Residential/Commercial Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit (State-Issued) in Toole County (Unincorporated), