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Residential Building Permit — Sidney, Montana · Requirements sheet
Verified 2026-07-04 · Source: https://cityofsidneymt.com/fire-building/page/building-permit-applications
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.
Residential Building Permit in Sidney, Montana
Required for new residential structures larger than eighty (80) square feet, and additions to existing residential structures, within Sidney city limits. Issued and reviewed LOCALLY by the City of Sidney Fire Marshal / Building Inspector (Kale Rasmussen) under Sidney's Montana DLI certification for Building (B), all project types, city limits only. Reviewed against the state-adopted 2021 IBC/IRC/IECC editions (ARM Title 24, chapter 301). Electrical and Plumbing work associated with the project require SEPARATE State permits (see the state-enforced permit entries below); Mechanical/HVAC work likewise requires a separate State Mechanical Permit.
Verified 2026-07-04 · Source
When you need this permit
- Complete the 'Application For A Residential Building Permit Within The City Limits Of The City Of Sidney' form: applicant name, property owner, applicant address/phone, nature of permit, location of building, legal description (lot/block/addition)
- Site Plan showing property lines, street & alley right-of-ways, exterior building dimensions, and setbacks (distances) from property lines to building roof overhang
- Contractor documentation: proof of Montana Contractor License, proof of Liability Insurance, proof of Worker's Compensation Coverage Contractor
- State Plumber Permit and State Electrical Permit are separately required (checkbox items on the City's own application) — these are Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau permits, not issued by the City
- Drainage: single-family residences should have a minimum 5% slope to the front or rear of the property; multi-family/apartment complexes may need a detailed drainage plan
- Indicate whether the connection requires a new water and/or sewer connection fee (connection fees determined at time of permit)
- Indicate whether the site is in a flood zone; if yes, the local floodplain administrator must review the plans
- Sidney Public Works Department review is required if: the permit is for new construction on an unoccupied parcel, construction includes additional water/sewer facilities, or construction includes curb/gutter/driveway/sidewalk work within the street right-of-way
- A minimum of two complete sets of plans, plus the completed Building Permit Application, per the 'Sidney/Richland' Application/Building Plan Proposal submittal checklist: Site/Plot Plan, Foundation Plan/Details, Floor Plan, Reflected Ceiling Plan, Wall Section/Details (engineered drawings required for pre-manufactured floor/roof trusses), Elevations, and Energy Calculations
- Plans will not be reviewed until the review fee has been received
Required documents
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Fee schedule
Building Permit Fee — valuation $1 to $500City of Sidney/Richland Building Code Enforcement Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18 (verified by direct visual inspection of the scanned PDF — text layer not machine-extractable)
$23.50
Building Permit Fee — valuation $501 to $2,000Sidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
$23.50 for the first $500 plus $3.05 for each additional $100 or fraction thereof, to and including $2,000
Building Permit Fee — valuation $2,001 to $25,000Sidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
$69.25 for the first $2,000 plus $14 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $25,000
Building Permit Fee — valuation $25,001 to $50,000Sidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
$391.75 for the first $25,000 plus $10.10 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $50,000
Building Permit Fee — valuation $50,001 to $100,000Sidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
$643.75 for the first $50,000 plus $7 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $100,000
Building Permit Fee — valuation $100,001 to $500,000Sidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
$993.75 for the first $100,000 plus $5.60 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $500,000
Building Permit Fee — valuation $500,001 to $1,000,000Sidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
$3,233.75 for the first $500,000 plus $4.75 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $1,000,000
Building Permit Fee — valuation $1,000,001 and upSidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
$5,608.75 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof
Plan Review FeeApplicable when submittal documents are required; must be paid in addition to the building permit fee. Sidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
35% of the calculated building permit fee
Plan Review Services Only (no permit)Applicable only if plan review services are provided. Sidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
50% of the combined plan examination and building permit fee
Additional Plan ReviewApplicable when additional plan review is required due to changes, additions, or revisions to plans. Sidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
$85.00 per hour in addition to regular fee (minimum 1/2-hour charge)
Inspections After Normal Business Hours'Normal Business Hours' = 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Sidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
$85.00 per hour in addition to regular fee (minimum 1/2-hour charge)
Inspections for which no fee is specifically indicatedSidney/Richland Fee Schedule, Eff. 1/2/18
$85.00 per hour (minimum 1/2-hour charge)
Water/Sewer Connection FeeDetermined at time of permit issuance, not a fixed published figure — per the City's Residential Building Permit Application
Not published — contact the department
Review timeline
Plan reviewSidney’s published plan-review target
0–60 business days
Inspection process
See the full Sidney inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →
Tips
- Sidney's local Building certification covers BOTH residential and commercial construction — but Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical/HVAC permits are NOT covered by the City's certification and must be obtained separately from the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau.
