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Change of Use / Occupancy Permit in East Helena, Montana

East Helena does not publish a single standalone 'change of use' or 'certificate of occupancy' permit application. A change of use or occupancy of an existing building — including new business start-ups in existing buildings — is processed through two linked city mechanisms rather than one dedicated form. On the zoning side, the project is reviewed as a Site Plan (the track required for 'all developments within the City' other than single-household/two-household dwellings and Sketch-Plan-eligible minor projects), whose own Development Review Application certification statement requires that 'this development shall be in conformance with building and fire codes including required building and occupancy permits'; where the proposed use is not clearly listed as permitted or conditional in the applicable zoning district, the City Council additionally makes a formal 'Classification of Use' determination under Zoning Ordinance Section 2.1.03. On the building side, if the change of occupancy involves construction work or an IBC/IEBC occupancy-classification change, a Construction Permit Application to the city's DLI-certified Building & Safety Department is required, with a Certificate of Occupancy issued by the Building Official upon a satisfactory final inspection. No standalone change-of-use or CO-specific fee, form, or turnaround distinct from these general zoning and building fee lines was found published.

Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Site Plan Review required for the change of use/occupancy, since it is a development other than a single/two-household dwelling or a Sketch-Plan-eligible minor project — submitted via Development Review Application and Site Plan Checklist to City Hall
  • The Development Review Application's Site Plan Checklist certification statement requires the applicant to certify that the development will conform with 'building and fire codes including required building and occupancy permits'
  • Where the proposed use is not clearly listed as a permitted or conditional use in the applicable zoning district, a Classification of Use determination by the City Council is required under Zoning Ordinance Section 2.1.03, based on whether the use is the same as, or sufficiently similar to, an already-permitted use, is compatible with the district, and will not cause substantial injury to neighboring property values
  • If the change of occupancy involves construction work, alteration, or a change in IBC/IEBC occupancy classification, a Construction Permit Application must also be submitted to the Department of Building & Safety, reviewed under the 2021 IEBC and IBC as locally adopted
  • A Certificate of Occupancy — defined in the Zoning Ordinance as 'evidence that the building complies substantially with the plans and specifications that have been submitted to, and approved by, the local authority' — is issued by the Building Official upon satisfactory final inspection; no separate CO application form or fee distinct from the Construction Permit Application was found published
  • A City staff or City Council decision may be appealed per Zoning Ordinance Chapter 10 (Site Plan) or the Classification of Use appeal provisions of Section 2.1.03

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Site Plan Review FeeCity of East Helena Zoning Ordinance Fee Schedule (City Council approved November 1, 2016; carried forward unchanged in the October 2025 zoning ordinance codification). Plus actual contract planning review expenses at the City's discretion, per the Fee Schedule's footnote for Site Plan applications.
$500
Classification of UseCity of East Helena Zoning Ordinance Fee Schedule; applies when City Council must determine the appropriate classification of a proposed use under Zoning Ordinance Section 2.1.03.
$250
Building Permit / Certificate of Occupancy Fee (if construction or occupancy-classification change is involved)Not published as a flat table; the general Building Permit valuation-based formula applies, per the city's own site: the fee 'is based on a predetermined formula and depends on the size of the project after submitting the permit application.' No separate Certificate of Occupancy fee line was found published.
Not published — contact the department

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Change of Use / Occupancy Permit permit actually take in East Helena?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Inspection

    Made after the building/space is ready for its new occupancy and all special conditions required for permit issuance are completed and accepted by the responsible department, consistent with the general Construction Permit Application final-inspection framework; forms the basis for issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy

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

Tips

  • There is no single 'change of use' or 'certificate of occupancy' form in East Helena — plan for two tracks: a Site Plan zoning review ($500) covering the use itself, plus a Construction Permit Application to Building & Safety if any construction work or IBC/IEBC occupancy-classification change is involved.
  • If your proposed use is not clearly listed as permitted or conditional for the zoning district, budget for a separate $250 Classification of Use determination by the City Council under Zoning Ordinance Section 2.1.03.
  • The Site Plan Checklist's own applicant certification statement explicitly references 'required building and occupancy permits' — treat this as the city's clearest documented acknowledgment that occupancy permitting is a real, expected step for developments/business start-ups, even without a dedicated CO application form.
  • No review-timeline figure is published for Site Plan review, Classification of Use, or Certificate of Occupancy issuance specifically; checked the Zoning Ordinance, Site Plan Checklist, Development Review Application, and Zoning Ordinance Fee Schedule — none states a turnaround for these steps. Contact City Hall, (406) 227-5321.

