Troy building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Troy, Montana.
Last verified 2026-07-04 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 301 E. Kootenai Avenue, Troy, MT 59935
- Phone
- (406) 295-4151
- citytroy@troymt.net
- Office hours
- City Hall, 301 E. Kootenai Ave., Troy, MT 59935; Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (closed weekends/holidays); general line (406) 295-4151, email citytroy@troymt.net. Building Inspector David Jones direct line (406) 295-9851, email building.inspector@troymt.net.
- Website
- Official site
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Troy — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
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.
- 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; non-certified trades and non-certified project scopes 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 (bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits).
- Troy is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B), RESIDENTIAL ONLY, plus Swimming Pool (SP), within city limits; certified official on file with DLI: David Jones, (406) 295-9851. Verified directly against the DLI Building Codes Bureau's 'Montana Certified Local Government Program' roster PDF (fetched via browser-header curl and read directly with pdftotext, not taken on secondhand summary): 'Troy | B (residential only), SP | David Jones | 295-9851 | City Limits'. This means COMMERCIAL building permits within Troy city limits, and Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical permits for ALL project types (residential and commercial), are issued DIRECTLY by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, not the City. Source: https://bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/building-codes-permits/certified-city.pdf
- The City of Troy's own 'Building Permit Requirements' packet (dated February 7, 2023, filename Building Permit Application 2022.docx/pdf) references the '2009 IBC-IRC' on its Inspection Record card ('REMEMBER 2009 IBC-IRC required the permit holder to notify the building official when work is ready for inspection') — the City's packet has not been refreshed to reference the current 2021-edition code, even though the statewide code in force is now the 2021 edition. This is reported as an observed inconsistency in the City's own published document, not an invented fact — directly parallel to the same inconsistency found in Libby's packet.
- 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. Source: bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits/current-codes
- Troy's own Building Permit Requirements packet does not separately name IECC, IEBC, or ISPSC edition years the way Libby's City page does — the City's packet references only the general 'City, State, and National regulations' framing and the 2009 IBC-IRC inspection-card citation noted above. No additional code-edition citations were found on the City's own materials beyond what is reported here; omitted rather than inferred.
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration / Repair)
Required for new single-family home construction, additions, alterations, and repairs within Troy city limits. Issued by the City of Troy under its DLI-certified local Building (B), RESIDENTIAL ONLY, program, using the City's own City of Troy Building Permit Application, reviewed by Building Inspector David Jones.
Commercial Building Permit (State-Issued)
Because Troy's DLI Building certification is scoped to RESIDENTIAL ONLY, any commercial building permit (new construction, addition, alteration, repair, change of occupancy) anywhere within Troy city limits is issued DIRECTLY by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not by the City of Troy, under the 2021 IBC as adopted statewide.
Swimming Pool Permit
Required for construction or installation of a swimming pool within Troy city limits. Troy is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Swimming Pool (SP) permitting, using the same City of Troy Building Permit Application used for other building work.
Electrical Permit (State-Issued)
Because Troy holds no DLI Electrical certification, electrical work anywhere within Troy city limits — residential or commercial — requires a permit issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not by the City of Troy, under the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC).
Plumbing Permit (State-Issued, incl. Water Heater)
Because Troy holds no DLI Plumbing certification, plumbing work anywhere within Troy city limits — including water heater installation/replacement — requires a Plumbing Permit issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not by the City of Troy, under the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code.
Mechanical / HVAC Permit (State-Issued)
Because Troy holds no DLI Mechanical certification, mechanical/HVAC work anywhere within Troy city limits requires a Mechanical Permit issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not by the City of Troy, under the 2021 International Mechanical Code and International Fuel Gas Code.
Deck / Accessory Structure Permit
Required for decks, detached garages, and storage sheds 120 square feet or larger within Troy city limits, using the City's own City of Troy Building Permit Application under its residential Building (B) certification. Play houses/storage sheds under 120 square feet are exempt.
