This is PermitBase’s published record for Colstrip as of 2026-07-04. It has since been superseded — see the current record. A historical record reflects what PermitBase had verified at that time; it may not capture a real-world change the jurisdiction had made but PermitBase had not yet verified, and it includes any errors we later corrected. Snapshots are never edited retroactively.
Colstrip building permits
VerifiedColstrip, Montana — as published 2026-07-04.
Verified 2026-07-04 · Source
Codes 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 — and, where a city's Building certification is itself partial (e.g. residential-only), non-certified project types — 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).Colstrip is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B), RESIDENTIAL ONLY, within city limits; certified official on file with DLI: Russell Murphy, (406) 853-5084. Verified directly against the DLI Building Codes Bureau's 'Montana Certified Local Government Program' roster PDF (fetched and text-extracted directly from the source PDF): 'Colstrip | B (residential only) | Russell Murphy | 853-5084 | City Limits'. As with Hardin and Anaconda-Deer Lodge, this residential-only certification does NOT cover commercial building work, meaning commercial building permits in Colstrip route to the state DLI Building Codes Bureau exactly as they would in a non-certified jurisdiction, in addition to Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical for all project types. Source: https://bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/building-codes-permits/certified-city.pdfColstrip, MT Code of Ordinances, Title 7 Building Regulations, Chapter 1 Building Codes contains seven sections: 7-1-1 Adoption; 7-1-2 Type Of Structures Governed By Colstrip Building Codes, Type Of Structures Exempted; 7-1-3 Code Enforcement Officer; 7-1-4 Procedures For Administration And Enforcement; 7-1-5 Schedule Of Construction And Inspection Fees; 7-1-6 Appeal Procedure; 7-1-7 Employees Inspecting, Reviewing Plans, Approving Structures And Installation. Directly fetched and text-extracted via browser-header curl (codelibrary.amlegal.com blocks default fetch tools with a 403). Source: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/colstripmt/latest/colstrip_mt/0-0-0-1489Colstrip Municipal Code 7-1-4.C.1 (Ord. 02-02, 6-25-2002, eff. 7-25-2002), directly fetched and text-extracted: 'the code enforcement officer shall review the application and plans to determine whether the proposed activity complies with the uniform building code, uniform mechanical code, and other applicable codes and regulations... The code enforcement officer shall complete the review and act to issue or deny the building permit within thirty (30) days of submittal of a complete application.' Section 7-1-4.C.2 adds: 'The code enforcement officer may, in certain cases, request the assistance of the Montana building code bureau, or other state agency or professional consultant in reviewing a building permit application. In such a case, the code enforcement officer must act on issuing or denying a building permit within forty (40) days of submittal of a complete application.' This is a genuine, codified LOCAL review-timeline figure for Colstrip's own residential building permit — 30 days standard, 40 days if state/professional-consultant assistance is requested. Source: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/colstripmt/latest/colstrip_mt/0-0-0-1532Per 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. Colstrip's own Residential Building Permit Application (a locally-authored one-page form, not a reformatted state BCP-1) does not itself cite specific code-edition years, but Colstrip Municipal Code 7-1-4.C.1 explicitly directs review against 'the uniform building code, uniform mechanical code, and other applicable codes and regulations' — i.e., the state-adopted editions administered under ARM Title 24, Chapter 301. Source: bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits/current-codes; Colstrip Municipal Code 7-1-4
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration / Repair / Move)
VerifiedRequired for new single-family/two-family home construction, additions, alterations, repairs, and moved structures on RESIDENTIAL property within Colstrip city limits. Issued by the City of Colstrip Code Enforcement Office under its DLI certification for Building (B), RESIDENTIAL ONLY, per Colstrip Municipal Code Title 7, Chapter 1. This certification does NOT extend to commercial building work — see the separate commercial-building-permit-state entry.