Frequently asked questions

East Helena requires a change of use / occupancy permit for: Site Plan Review required for the change of use/occupancy, since it is a development other than a single/two-household dwelling or a Sketch-Plan-eligible minor project — submitted via Development Review Application and Site Plan Checklist to City Hall; The Development Review Application's Site Plan Checklist certification statement requires the applicant to certify that the development will conform with 'building and fire codes including required building and occupancy permits'; Where the proposed use is not clearly listed as a permitted or conditional use in the applicable zoning district, a Classification of Use determination by the City Council is required under Zoning Ordinance Section 2.1.03, based on whether the use is the same as, or sufficiently similar to, an already-permitted use, is compatible with the district, and will not cause substantial injury to neighboring property values; If the change of occupancy involves construction work, alteration, or a change in IBC/IEBC occupancy classification, a Construction Permit Application must also be submitted to the Department of Building & Safety, reviewed under the 2021 IEBC and IBC as locally adopted; A Certificate of Occupancy — defined in the Zoning Ordinance as 'evidence that the building complies substantially with the plans and specifications that have been submitted to, and approved by, the local authority' — is issued by the Building Official upon satisfactory final inspection; no separate CO application form or fee distinct from the Construction Permit Application was found published; A City staff or City Council decision may be appealed per Zoning Ordinance Chapter 10 (Site Plan) or the Classification of Use appeal provisions of Section 2.1.03. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of East Helena Department of Building & Safety — city-certified for Building (B) and Swimming Pool (SP) only; Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau at (406) 227-5321 before starting work.

In East Helena, the published Site Plan Review Fee is: $500. Additional published fees: Classification of Use — $250. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

East Helena does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of East Helena Department of Building & Safety — city-certified for Building (B) and Swimming Pool (SP) only; Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau at (406) 227-5321 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Development Review Application; Site Plan Checklist. Depending on your project, East Helena may also ask for: Construction Permit Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

East Helena requires 1 inspection(s) for a change of use / occupancy permit, in order: Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of East Helena Department of Building & Safety — city-certified for Building (B) and Swimming Pool (SP) only; Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau ((406) 227-5321).

Apply through City of East Helena Department of Building & Safety — city-certified for Building (B) and Swimming Pool (SP) only; Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau at 306 E. Main Street, PO Box 1170, East Helena, MT 59635. Phone: (406) 227-5321, email: building@easthelenamt.us. Office hours: City Hall, 306 E. Main Street, East Helena, MT 59635 (Administration Department, general questions: (406) 227-5321); Building Official/LEAP staff in Room 201 of City Hall, (406) 457-8583. Official information: https://easthelenamt.us/coeh/planning-zoning-building/.

Not as a single dedicated form. A change of use or occupancy — including a new business moving into an existing building — is processed as a Site Plan zoning review ($500), plus a City Council Classification of Use determination ($250) if the use isn't clearly listed for the zoning district, plus a Construction Permit Application to Building & Safety if any construction or IBC/IEBC occupancy-classification change is involved. The Site Plan Checklist's own certification language references 'required building and occupancy permits' as part of this process.

The City of East Helena's Building Official issues Certificates of Occupancy upon satisfactory final inspection, since the city is DLI-certified for Building (B). No separate CO application form or fee distinct from the general Construction Permit Application was found published by the city.

Other permits in East Helena

Construction Permit — Residential Building (New Construction / Addition / Remodel)Informational Building Permit (Minor Residential Work)Construction Permit — Deck / Accessory Structure (Garage, Shed)Demolition PermitSwimming Pool PermitElectrical Permit (State-Issued)Residential Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit — State-Issued Electrical Permit Add-OnEV Charger / EVSE Permit — State-Issued Electrical Permit (No Distinct Line Item)Plumbing Permit (including Water Heater) — State-IssuedMechanical / HVAC Permit — State-IssuedSign Permit (Sketch Plan Zoning Review)Fire Sprinkler & Fire Alarm System Permit

Change of Use / Occupancy Permit in other cities

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