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Construction Permit — Commercial Building (New Construction / Addition / Remodel / Tenant Improvement) in East Helena, Montana

Required for new commercial construction, additions, remodels, and tenant improvements within East Helena city limits. The City uses the same Construction Permit Application used for residential work, reviewed under the 2021 IBC by the City of East Helena Department of Building & Safety under its DLI-certified local Building (B) program, rather than a separate commercial-specific application. Must be preceded by an approved Zoning Application. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work on a commercial project remain with the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, since East Helena's certification does not extend to those trades.

Verified 2026-08-26 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Zoning Application must be approved before a Building Permit Application is submitted
  • Construction Permit Application (Building & Safety) must be completed with project address, owner/architect/contractor information, description of project, and estimated valuation of work
  • Owner-Builder & Worker's Compensation Declaration section must be completed Owner-builder
  • Reviewed against the 2021 IBC as statewide-adopted (effective June 11, 2022) and locally enforced by East Helena's certified building official
  • Unlike a single-family dwelling, a commercial project requires a called Insulation Inspection: made after exterior wall and ceiling insulation is installed and secured, and before interior surface covering is applied
  • No commercial-specific plan submittal checklist was found published separately from the City's Residential One- and Two-Family Dwellings Plan Submittal Requirements document, which by its own title is scoped to one- and two-family dwellings only
  • Applicant must pay the plan-review portion of the fee within 30 days of notification that plan review is complete (even if not proceeding to construction), and 100% of the total permit fee before starting work
  • Digital plans may be emailed to the Building Official at building@easthelenamt.us

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (commercial new construction, addition, remodel, tenant improvement)
Not published as a flat table. City of East Helena Planning/Zoning/Building page (easthelenamt.us/coeh/planning-zoning-building/) states the Building Permit fee 'is based on a predetermined formula… Show full citationNot published as a flat table. City of East Helena Planning/Zoning/Building page (easthelenamt.us/coeh/planning-zoning-building/) states the Building Permit fee 'is based on a predetermined formula and depends on the size of the project after submitting the permit application,' and this statement is not qualified to residential work only. The Construction Permit Application (PDF) itself carries no printed fee table and is the same form used for residential submissions. No commercial-specific fee schedule PDF was found after checking the Planning/Zoning/Building page and its linked forms; contact City Hall at (406) 227-5321 or building@easthelenamt.us for the current calculation.
Not published — contact the department

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Construction Permit — Commercial Building (New Construction / Addition / Remodel / Tenant Improvement) 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

    Footing Inspection

    Made when forms and footing steel are in place, prior to any concrete being placed

  2. 2

    Foundation Inspection

    Made after forms are erected and foundation steel is in place, prior to any concrete being placed

  3. 3

    Framing Inspection

    Made after roof, all framing, sheathing, fireblocking, and bracing are in place and all rough electrical wiring, plumbing, chimneys, vents, and ducting are complete, and before thermal insulation is installed

  4. 4

    Insulation Inspection

    A called inspection for commercial and multiple-family buildings (not required for single-family dwellings): made after exterior wall and ceiling insulation is installed and secured, before interior surface covering is applied

  5. 5

    Wallboard Inspection

    Made after all wallboard is in place, but before joints and fasteners are taped/finished

  6. 6

    Final Inspection

    Made after the building is completed and ready for occupancy and all special conditions required for permit issuance are completed

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

Tips

  • East Helena has no separate commercial building permit application — commercial new construction, additions, remodels, and tenant improvements are submitted on the same Construction Permit Application used for residential work.
  • Commercial and multiple-family buildings require a called Insulation Inspection that single-family dwellings do not — factor this extra inspection into the project schedule.
  • No flat commercial fee schedule is published; the City calculates fees by the same predetermined valuation formula used for residential work. Confirm the current calculation directly with the Department of Building & Safety, (406) 227-5321 / building@easthelenamt.us.
  • Fire protection systems required by the IBC (sprinklers, alarms) are reviewed by the City's Building Official as part of this permit process rather than by a separate fire-marshal step — see East Helena's Fire Sprinkler & Fire Alarm System Permit listing for how that routing is established.
  • Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits for a commercial project are separate and are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not the City, since East Helena's certification covers only Building and Swimming Pool.

Frequently asked questions

East Helena requires a construction permit — commercial building (new construction / addition / remodel / tenant improvement) for: Zoning Application must be approved before a Building Permit Application is submitted; Construction Permit Application (Building & Safety) must be completed with project address, owner/architect/contractor information, description of project, and estimated valuation of work; Owner-Builder & Worker's Compensation Declaration section must be completed; Reviewed against the 2021 IBC as statewide-adopted (effective June 11, 2022) and locally enforced by East Helena's certified building official; Unlike a single-family dwelling, a commercial project requires a called Insulation Inspection: made after exterior wall and ceiling insulation is installed and secured, and before interior surface covering is applied; No commercial-specific plan submittal checklist was found published separately from the City's Residential One- and Two-Family Dwellings Plan Submittal Requirements document, which by its own title is scoped to one- and two-family dwellings only; Applicant must pay the plan-review portion of the fee within 30 days of notification that plan review is complete (even if not proceeding to construction), and 100% of the total permit fee before starting work; Digital plans may be emailed to the Building Official at building@easthelenamt.us. 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.

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: Construction Permit Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

East Helena requires 6 inspection(s) for a construction permit — commercial building (new construction / addition / remodel / tenant improvement), in order: Footing Inspection, Foundation Inspection, Framing Inspection, Insulation Inspection, Wallboard Inspection, 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/.

No. Commercial new construction, additions, remodels, and tenant improvements are submitted on the same Construction Permit Application used for residential work, reviewed by the City's Department of Building & Safety under the 2021 IBC. A commercial project also requires a called Insulation Inspection that single-family dwellings do not.

The City does not publish a flat fee table for commercial work. Per the City of East Helena Planning/Zoning/Building page, the Building Permit fee 'is based on a predetermined formula and depends on the size of the project after submitting the permit application.' Contact City Hall at (406) 227-5321 for the current calculation.

The Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau in Helena issues those permits directly for any East Helena address, because East Helena's DLI certification covers Building and Swimming Pool only, not Electrical, Plumbing, or Mechanical.

Sources & verification

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

Applications & forms

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

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