Residential Building Permit (New Construction) in Missoula, Montana
VerifiedRequired for new single-family and duplex construction within Missoula city limits. Reviewed against the 2021 IRC/IBC and 2021 IECC as amended by the State of Montana Building Codes Bureau, adopted locally via Missoula Municipal Code 15.04.010. Applications are submitted online through the Accela Citizen Access portal.
Verified 2026-07-02 · Source
When you need this permit
- Apply online through Accela Citizen Access at aca-prod.accela.com/MISSOULA
- Plans must comply with the 2021 IRC/IBC and 2021 IECC as amended by the State of Montana
- For 1-2 family dwellings, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing scopes within the building permit are not separately plan-reviewed; compliance is field-verified at inspection
- Detailed project description and property/utility information (water meter, water supply, heating source) required in the application
- Plans must be uploaded as vector-based PDFs following City naming and bookmark conventions
Required documents
- Required
Building Permit Application (Accela Citizen Access)
Completed online; address, parcel, owner, and applicant/contractor information auto-populate from City GIS/records lookups
- Required
Construction Drawings
Full plan set (site plan, foundation, floor plan, framing, elevations) uploaded as an attachment named with the permit number, e.g. '2025-MSS-RES-00805 INITIAL PLANS'
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit Fee — project valuation $1 to $500 | $36 permit fee + $11.00 plan review fee | City of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule (Resolution 8887, effective Jan 1–Dec 31, 2026); plan review fee is 30% of the permit fee |
| Building Permit Fee — project valuation $99,001 to $100,000 | $1,582 permit fee + $475.00 plan review fee | City of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule |
| Building Permit Fee — project valuation $100,001 to $500,000 | $1,582 for the first $100,000 plus $9.94 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof | City of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule |
| Building Permit Fee — project valuation $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $5,556 for the first $500,000 plus $6.62 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof | City of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule |
| Building Permit Fee — project valuation $1,000,001 and up | $8,868 for the first $1,000,000 plus $4.97 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof | City of Missoula FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule |
Review timeline
56–84 business days
Missoula’s published plan-review target
Inspection process
- 1
Footing and Foundation
Before concrete pour
- 2
Framing/Structural
Requires rough mechanical, electrical, and plumbing inspections to be completed and passed first
- 3
Mechanical (Rough)
Ductwork and equipment rough-in before wall cover; must pass before framing inspection
- 4
Plumbing (Rough)
Pipe rough-in before wall cover; must pass before framing inspection
- 5
Electrical (Rough)
Wiring rough-in before wall cover; must pass before framing inspection
- 6
Insulation
Before drywall installation
- 7
Drywall (fire-rated walls)
Verification of fire-rated assemblies before finish
- 8
Roofing
Roof covering installation
- 9
Siding
Exterior siding installation
- 10
Final
Required on all permits; all work complete per approved plans
Tips
- Apply through Accela Citizen Access at aca-prod.accela.com/MISSOULA/Login.aspx. See the City's 'How to Apply for a Building Permit' Coordinators' Guide (v07.07.25) for step-by-step screenshots.
- Rough mechanical, electrical, and plumbing inspections must pass BEFORE a framing inspection can be scheduled.
- Building permits requiring plan review typically take 8–12 weeks; permits that do not require plan review typically take 2–3 business days (City of Missoula Permit Processes and Policies page).
- One plan revision cycle is included at no extra cost; resubmittal fees may apply at three or more review cycles.
- Schedule inspections by 4:00 PM the day before, via phone (406-552-6040), text (888-413-4439), or the online portal; work must be ready for inspection by 7:00 AM.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I apply for a new residential building permit in Missoula?
- Apply online through Accela Citizen Access at aca-prod.accela.com/MISSOULA/Login.aspx. Sign in, select the Building tab, and choose 'Apply for a Building Permit.' After submission you will receive a permit number and instructions to upload plans as attachments.
- How long does building permit review take in Missoula?
- Permits requiring plan review typically take 8–12 weeks; permits that do not require plan review typically take 2–3 business days, per the City of Missoula's Permit Processes and Policies page.
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-02.
- City of Missoula Development Services — Building Division (Community Planning, Development & Innovation) — official building department
- Building Division | City of Missoula
- Permit Processes and Policies | City of Missoula
- How to Apply for a Building Permit (Coordinators' Guide, v07.07.25) PDF
- FY26 Building Permit and Plan Review Fee Schedule PDF (Resolution 8887)
- Residential Inspection Guide: Start-to-Finish | City of Missoula
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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