Verified 2026-07-04 · Source
Requirements
- Complete the City of Colstrip Residential Building Permit Application: job site address, owner/contractor/architect-or-designer mailing address and phone, building setbacks (front/side/side/rear from property line), building dimensions (length/width/height), type of work, description of work, valuation of work, and total square footage
- Select Type of Work: New, Addition, Alteration, Repair, or Move
- Per Municipal Code 7-1-4.B: submit a scale drawing showing lot dimensions and locations of existing/proposed structures, the property owner's name and legal description of the lot, the proposed use of the land/building/structure, and any other information the code enforcement officer requires
- Applicant acknowledges on the form that separate plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits may also be required, and that it is the applicant's sole duty to obtain these (these route to the state DLI Building Codes Bureau — see separate entries)
- Construction may not start until the permit is issued; the building may not be occupied until released for occupancy
Required documents
- RequiredResidential Building Permit ApplicationCity of Colstrip locally-authored one-page application form; available at cityofcolstrip.com/forms or by contacting City Hall, 12 Cherry St., (406) 748-2300
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Residential building/construction and inspection permit fee | Per Colstrip Municipal Code 7-1-5, the fee schedule for both permitted and nonpermitted construction and inspection is set by resolution of the city council (based on the building inspector's recommendation and comparison to other Eastern Montana communities), NOT fixed in the ordinance text itself. No such council-resolution fee schedule was found published on cityofcolstrip.com (Forms page or Building and Zoning page) as of this review, and the City's own downloadable application form has a blank 'Valuation of Work' field but no printed fee table. This is an honest publication gap after direct review of the ordinance and the City's own forms, not an inferred or invented figure. Applicants must contact the Code Enforcement Office at (406) 748-2300 ext. 2305 for the current fee. |
Commercial Building Permit (State-Issued)
VerifiedBecause Colstrip's DLI certification for Building covers RESIDENTIAL work only, any commercial building project within Colstrip city limits — new construction, addition, alteration — requires a Building Permit/Plan Review Application issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not by the City of Colstrip, under the 2021 IBC.
Verified 2026-07-04 · Source
Requirements
- Submit a Building Permit/Plan Review Application together with complete construction plans to the Building Codes Bureau
- Plan review fee is generally 1%-2% of building valuation, calculated by the Bureau after initial screening
- A state building permit must be obtained before construction begins; starting construction beforehand may result in an investigation fee and required corrective construction
- Building permits must be issued before related Plumbing, Mechanical, or Electrical permits can be issued or that work can begin
- Apply in accordance with Title 50, Chapter 60, MCA and ARM Title 24, Chapter 301
Required documents
- RequiredBuilding Permit/Plan Review ApplicationMontana Building Codes Bureau statewide form; mailed with payment to Building and Commercial Measurements Bureau, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59602, or filed online at BuildingPermits.Mt.Gov / ebiz.mt.gov
- RequiredConstruction PlansComplete construction plans and details (site plan, floor plan, accessibility/restroom details, wall sections) are required and expedite plan review per the Bureau's own guidance
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building Permit/Plan Review Fee | Generally 1%-2% of building valuation, calculated by the Building Codes Bureau after screening | Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, 'Is a State Building Permit Needed?' guidance page — this is the Bureau's own stated fee-calculation method for state-issued building permits, which governs Colstrip's commercial building projects since Colstrip's own certification does not cover commercial building work |
Electrical Permit (State-Issued)
VerifiedBecause Colstrip holds no DLI certification in Electrical (only a residential-only Building certification), electrical work anywhere within Colstrip city limits — residential or commercial — requires a Residential or Commercial Electrical Permit issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not by the City of Colstrip, under the 2020 NEC.
