furnaces, gas piping, ventilation, and cooling equipment. Because Havre is NOT mechanically-certified, this permit is issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau (Helena) under the 2021 International Mechanical Code, not the city.
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit — Alternative Energy Source
Residential solar PV installations in Havre require a state-issued Residential Electrical Permit with the Alternative Energy Source add-on, since Havre is not electrically-certified. Also requires a City of Havre Building Permit for the structural/mounting component of the installation.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-05)
- No data reported
- Trailing 12 months
- No data reported
- Year to date (2026 YTD)
- No data reported
- Full year 2025
- 1units
1 buildings · $460,000 valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-05 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Montana building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Havre has a split enforcement model: the city itself is DLI-certified for BUILDING permits only ('B' designation) — Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits within Havre city limits are issued directly by the Montana Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not the city. Source: Montana Building Codes Bureau, Certified Local Government Building Code Jurisdictions and Certified Building Code Inspectors list.
- Unincorporated Hill County (outside Havre city limits) does not appear on the state's certified local government list at all — every permit type there (Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical) is issued directly by the state Building Codes Bureau.
- Havre's own building code text does not contain independent amendments to the IBC/IRC — City Code 4-1-1 simply adopts whatever edition the state Building Codes Bureau currently has in force, enforced locally by the city's own certified building official (Trevor Mork).
- The state's currently adopted codes (effective June 11, 2022) are: 2021 IBC, IRC, IECC, IEBC, IMC, IFGC, ISPSC; 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code; 2020 NEC; 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessibility. Havre's own Roofing Permit application cites 2021 IRC/IBC/IECC section numbers directly, confirming these editions are in active local use.
- Building permit fees for Havre are set by City Council resolution (City Code 4-1-14) and published in a standalone Fee Schedule PDF, not fixed permanently in the code — always check the current posted schedule.
- State-issued Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits for Havre and Hill County addresses are mailed (with payment) to the Building Codes Bureau, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517, or filed online at ebiz.mt.gov — not submitted to Havre City Hall.
- Water heater replacement is a flat $25 state Plumbing Permit fee. Solar PV requires both a $65 state Alternative Energy Source electrical add-on and a city Building Permit for the mounting structure.