Demolition / Building Move Permit
Required for demolition or removal of any structure within Troy city limits, and for moving a structure, using the same City of Troy Building Permit Application with 'Demolition' or 'Move' checked under Type of Project. An asbestos/vermiculite inspection requirement applies before demolition, per the City's own packet and the Montana Asbestos Control Act.
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) / Alternative Energy Permit
Required for installation of rooftop or ground-mount solar photovoltaic systems within Troy city limits. The structural/mounting portion (if a building permit is triggered) is issued by the City of Troy Building Department, which is DLI-certified for residential building only. The electrical interconnection portion — the permit that actually applies to nearly all grid-tied residential solar in Troy — is issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not the City, since Troy holds no Electrical certification, under the statewide 'Renewable energy system' fee category (ARM 24.301.461).
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Permit (State-Issued)
Electrical permits for ALL project types within Troy city limits (Troy is only DLI-certified for Building/Residential and Swimming Pool, not Electrical) are issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, under the 2020 NEC — an EV charger/EVSE circuit installation therefore follows the same state Electrical Permit mechanism documented in this file's Electrical Permit (State-Issued) entry. The Bureau's own Application for Residential Electrical Permit (BCP-1) fee table has no dedicated EV-charger line item; the closest applicable category is 'H. 1 additional circuit or piece of equipment' ($45) or 'G. 2-3 additional circuits or pieces of equipment' ($70) if no panel/service change is involved, or the service-amperage-based categories already documented in this file's Electrical Permit (State-Issued) entry if the installation requires a panel/service upgrade.
Commercial / Business Sign Permit
No distinct sign permit, sign ordinance, or sign-specific fee was found published by the City of Troy after an exhaustive search of the City's own website, its own (self-described as outdated) Ordinances and Resolutions page, the City's Building Permit Requirements packet, and available Municode Library search indexing for Troy's Code of Ordinances. This is reported as a genuine absence in Troy's own published materials rather than invented or borrowed from another jurisdiction. A sign that is also a structure (e.g., a freestanding pole sign requiring a foundation, or a sign attached to/altering a building) would most plausibly be captured under the City's general Building Permit Application (Type of Project) if it constitutes construction, alteration, or addition to a structure — but no City document was found stating this explicitly for signage.
Fire Sprinkler & Fire Alarm Permit (State-Issued, via Building Permit 'Fire Suppression' Type of Work)
Troy does NOT appear on the Montana Department of Justice State Fire Marshal's 'IFC-Certified Cities' roster (verified directly against the DOJ's own current PDF, 'Mt-IFC-Cert-Cities-Updated-11-18-2025.pdf,' fetched via browser-header curl and read directly with pdftotext) — meaning Troy has no locally-certified fire-plan-review authority of its own, unlike neighboring Libby, which IS jointly IFC-2021-certified with Lincoln County Rural Fire District 1. Troy's own separate DLI Building Codes Bureau certification (Building-residential-only, plus Swimming Pool) likewise contains no Fire trade. As a result, fire sprinkler and fire alarm system installations within Troy city limits are reviewed and permitted through the SAME Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau statewide 'Application for Building Permit' (BCP-1) used for commercial building work in this file's commercial-building-permit-state entry, selecting 'Fire Suppression' under the form's 'Type of Work' checkboxes — not as a separate stand-alone permit product with its own dedicated fee schedule.
Change of Use / Change of Occupancy Permit (Commercial — State-Issued) and Certificate of Occupancy
Because Troy's DLI Building certification is scoped to RESIDENTIAL ONLY (per this file's commercial-building-permit-state entry), a commercial change of use or change of occupancy anywhere within Troy city limits — e.g., converting a retail tenant space to a restaurant, or any change triggering a different IBC occupancy classification — is reviewed and permitted DIRECTLY by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, using the SAME statewide 'Application for Building Permit' (BCP-1) with 'Change of Use' checked under Type of Work, evaluated against Chapter 10 ('Change of Occupancy') of the 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) as adopted statewide. The Bureau's own application form states the building 'may not be used or occupied by any person until approved by the Bureau,' confirming state sign-off functions as the Certificate of Occupancy step for this state-administered track.
