Sign / Billboard Permit — Conrad, Montana · Requirements sheet
Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/conradmt/latest/conrad_mt/0-0-0-715
PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency. Requirements change and vary by project — confirm current details with the building department before you submit.
Sign / Billboard Permit in Conrad, Montana
Conrad has no freestanding, dedicated 'Sign Permit' application or fee schedule. Instead, signage is regulated through two documented mechanisms: (1) City Code 4-1-9 (Billboards), which requires City Council permission before erecting any billboard or other structure for advertising purposes, plus one week's written notice to owners/occupants of property within 200 feet; and (2) Zoning Code (Ordinance No. 411) 10-7-4.G, which lists 'Billboard, if fire resistive' as a permitted use in the C-1 General Commercial District only -- billboards are not a listed permitted use in the C-2 Neighborhood Commercial District. The Zoning Code separately defines 'WALL SIGN' (10-1) and lists sign location, height, area, and number among the specific elements the zoning commission/board of adjustment may condition (10-2-13.B.2.x, Conditional Uses) or vary (10-2-14.A.7, Variances). The City's own Building Permit Packet 'Validity of Permit/Disclaimer' form refers to these provisions collectively as 'the City of Conrad Zoning and Sign Code,' but no separately codified, standalone Sign Code chapter, application form, or numeric size/setback threshold for ordinary on-premise signs (wall, monument, window) was found published after reviewing the full current Title 10 Zoning Code (Ord. #411, 55 pages) and the codified Title 4 Chapter 1.
Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source
When you need this permit
- For a billboard or other structure used for advertising purposes: obtain City Council permission per City Code 4-1-9.A before erecting the sign/structure
- Give one week's written notice, personally or by mail, to the owners, occupants, or agents of all houses and lots within two hundred feet (200') of the location where the billboard or structure is to be erected (City Code 4-1-9.A)
- No billboard/advertising-structure application may be considered by the City Council without verified proof of service of the required notice, or the written consent of the owners/occupants/agents notified
- Under Zoning Code 10-7-4.G, a billboard is a permitted use only in the C-1 General Commercial District, and only if of fire-resistive construction; billboards are not listed as a permitted use in the C-2 Neighborhood Commercial District (10-8-4)
- Using a fence, barn, shed, building, or other structure as a billboard/advertising structure requires the same City Council consent and 200-foot neighbor notice process (City Code 4-1-9.B)
- A sign proposal involving location, height, area, or number outside the district's standard parameters may require a conditional use permit (Zoning Code 10-2-13) or variance (10-2-14), both of which are filed with the city finance officer and require a public hearing before the zoning commission and/or board of adjustment
Required documents
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Fee schedule
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Inspection process
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Tips
- Conrad has no separate, dedicated 'Sign Permit' product or fee schedule -- signage is regulated through City Code 4-1-9 (Billboards) and Zoning Code 10-7-4 (permitted uses), referred to collectively on the City's own disclaimer form as the 'Zoning and Sign Code.'
- A billboard or other advertising structure requires City Council permission, not just a building-inspector sign-off -- budget time for the one-week neighbor notice and a council meeting, in addition to any building-permit plan review.
- Billboards are a permitted use (if fire-resistive) only in the C-1 General Commercial District; they are not a permitted use in the C-2 Neighborhood Commercial District.
- Sign location, height, area, and number are explicit regulated criteria under the Zoning Code's conditional-use (10-2-13) and variance (10-2-14) provisions -- a nonstandard sign proposal may require a public hearing before the zoning commission or board of adjustment.
Frequently asked questions
Sources & verification
Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-22.
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 Conrad building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.
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