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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Alterations) in Missoula, Montana

Required for new construction, additions, and alterations to commercial buildings within Missoula city limits, and for any new residential building with 3 or more dwelling units, which the City reviews under the IBC rather than the IRC. Applications are submitted online through Accela Citizen Access under Commercial Building Permit numbers formatted 20YY-MSS-COM-#####, distinct from the Residential Building Permit's RES numbering. The City of Missoula is one of Montana's certified local building programs — the Montana Department of Labor & Industry's own published list of certified city, county, and town programs shows Missoula (City) certified for Building, Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanical, and Swimming Pool codes, with no residential-only or commercial-only limitation noted for the City (unlike some peer cities on the same list). The City's own Development Services Building Division issues and administers this permit rather than the state Building Codes Bureau. Reviewed against the 2021 IBC as amended by the State of Montana, adopted locally effective September 1, 2022 per Missoula Municipal Code 15.04.010. Billed on the same citywide valuation-based fee table as the Residential Building Permit, with a 30% plan review fee.

Verified 2026-08-26 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Required for new construction, additions, and alterations to commercial structures, and for any new residential building with 3 or more dwelling units (reviewed under the IBC rather than the IRC)
  • Applications are submitted online through Accela Citizen Access under Commercial Building Permit numbers formatted 20YY-MSS-COM-#####
  • Plans must comply with the 2021 IBC as amended by the State of Montana Building Codes Bureau, adopted locally effective September 1, 2022 per Missoula Municipal Code 15.04.010
  • Plan documents must meet the City's electronic plan review and document specification requirements
  • Supplemental documents required per the City's Site Plan Checklist, which can include a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), Energy Compliance Certifications (ComCheck) for new construction, asbestos documentation for additions and remodels, and a Wastewater Classification Survey
  • A change in occupancy classification or use is processed as a separate Change-of-Use Permit rather than under this permit type
  • Commercial properties must pass a final fire inspection by the Missoula Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau before a Certificate of Occupancy can be issued; the Certificate of Occupancy must be separately requested from Development Services after final inspection

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — project valuation $1 to $500City of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule (Resolution 8887, effective Jan 1–Dec 31, 2026); the schedule is a single citywide valuation table used for both residential and commercial building permits, with no separate commercial fee table published
$36 permit fee + $11.00 plan review fee
Building Permit Fee — project valuation $99,001 to $100,000City of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule
$1,582 permit fee + $475.00 plan review fee
Building Permit Fee — project valuation $100,001 to $500,000City of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule
$1,582 for the first $100,000 plus $9.94 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof
Building Permit Fee — project valuation $500,001 to $1,000,000City of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule
$5,556 for the first $500,000 plus $6.62 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof
Building Permit Fee — project valuation $1,000,001 and upCity of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule
$8,868 for the first $1,000,000 plus $4.97 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof
Plan Review Fee (all valuation tiers)City of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule, which states directly: "Plan Review Fee is 30% of the Building Permit Fee" — applies at every valuation tier for both residential and commercial building permits
30% of the Building Permit Fee

Review timeline

Plan reviewMissoula’s published plan-review target
56–84 business days

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Alterations) permit actually take in Missoula?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing and Foundation

    Before concrete pour

  2. 2

    Framing/Structural

    Requires rough mechanical, electrical, and plumbing inspections to be completed and passed first

  3. 3

    Mechanical (Rough)

    Ductwork and equipment rough-in before wall cover; must pass before framing inspection

  4. 4

    Plumbing (Rough)

    Pipe rough-in before wall cover; must pass before framing inspection

  5. 5

    Electrical (Rough)

    Wiring rough-in before wall cover; must pass before framing inspection

  6. 6

    Fire Final Inspection (Commercial Only)

    Required before a Certificate of Occupancy can be issued for commercial properties; conducted by the Missoula Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau

  7. 7

    Final

    Required on all permits; all work complete per approved plans

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

Tips

  • Buildings with 3 or more dwelling units use this Commercial Building Permit and are reviewed under the IBC, not the IRC — a duplex or single-family home instead uses the Residential Building Permit.
  • The City of Missoula administers its own certified local building program rather than routing commercial permits to the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau; the Department's own Certified City, County and Town Programs list is the source to check if a project spans city and unincorporated county lines.
  • A change in occupancy classification or use is processed separately as a Change-of-Use Permit, and fire sprinkler/alarm work is processed under its own fire permit — this permit type covers new construction, additions, and alterations only.
  • One review cycle is standard; resubmittal fees may apply starting at the third review cycle for incomplete or repeatedly revised submittals, per the City's Permit Processes and Policies page — no flat resubmittal fee amount is published, and fees are approved case by case by department leadership.

Frequently asked questions

Missoula requires a commercial building permit (new construction, additions, alterations) for: Required for new construction, additions, and alterations to commercial structures, and for any new residential building with 3 or more dwelling units (reviewed under the IBC rather than the IRC); Applications are submitted online through Accela Citizen Access under Commercial Building Permit numbers formatted 20YY-MSS-COM-#####; Plans must comply with the 2021 IBC as amended by the State of Montana Building Codes Bureau, adopted locally effective September 1, 2022 per Missoula Municipal Code 15.04.010; Plan documents must meet the City's electronic plan review and document specification requirements; Supplemental documents required per the City's Site Plan Checklist, which can include a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), Energy Compliance Certifications (ComCheck) for new construction, asbestos documentation for additions and remodels, and a Wastewater Classification Survey; A change in occupancy classification or use is processed as a separate Change-of-Use Permit rather than under this permit type; Commercial properties must pass a final fire inspection by the Missoula Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau before a Certificate of Occupancy can be issued; the Certificate of Occupancy must be separately requested from Development Services after final inspection. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Missoula Development Services — Building Division (Community Planning, Development & Innovation) at (406) 552-6630 before starting work.

Commercial building permits use the same citywide valuation-based fee table as the Residential Building Permit, per the City of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule (Resolution 8887): $36 permit fee plus $11.00 plan review fee at the $1-$500 valuation tier, scaling up to $8,868 for the first $1,000,000 plus $4.97 per additional $1,000 above that. The Plan Review Fee is a flat 30% of the Building Permit Fee at every tier.

Missoula's published plan-review target for a commercial building permit (new construction, additions, alterations) is 56–84 business days.

You'll need: Commercial Building Permit Application (Accela Citizen Access); Construction Drawings; Wastewater Classification Survey. Depending on your project, Missoula may also ask for: Supplemental Site Plan Checklist Documents. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Apply through City of Missoula Development Services — Building Division (Community Planning, Development & Innovation) at 435 Ryman St., Missoula, MT 59802. Phone: (406) 552-6630, email: BLDG@ci.missoula.mt.us. Office hours: Permit/application questions: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–4:00 PM, (406) 552-6060, coordinators@ci.missoula.mt.us. Building code questions: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, (406) 552-6630, BLDG@ci.missoula.mt.us. Inspection scheduling: (406) 552-6040 or text (888) 413-4439.. Official information: https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/3202/Building-Division.

The 2021 International Building Code (IBC), as amended by the State of Montana Building Codes Bureau, effective in Missoula September 1, 2022 per Missoula Municipal Code 15.04.010. Residential buildings with 3 or more dwelling units are also reviewed under the IBC rather than the IRC.

The City of Missoula issues and administers its own commercial building permits. The City appears on the Montana Department of Labor & Industry's own published list of certified city, county, and town building code programs, certified for Building, Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanical, and Swimming Pool codes with no residential-only or commercial-only limitation noted for the City. Applicants file with the City's Development Services Building Division, not the state Building Codes Bureau.

Fire plan review and inspection are handled by the Missoula Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau, not the State Fire Marshal, and are billed and processed as separate fire sprinkler and/or fire alarm permits coordinated with the underlying Commercial Building Permit rather than folded into its base fee. Commercial properties must also pass a final fire inspection before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

Sources & verification

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

Fee schedules

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

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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Additions, Alterations) in other cities

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