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
- 0units
0 buildings · $0 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
- Troy is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for BUILDING (B), RESIDENTIAL ONLY, plus SWIMMING POOL (SP) — verified directly against the DLI Building Codes Bureau's own 'Montana Certified Local Government Program' roster PDF (fetched via browser-header curl and read directly with pdftotext): 'Troy | B (residential only), SP | David Jones | 295-9851 | City Limits'. Commercial building permits within Troy city limits, and Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical permits for ALL project types, are issued DIRECTLY by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena — mail to PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517, or apply online at ebiz.mt.gov.
- Troy's Building Permit Requirements packet (dated February 7, 2023) is nearly line-for-line identical in structure to Libby's — same fee table format, same investigation-fee citation (ARM 24.301.139), same application layout, and the same Lincoln County vermiculite/asbestos-legacy ARP Hotline guidance — but Troy's fee table additionally prints two higher valuation tiers ($1M-$5M and $5M+) not seen on Libby's packet, and Troy's inspection card cites '2009 IBC-IRC' (vs. Libby's citation of both 2009 IBC/IRC and a 2006 IRC Appendix L) — both are observed inconsistencies in each city's own current materials relative to the statewide 2021-edition code now in force, reported here rather than silently corrected or invented around.
- UNLIKE Libby, no Troy-specific floodplain-manager sign-off requirement (e.g., a mayoral memo mandating County Floodplain Manager review of every new City building permit) was found in Troy's own published Building Permit Requirements packet or on the City's website. Lincoln County's Planning Department (Director Jesse Haag, (406) 283-2309) does administer County Floodplain Regulations covering 'the towns of Troy, Eureka and Rexford' per the County Planning homepage, but this is a general county-level administrative relationship, not a documented Troy-specific building-permit-process sign-off requirement — reported as a genuine difference from Libby rather than assumed to mirror it.
- Because Troy shares Lincoln County's documented vermiculite/asbestos contamination legacy (from the nearby Libby Asbestos Superfund site), the City's own Building Permit Requirements packet devotes substantial space (pages 3-4) to Asbestos Resource Program (ARP) guidance: ARP Hotline (406) 291-5335, quoting ARM 17.74.354's pre-demolition/renovation asbestos-inspection requirement, plus detailed vermiculite-handling instructions for both small and large quantities found during renovation, landscaping, or excavation work.
- reviewTimelineDays is null/unverified for every City-issued Troy permit type (residential building, swimming pool, deck/accessory structure, demolition/move): no city-published turnaround time was found on the City's City Hall page, its Building Permit Requirements and Application packet (all 10 pages extracted directly via pdftotext, including the fee table and inspection-record card), or Troy Municipal Code Title 9 (library.municode.com/mt/troy returned HTTP 403 Forbidden on direct WebFetch; a browser-header curl request returned HTTP 200 but only the unrendered Angular single-page-application shell with no ordinance text; the Wayback Machine's availability API returned HTTP 429 rate-limit errors on repeated retries with no cached snapshot retrieved). The DLI's state FAQ figure ('a few hours to several weeks') was deliberately NOT borrowed for these city-certified types, since it governs a different, state-administered track. That same DLI FAQ figure IS correctly applied to Troy's state-routed types (commercial building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical) since those genuinely are state-issued for Troy.
- Investigation fee for unpermitted work commencement: 50% of the combined plan review and building permit fee, minimum $250, maximum $1,000 — this figure appears in the City's own packet (quoting ARM 24.301.139 directly) and matches the statewide ARM formula verbatim.
- Permits are NOT required for: fences under 6 feet, play houses/storage sheds under 120 square feet, painting/papering/cosmetic finish work, residential re-siding, retaining walls under 4 feet, and walks/slabs/flat work less than 30 inches above grade.
- A Certificate of Occupancy must be issued before a building can be used, per the City's own Building Permit Application form.
- Outside Troy city limits (unincorporated Lincoln County), Lincoln County does not appear as its own row on the DLI's certified-jurisdictions roster — Building, Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits there are all issued directly by the state Building Codes Bureau.