- Plans will not be reviewed until the plan review fee (35% of the calculated building permit fee) has been received — pay this along with your application to avoid delay.
- Budget up to 60 days for plan review per the City's own submittal checklist.
- Provide a minimum of two complete sets of plans; complex or commercial projects may require a licensed design professional.
- Contact Kale Rasmussen, Fire Marshal / Building Inspector, at 406.433.1122 or buildingofficial@cityofsidneymt.com with questions before applying — the City's own forms state 'PLEASE CONTACT BUILDING INSPECTOR FOR ALL QUESTIONS AND APPROVALS.'
Frequently asked questions
Sidney requires a residential building permit for: Complete the 'Application For A Residential Building Permit Within The City Limits Of The City Of Sidney' form: applicant name, property owner, applicant address/phone, nature of permit, location of building, legal description (lot/block/addition); Site Plan showing property lines, street & alley right-of-ways, exterior building dimensions, and setbacks (distances) from property lines to building roof overhang; Contractor documentation: proof of Montana Contractor License, proof of Liability Insurance, proof of Worker's Compensation Coverage; State Plumber Permit and State Electrical Permit are separately required (checkbox items on the City's own application) — these are Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau permits, not issued by the City; Drainage: single-family residences should have a minimum 5% slope to the front or rear of the property; multi-family/apartment complexes may need a detailed drainage plan; Indicate whether the connection requires a new water and/or sewer connection fee (connection fees determined at time of permit); Indicate whether the site is in a flood zone; if yes, the local floodplain administrator must review the plans; Sidney Public Works Department review is required if: the permit is for new construction on an unoccupied parcel, construction includes additional water/sewer facilities, or construction includes curb/gutter/driveway/sidewalk work within the street right-of-way; A minimum of two complete sets of plans, plus the completed Building Permit Application, per the 'Sidney/Richland' Application/Building Plan Proposal submittal checklist: Site/Plot Plan, Foundation Plan/Details, Floor Plan, Reflected Ceiling Plan, Wall Section/Details (engineered drawings required for pre-manufactured floor/roof trusses), Elevations, and Energy Calculations; Plans will not be reviewed until the review fee has been received. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Sidney Fire Marshal / Building Inspector — Kale Rasmussen; city-certified for Building (B), ALL project types (residential and commercial), within Sidney city limits ONLY. Electrical and Plumbing permits of ANY project type within Sidney city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau (Sidney holds no state certification in those trades), as is Mechanical/HVAC. at 406.433.1122 before starting work.
Fees are valuation-based per the City of Sidney/Richland Building Code Enforcement Fee Schedule (Eff. 1/2/18): $23.50 minimum for valuations up to $500, scaling through several tiers to $5,608.75 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3 per additional $1,000 for valuations above $1,000,000, plus a Plan Review Fee of 35% of the building permit fee.
Sidney's published plan-review target for a residential building permit is 0–60 business days.
You'll need: Application For A Residential Building Permit; Building Permit Submittal Documents Checklist; Minimum Two Complete Sets of Plans. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.
