Shelby building permits

Requirements

• Application for a building permit submitted to the City Building Official; plans reviewed for compliance with the applicable building/technical codes adopted by administrative reference under Shelby Municipal Code 10-1-1
• Building plan review completed by the building official within 30 working days of submittal of a complete application (10-1-2.C); the building official may submit plans to other affected city departments for review before permit issuance (10-1-2.B)
• Structural changes (any work increasing or decreasing the size of a structure) require a building permit and payment of the applicable fee per the valuation-based schedule in Shelby Municipal Code 1-12-13; whether contemplated work constitutes a 'structural change' is determined by the building inspector (10-1-9.B)
• Non-structural 'remodeling' of a single-family dwelling (siding, reroofing, cupboard/counter/countertop replacement, interior wall repair/replacement, and window/door replacement using the original opening) requires NO permit and NO fee, provided it does not affect the structural integrity of the dwelling (10-1-9.A)
• Factory-built buildings approved by the Montana Building Codes Bureau are subject to local inspection and fees for zoning, utility connections, and foundations only — not full plan review (10-1-5)

Required documents

• RequiredBuilding Permit ApplicationSubmitted to Shelby City Hall / Building Official (Keith Thaut per the City's live site, Ken Thaut per the DLI roster — see department record); contact (406) 434-5222

Fee schedule

Requirements

• 'Remodeling' is defined to specifically include siding, reroofing, replacing cupboards/counters/countertops, and repairing or replacing interior walls; windows and doors are included as remodeling so long as the original opening is used and not enlarged
• No fee and no permit are required for remodeling of a single-family dwelling, provided the work does not in any way affect the structural integrity of the dwelling
• Any structural change (work that increases or decreases the size of the structure) requires a building permit and payment of the applicable fee under the 1-12-13 valuation schedule
• The building of any fence is explicitly classified as a structural change requiring a ZONING permit (not a building permit) and payment of the appropriate fee
• Whether contemplated work constitutes a 'structural change' (vs. exempt remodeling) is determined by the building inspector on a case-by-case basis

Required documents

• OptionalBuilding Permit Application (only if a structural change)Required only if the building inspector determines the work is a structural change rather than exempt remodeling

Fee schedule

Requirements

• Any fence construction is classified as a structural change under Shelby Municipal Code 10-1-9.B and requires a zoning permit
• Zoning permit fee payment required; fee amount is referenced to the City's non-codified 'schedule of fees and permits' on file at City Hall or the Department of Public Works (Shelby Municipal Code 1-12-15) rather than published as a fixed dollar figure in the code itself
• Zoning requirements generally governed by Shelby Municipal Code Title 13 (Zoning Regulations)

Required documents

• RequiredZoning Permit ApplicationObtained from Shelby City Hall; contact (406) 434-5222

Fee schedule

Requirements

• No person shall move, remove, or relocate any building or structure within or into the city without first obtaining a moving permit (Shelby Municipal Code 10-4-1)
• Application required per Shelby Municipal Code 10-4-2
• Permit fee established by city council resolution per Shelby Municipal Code 10-4-3, cross-referenced to section 1-12-9
• Restrictions on issuance apply per Shelby Municipal Code 10-4-4; permittee duties per 10-4-5; permit subject to revocation per 10-4-6

Required documents

• RequiredMoving Permit ApplicationObtained from Shelby City Hall; contact (406) 434-5222

Fee schedule

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; mailed with payment to Building Codes Program, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517, or filed online via ebiz.mt.gov

Fee schedule

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

Fee schedule

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

Fee schedule

Requirements

• City of Shelby Building Permit required if the installation constitutes a structural change (racking/roof-mount work), per Shelby Municipal Code 10-1-9.B — whether a given installation qualifies is determined by the building inspector
• State of Montana Residential (or Commercial) Electrical Permit required for the PV system's electrical installation — mailed to the Building Codes Program, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517, or filed online at ebiz.mt.gov; NOT issued by the City of Shelby
• On the state Electrical Permit application, answer 'Yes' to 'Does this project consist of, or include an Alternative Energy Source?' and select 'Solar,' then select either 'Micro Inverter/AC Module System' or 'PV String System'
• Licensed electrical contractors apply for the electrical permit and select solar on the application; non-electrician installers submit an alternate energy permit with solar specifications; homeowners may obtain a homeowner electrical permit for a single-family system
• All commercial solar work requires a licensed electrical contractor to apply for the permit

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Shelby Building Permit ApplicationSubmitted to Shelby City Hall / Building Official; required if the installation is a structural change
• RequiredState of Montana Application for Residential (or Commercial) Electrical PermitIncludes an 'Alternative Energy Source' yes/no question and Solar/Wind/Hydro selection near the bottom of the form

Fee schedule

Requirements

• The EV charger circuit itself must be permitted through the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau (Building Codes Program, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517, or apply online at ebiz.mt.gov) -- not through the City of Shelby, which holds Building-only DLI certification and has no electrical permitting function
• On the state Application for Residential Electrical Permit, a new EV charger circuit at an existing single-family dwelling is selected under 'Single Family Interior/Exterior Wire or Rewire': category H ('1 additional circuit or piece of equipment') for a single dedicated EV circuit with no panel change, or category G ('2-3 additional circuits or pieces of equipment') if multiple circuits/equipment are added at once; category E or F applies if 4+ circuits and/or a panel/service change are involved
• Applications must be signed and dated by the licensed electrical contractor's person in charge, or filed as a homeowner permit for owner-performed work, with payment submitted with the application
• A City of Shelby Building Permit is required only if new structural work (e.g., a carport or accessory structure) is built to house the charger, per the same 'structural change' standard (Shelby Municipal Code 10-1-9.B) documented for solar racking work