Verified 2026-07-04 · Source
Requirements
- Application must be signed and dated by the licensed electrical contractor's person in charge, or filed as a homeowner permit for owner-performed work on the homeowner's own owner-occupied home
- Payment must be submitted with the application; incomplete applications are returned unprocessed
- Property address, GEOCODE/parcel/lot/block, owner information, and power company must be provided
- Apply in accordance with Title 50, Chapter 60, Section 604, MCA and ARM 24.301.431
Required documents
- RequiredApplication for Residential Electrical PermitMontana Building Codes Bureau statewide form (BCP-1); mailed with payment to Building Codes Program, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517, or filed online via ebiz.mt.gov / BuildingPermits.Mt.Gov
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single Family Dwelling or Cabin — up to 200-amp service (includes meter base and attached garages if wired at the same time) | $200 | Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Residential Electrical Permit (BCP-1) — the same statewide fee schedule applied to all non-electrically-certified Montana jurisdictions; cross-verified against the identical schedule already confirmed for Hardin and Anaconda-Deer Lodge, MT in this same dataset |
| Single Family Dwelling or Cabin — 201 to 400-amp service | $380 | Application for Residential Electrical Permit (BCP-1) |
| Residential Change of Service — exterior meter base & interior/exterior main disconnect only | $45 | Application for Residential Electrical Permit (BCP-1) |
Plumbing Permit (State-Issued, incl. Water Heater)
VerifiedBecause Colstrip holds no DLI certification in Plumbing (only a residential-only Building certification), plumbing work anywhere within Colstrip city limits — including water heater installation/replacement, residential or commercial — requires a Plumbing Permit issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not by the City of Colstrip, under the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code.
Verified 2026-07-04 · Source
Requirements
- Application must be signed by the Master Plumber and include the Master Plumber License Number, or filed as a homeowner permit for owner-performed work where allowed
- Property address, county, and whether the job is inside city limits must be indicated
- Type of Building and Type of Work must be indicated; sewer service type (public/septic) and potable water source must be indicated
- Apply in accordance with Title 50, Chapter 60, Section 505, MCA and ARM 24.301.301 / 24.301.361
Required documents
- RequiredApplication for Plumbing PermitMontana Building Codes Bureau statewide form (BCP-1); mailed with payment to Building Codes Bureau, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517, or filed online via ebiz.mt.gov / BuildingPermits.Mt.Gov
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Each NEW water heater (or replacement) | $25 | Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Plumbing Permit (BCP-1) statewide Fee Schedule — the same schedule applied to all non-plumbing-certified jurisdictions; cross-verified against the identical schedule already confirmed for Hardin and Anaconda-Deer Lodge, MT in this same dataset |
| Each plumbing fixture or trap | $10 per fixture/trap | Application for Plumbing Permit (BCP-1) statewide Fee Schedule |
Mechanical / HVAC Permit (State-Issued)
VerifiedBecause Colstrip holds no DLI certification in Mechanical (only a residential-only Building certification), mechanical/HVAC work anywhere within Colstrip city limits — residential or commercial — requires a Mechanical Permit issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not by the City of Colstrip, under the 2021 International Mechanical Code and International Fuel Gas Code.
Verified 2026-07-04 · Source
Requirements
- Project Value must be provided; permit fee is calculated from the state's valuation-based fee schedule
- Type of Building and Type of Work must be indicated
- Boiler work requires a separate Boiler Permit form, not the Mechanical Permit
- Apply in accordance with Title 50, Chapter 60, Section 104, MCA and ARM 24.301.172
Required documents
- RequiredApplication for Mechanical PermitMontana Building Codes Bureau statewide form (BCP-1); mailed with payment to Building Codes Bureau, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517, or filed online via ebiz.mt.gov / BuildingPermits.Mt.Gov
Fee schedule
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Permit — Project value $0-$10,000 | $48 for the first $1,000, plus $14 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof | Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Mechanical Permit (BCP-1) statewide Fee Schedule — the same schedule applied to all non-mechanically-certified jurisdictions; cross-verified against the identical schedule already confirmed for Hardin and Anaconda-Deer Lodge, MT in this same dataset |
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 Colstrip building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.