Apply through City of Sidney Fire Marshal / Building Inspector — Kale Rasmussen; city-certified for Building (B), ALL project types (residential and commercial), within Sidney city limits ONLY. Electrical and Plumbing permits of ANY project type within Sidney city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau (Sidney holds no state certification in those trades), as is Mechanical/HVAC. at 1105 3rd St NW, Sidney, MT 59270. Phone: 406.433.1122, email: buildingofficial@cityofsidneymt.com; firemarshal@cityofsidneymt.com. Office hours: Not published on the City of Sidney Fire Marshal / Building Inspector pages; call 406.433.1122 or email buildingofficial@cityofsidneymt.com. Fax: 406.433.7509.. Official information: https://cityofsidneymt.com/fire-building.
Sidney, Montana has adopted: 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 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).; Sidney is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B), ALL project types, within CITY LIMITS ONLY; certified official on file with DLI: Kale Rasmussen, 480-9113 (city phone format as printed in the roster; the City of Sidney's own published number for the same official is 406.433.1122). Verified directly by fetching and text-extracting the DLI Building Codes Bureau's 'MONTANA CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAM' roster PDF (updated 04/22/2026): the roster carries TWO SEPARATE line items — 'Richland County | B | Kale Rasmussen | 480-9113 | County except Sidney' and 'Sidney | B | Kale Rasmussen | 480-9113 | City Limits'. This confirms Sidney's own certification is a DISTINCT, SEPARATE entry from Richland County's countywide program, not a subset or duplicate listing — the same certified official (Kale Rasmussen, who is also Richland County's building inspector per richland.org/building.html) administers both programs, but the County's own certification explicitly EXCLUDES Sidney ('County except Sidney'), and Sidney has its own independent 'City Limits' certification. Source: https://bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/building-codes-permits/certified-city.pdf; Unlike several Montana B-only-certified cities (e.g., Hardin, Anaconda-Deer Lodge, Colstrip) whose certification is explicitly 'B (residential only)', Sidney's DLI roster entry lists plainly 'B' with no residential-only qualifier — matching the pattern of Choteau/Conrad/Cutbank/Glasgow/Lewistown/Red Lodge, i.e. Sidney's local Building certification covers BOTH residential and commercial building permitting within city limits. Corroborated directly by the City's own published forms: cityofsidneymt.com/fire-building/page/building-permit-applications lists both a 'Residential Building Permit Application' and a two-part 'Commercial Building Permit Application' as separate City-issued forms, each captioned 'WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF SIDNEY.' Source: DLI roster PDF; https://cityofsidneymt.com/fire-building/page/building-permit-applications; Electrical and Mechanical/HVAC permitting are NOT locally certified in Sidney — the DLI roster's Sidney line lists only 'B' (no 'E' or 'M' code), meaning Electrical and Mechanical permits of any project type within Sidney city limits route DIRECTLY to the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau for state administration, exactly as in a non-certified jurisdiction. Plumbing is likewise not covered by Sidney's own DLI code letter, and is independently confirmed as state-administered by the City's own Residential and Commercial Building Permit Application forms, both of which include a checklist item 'State Plumber Permit (required)' and 'State Electrical Permit (required)' under the Contractor section — direct documentary evidence, from the City's own application forms, that plumbing and electrical permits for construction within Sidney are STATE permits, not city-issued. Source: DLI roster PDF; City of Sidney Residential Building Permit Application PDF; Commercial Building Permit Application PDF; Per the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's Current Codes page (statewide effective date June 11, 2022, applicable uniformly to all certified and state-enforced jurisdictions): 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. Local amendments apply — see the Sidney overview page for the full list.
The City of Sidney issues its own residential building permits under a Montana DLI Building (B) certification covering all project types within city limits, administered by Fire Marshal / Building Inspector Kale Rasmussen. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau certified-jurisdictions roster (updated 04/22/2026) and City of Sidney Fire Marshal / Building Inspector page.
No — they are two SEPARATE Montana DLI certifications, though administered by the same official (Kale Rasmussen) from the same office. The DLI roster explicitly lists Richland County's certification as covering the 'County except Sidney', and Sidney's own certification as covering 'City Limits' only. A companion jurisdiction file (richland-county.json) covers the rest of the county.
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-04.
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 Sidney building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.
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