Required documents

• RequiredApplication for Residential Electrical Permit (Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau)Statewide form; obtained directly from the State, not the City, for the EV charging circuit itself
• OptionalCity of Shelby Building Permit Application (only if new structure is built)Required only if the EV charger installation includes new structural work

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A zoning permit must be secured from the Zoning Administrator prior to the construction, erection, enlargement, relocation, or structural alteration of any sign or group of signs having permanent geographical location (Shelby Municipal Code 13-12-2.A)
• Permit application must be accompanied by plans in duplicate, drawn to scale, showing dimensions/shape of the lot, location of existing structures, and the location and dimensions of the proposed sign (13-12-2.B.1); the zoning permit application may be combined with the building permit application (13-12-2.B.4)
• Substantive sign standards under Chapter 9 apply regardless of permit mechanics: on-site signs may not be set nearer to the street lot line than the district's minimum building setback, and wall signs mounted on a building may not project more than 8 feet from the building or within 2 feet of the curb, and must clear at least 10 feet from grade to the sign's lowest point (13-9-4)
• Off-site signs are subject to the same setback standard and to state electrical code compliance for illuminated signs (13-9-5)
• Temporary signs may be erected for a period of sixty (60) days plus the construction period (13-9-6); this is more specific than the general temporary-use zoning permit's 6-month maximum under 13-12-2.D.2
• Certain sign types are listed as 'permitted in all districts' under 13-9-3 (real estate/lease signs, address/occupant-identification signs without commercial connotation, integral architectural features, private traffic-directional signs, and religious/school/educational bulletin boards set back at least 10 feet from the right-of-way) — whether these are also exempt from the 13-12-2 zoning-permit requirement is not explicitly stated in the code; confirm with the Zoning Administrator
• If the work described in a zoning permit has not begun within 6 months of issuance, the permit expires; a single 6-month extension may be granted by the Zoning Administrator (13-12-2.D.1)
• Electrically illuminated signs must comply with the state electrical code for all wiring, fittings, and materials (13-9-4.B, 13-9-5.B) — see this file's electrical-permit-state entry for the separate state DLI electrical permit that governs the wiring itself

Required documents

• RequiredZoning Permit Application (for signs)Submitted to the Zoning Administrator at Shelby City Hall, (406) 434-5222; plans in duplicate required per Shelby Municipal Code 13-12-2.B; may be combined with the Building Permit Application

Fee schedule

Requirements

• No separate Shelby Municipal Code chapter, application, or fee schedule exists for fire sprinkler or fire alarm permits — confirmed by direct review of Title 8 (Fire Regulations), which contains only the Volunteer Fire Department chapter (8-1-1 to 8-1-13) and a Fireworks chapter, neither of which establishes a permit process
• The Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's certified-jurisdictions roster does not certify a distinct 'Fire' trade for any jurisdiction in Montana (key: B=Building, P=Plumbing, M/G=Medical Gas, E=Electrical, M=Mechanical, SP=Pool, W=Wildland-Urban Interface — no 'F' for Fire exists in the key at all), so fire-suppression-system review in a Building-only-certified city like Shelby routes through the standard Building Permit rather than a distinct fire-authority permit
• Fire protection systems (sprinklers, alarms) installed as part of new construction or alteration work are reviewed for code compliance as part of the standard City of Shelby Building Permit application under the state-adopted 2021 IBC/2021 IFC Chapter 9 (Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems), following the same 30-working-day plan review clock documented in this file's residential-building-permit entry (Shelby Municipal Code 10-1-2.C)
• The Shelby Volunteer Fire Department (non-emergency (406) 450-8924, Chief Ron Buck, per the City's own website) is the local fire-service provider, but the City's live 'Fire Protection' webpage publishes only department contact information — no permit application, inspection process, or fee schedule of its own

Required documents

• RequiredCity of Shelby Building Permit ApplicationThe same application used for this file's residential-building-permit entry; used to capture fire-suppression/fire-alarm scope of work since no separate fire-permit application exists

Fee schedule

Requirements

• A zoning permit must be secured from the Zoning Administrator prior to any change of use of any building or land (Shelby Municipal Code 13-12-2.A); the zoning permit application may be combined with the building permit application (13-12-2.B.4)
• A Certificate of Compliance is required before any nonconforming structure or use is changed or extended: at the time a building permit is requested, the Zoning Administrator surveys the structure and its use for conformity with applicable zoning ordinances, and the certificate must state specifically wherein the nonconforming use differs from Title 13's provisions (Shelby Municipal Code 13-12-2.C)
• Under the state-adopted 2021 IBC (Montana Building Code) Section 111.1 (Change Of Occupancy): 'A building or structure shall not be used or occupied in whole or in part, and a change of occupancy of a building or structure or portion thereof shall not be made, until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy therefor' (Section 111.2 governs issuance; Montana's amendment ties issuance to Mont. Code Ann. § 50-60-107)
• Zoning permits expire if the described work has not begun within 6 months of issuance; a single 6-month extension may be granted by the Zoning Administrator (13-12-2.D.1)
• Applications for a zoning permit (other than temporary-use permits) must be accompanied by plans in duplicate showing lot dimensions, existing structures, and the proposed change (13-12-2.B.1-2)

Required documents

• RequiredZoning Permit Application (change of use)Submitted to the Zoning Administrator at Shelby City Hall, (406) 434-5222; may be combined with the Building Permit Application per Shelby Municipal Code 13-12-2.B.4
• OptionalCity of Shelby Building Permit ApplicationTriggers the Building Official's Certificate of Occupancy determination under the state-adopted 2021 IBC Section 111 when the change of use also involves a change of occupancy classification

Fee schedule