This is PermitBase’s published record for Forsyth as of 2026-07-20. It has since been superseded — see the current record.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.

Forsyth building permits

Verified

Forsyth, Montana — as published 2026-07-20.

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).Forsyth is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B), RESIDENTIAL ONLY, within city limits; certified official on file with DLI: Gabe Martinsen, 406-346-2521. Verified directly against the DLI Building Codes Bureau's 'Montana Certified Local Government Program' roster PDF, updated 04/22/2026 (fetched and text-extracted directly from the source PDF): 'Forsyth | B (residential only) | Gabe Martinsen | 406-346-2521 | City Limits'. Note: Gabe Martinsen is ALSO the certified official listed for Miles City, MT (B, M, SP, E (residential only)) on the same roster — a single official serving two separate certified programs is plausible (shared regional building inspector) but was not independently confirmed beyond the roster entry itself. Source: https://bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/building-codes-permits/certified-city.pdfColstrip, MT — also within Rosebud County — holds its OWN INDEPENDENT Montana DLI certification for Building (B), RESIDENTIAL ONLY, with a DIFFERENT certified official (Russell Murphy, 853-5084) and a different city-limits jurisdiction line on the same roster: 'Colstrip | B (residential only) | Russell Murphy | 853-5084 | City Limits'. This confirms Forsyth and Colstrip run INDEPENDENT city-level certified Building programs — they do NOT share a single county-level program, despite both being located in Rosebud County. Rosebud County itself does not appear on the DLI roster as a certified jurisdiction in its own right. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, Certified Local Government Program roster PDF (updated 04/22/2026)Rosebud County's own Planning & Permitting department (County Planner page, rosebudcountymt.gov) explicitly states: 'Building and electrical permits are not required through Rosebud County, but may be required by the State of Montana.' The County Planner's office assists the City of Forsyth, City of Colstrip, unincorporated communities, and independent boards within Rosebud County with subdivision, flood plain, zoning, and septic permitting only — NOT building or electrical permitting, which is consistent with Forsyth and Colstrip each running their own independent city-level DLI-certified Building programs rather than a county-administered one. Source: https://rosebudcountymt.gov/departments/county-planner/Forsyth, MT Code of Ordinances, Title 11 Building Regulations, Chapter 1 Building Code, Section 11-1-1 'Building Codes Adopted' (current through Ord. 2024-11, passed 12-16-2024; section itself amended by Ord. 01-2014 1-12-2015, amd. Ord. 2020-01 6-8-2020, Res. 2021-R04 4-12-2021) adopts by reference: International Building Code 2012 edition (per ARM 24.301.131, including Appendix Chapter C group U agricultural buildings, and ARM 24.301.146); Residential Building Code 2018 edition; International Energy Conservation Code 2018 edition (per ARM 24.301.161); International Existing Building Code 2012 edition (per ARM 24.301.171); National Electric Code 2014 edition (NFPA 70, per ARM 24.301.401); International Mechanical Code 2012 edition (per ARM 24.301.172); International Fuel Gas Code 2012 edition (per ARM 24.301.173); Uniform Plumbing Code 2012 edition (per ARM 24.301.301); Building Accessibility Rules per ARM 24.301.901-905; and Optional Appendix Chapters B (Board of Appeals) and H (Signs) per ARM 24.301.134. Section 11-1-1(B) states these codes 'are applicable to all buildings within the building code enforcement area of Forsyth as provided by section 50-60-102, Montana Code Annotated.' Note the adopted code editions (2012 IBC/IMC/IFGC/UPC/IEBC, 2014 NEC, 2018 IRC/IECC) are OLDER than the state's current statewide-effective editions (2021 IBC/IRC/IEBC/IMC/IFGC/IECC/ISPSC/UPC, 2020 NEC per the DLI Building Codes Bureau's Current Codes page effective June 11, 2022) — Forsyth's local ordinance text has not been updated to match the state's most recent code-adoption cycle, though the state-enforced trades (Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical) in Forsyth are governed by whatever edition the state DLI Building Codes Bureau currently applies statewide, not this local ordinance text. Source: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/forsythmt/latest/forsyth_mt/0-0-0-1929Per the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's Current Codes page (statewide effective date June 11, 2022, applicable to all state-enforced trades and jurisdictions, including Forsyth's state-routed commercial building and its Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical permits): 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

Permit types & fees

Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration)

Verified

Required for new single-family/two-family home construction, additions, and alterations on RESIDENTIAL property within Forsyth city limits. Issued by the City of Forsyth under its DLI certification for Building (B), RESIDENTIAL ONLY, reviewed against the locally-adopted 2012 IBC / 2018 Residential Building Code / 2018 IECC / 2012 IEBC (Forsyth Code of Ordinances 11-1-1). This certification does NOT extend to commercial building work — see the separate commercial-building-permit-state entry.

Verified 2026-07-04 · Source

Requirements

Contact Forsyth City Hall, (406) 346-2521, 247 N 9th Ave, Forsyth, MT 59327, to initiate a residential building permit application — no downloadable application form or online portal was found published on the City's own website (forsythmt.info) as of this review
Pole building construction is capped at 900 square feet, single-story, 25 feet in height, per Forsyth Code 11-1-4
Garages in Residential Districts 1 and 2 are capped at 1,200 square feet, per Forsyth Code 11-1-4
Living quarters in a garage may be allowed only if a lumber criterion is met and zoning code requirements are satisfied, per Forsyth Code 11-1-4
Project must comply with the codes adopted at Forsyth Code 11-1-1 (2012 IBC, 2018 Residential Building Code, 2018 IECC, 2012 IEBC, 2017/ARM accessibility rules)

Required documents

RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationNo downloadable application form was found published on the City of Forsyth's own website (forsythmt.info) as of this review; the site's 'Permit Application' page is a generic Wix Bookings service-page template with no attached form or fee schedule. Contact City Hall, (406) 346-2521, to obtain the current application.

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Residential building permit fee		No fixed valuation-based fee table was found published on forsythmt.info (a Wix-hosted site whose Permit Application page is a generic Bookings template with no attached fee schedule), in Forsyth… Show full citationHide No fixed valuation-based fee table was found published on forsythmt.info (a Wix-hosted site whose Permit Application page is a generic Bookings template with no attached fee schedule), in Forsyth Code of Ordinances Title 11, or anywhere else searched (city council meeting minutes/agendas, Rosebud County Planner page) as of this review — an honest publication gap after exhausting the City's own website, the Wayback Machine's complete archive index for the domain, and the codified ordinances, not an inferred or invented figure. Applicants must contact Forsyth City Hall at (406) 346-2521 for a current fee quote.

Commercial Building Permit (State-Issued)

Verified

Because Forsyth's DLI certification for Building covers RESIDENTIAL work only, any commercial building project within Forsyth 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 Forsyth.

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 / aca-prod.accela.com/bcb
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… Show full citationHide 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 Forsyth's commercial building projects since Forsyth's own certification does not cover commercial building work

Electrical Permit (State-Issued)

Verified

Because Forsyth holds no DLI certification in Electrical (only a residential-only Building certification), electrical work anywhere within Forsyth 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 Forsyth, under the National Electrical Code as currently adopted statewide (2020 NEC per the Bureau's Current Codes page; Forsyth's own local ordinance text at 11-1-1 references the older 2014 NEC edition for its own — inapplicable to this state-enforced trade — reference).

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
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 / aca-prod.accela.com/bcb

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Residential — Up to 200-amp service (new single-family dwelling or cabin)	$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; Show full citationHide 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, MT and Anaconda-Deer Lodge, MT in this same dataset
Residential — 201 to 400-amp service	$380	Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Residential Electrical Permit
Residential Change of Service — exterior meter base & interior/exterior main disconnect only	$45	Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Residential Electrical Permit

Residential Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit — State-Issued Electrical Permit Add-On

Verified

Because Forsyth holds no DLI certification in Electrical (only a residential-only Building certification), rooftop or ground-mount residential solar PV installation within Forsyth city limits is not a separate stand-alone permit — it is billed and processed as an Alternative Energy Source add-on to the state-issued Residential Electrical Permit, issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau (Helena), the same office that issues all electrical permits for Forsyth addresses. The Bureau's statewide Application for Residential Electrical Permit form (BCP-1) itemizes 'Alternative Energy Source (solar/wind/hydro)' as a fixed $65 fee added on top of whichever base electrical work-type fee applies, and requires the applicant to specify system type (Micro Inverter/AC Module System or PV String System). If the racking/mounting requires structural roof modification, that scope would separately require Forsyth's own residential-certified Building permit (or the state's commercial-building-permit-state entry, for non-residential property).

Verified 2026-07-20 · Source

Requirements

Apply using the same statewide Application for Residential Electrical Permit (BCP-1) used for all Forsyth electrical work, since the state DLI Building Codes Bureau (not the city) issues electrical permits for Forsyth addresses
Select the applicable base work-type fee (e.g., service, change of service) and add the Alternative Energy Source line item
Specify system type: Micro Inverter/AC Module System or PV String System
Application must be signed and dated by the licensed electrical contractor's person in charge; payment must be submitted with the application
Apply in accordance with Title 50, Chapter 60, Section 604, MCA and ARM 24.301.431
Governed by the 2020 NEC as currently adopted statewide (Forsyth's own local ordinance text at 11-1-1 references the older 2014 NEC for its own — inapplicable to this state-enforced trade — reference)
If structural roof/mounting modification is needed, that scope separately requires a Forsyth residential Building permit (or the state commercial-building-permit-state track for non-residential property, since Forsyth's Building certification is residential-only)

Required documents

RequiredApplication for Residential Electrical PermitMontana Building Codes Bureau statewide form (BCP-1), with the Alternative Energy Source (solar/wind/hydro) box checked; mailed with payment to Building Codes Program, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517, or filed online via ebiz.mt.gov / BuildingPermits.Mt.Gov / aca-prod.accela.com/bcb

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Alternative Energy Source add-on (solar, wind, or hydro)	$65 additional fee added to the selected base electrical work-type fee	Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Residential Electrical Permit (BCP-1) — the only PV-specific line item published on the statewide form used by all non-electrically-certified Montana… Show full citationHide Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Residential Electrical Permit (BCP-1) — the only PV-specific line item published on the statewide form used by all non-electrically-certified Montana jurisdictions, cross-verified against the identical fee already confirmed for East Helena, MT in this same dataset. Required in addition to whichever base fee option (e.g., $200 up-to-200-amp service, $45 change of service) applies to the underlying electrical work.

Plumbing Permit (State-Issued, incl. Water Heater)

Verified

Because Forsyth holds no DLI certification in Plumbing (only a residential-only Building certification), plumbing work anywhere within Forsyth 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 Forsyth, under the Uniform Plumbing Code as currently adopted statewide (2021 UPC per the Bureau's Current Codes page; Forsyth's own local ordinance text at 11-1-1 references the older 2012 UPC edition for its own — inapplicable to this state-enforced trade — reference).

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 / aca-prod.accela.com/bcb

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; Show full citationHide 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, MT and Anaconda-Deer Lodge, MT in this same dataset
Each plumbing fixture or trap	$10 per fixture/trap	Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Plumbing Permit (BCP-1) statewide Fee Schedule

Mechanical / HVAC Permit (State-Issued)

Verified

Because Forsyth holds no DLI certification in Mechanical (only a residential-only Building certification), mechanical/HVAC work anywhere within Forsyth 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 Forsyth, under the International Mechanical Code and International Fuel Gas Code as currently adopted statewide (2021 IMC/IFGC per the Bureau's Current Codes page; Forsyth's own local ordinance text at 11-1-1 references the older 2012 editions for its own — inapplicable to this state-enforced trade — reference).

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 / aca-prod.accela.com/bcb

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; Show full citationHide 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, MT and Anaconda-Deer Lodge, MT in this same dataset

EV Charger / Electric Vehicle Charging Circuit Permit (State-Issued)

Verified

Because Forsyth holds no DLI certification in Electrical (only a residential-only Building certification), an EV charger/EVSE circuit anywhere within Forsyth city limits requires the same state-issued Residential or Commercial Electrical Permit documented in the electrical-permit-state entry, issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena — not the City of Forsyth. The Bureau's statewide Application for Residential Electrical Permit form (BCP-1, Rev. 11/25) has no line item specifically labeled 'EV charger' or 'electric vehicle'; a retrofit EV charging circuit is billed under the 'Single Family Interior/Exterior Wire or Rewire' category as an additional circuit or piece of equipment, and a charger wired into a new single-family service is folded into the base new-service fee (per the amperage tier).

Verified 2026-07-20 · 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
For a retrofit EV charger circuit in an existing single-family home, select 'Single Family Interior/Exterior Wire or Rewire' and check the applicable box: '1 additional circuit or piece of equipment' or '2-3 additional circuits or pieces of equipment'
For a new single-family home wired with an EV charger circuit at the same time as the main service, no separate line item applies — it is included in the base new-service fee (per the amperage tier, A-D)
Payment must be submitted with the application; incomplete applications are returned unprocessed
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, Rev. 11/25) — no EV-specific version exists; use the standard rewire/additional-circuit category. Mailed with payment to Building Codes Program, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517, or filed online via ebiz.mt.gov / BuildingPermits.Mt.Gov / aca-prod.accela.com/bcb

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
1 additional circuit or piece of equipment (retrofit EV charger circuit)	$45	Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Residential Electrical Permit (BCP-1, Rev. Show full citationHide Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Residential Electrical Permit (BCP-1, Rev. 11/25) — 'Single Family Interior/Exterior Wire or Rewire' category, item H; no distinct EV-charger line item exists on the form, so a single dedicated EVSE circuit is billed at this generic per-item rate
2-3 additional circuits or pieces of equipment	$70	Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Residential Electrical Permit — item G; applies if the EV charger installation is bundled with other new circuits/equipment
4+ circuits & change of service and/or interior panel (if a panel upgrade is needed to support the charger)	$120	Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Residential Electrical Permit — item E

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-04.

City of Forsyth Building Department — city-certified for Building (B), RESIDENTIAL ONLY per the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's certified-jurisdiction roster (certified official on file: Gabe Martinsen). Commercial building permits, and Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical/HVAC permits of ANY project type, within Forsyth city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, not the City. Rosebud County itself performs NO building or electrical permitting function for the city or the unincorporated county — confirmed directly on the Rosebud County Planner page. — official building department

Applications & forms

Codes & ordinances

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

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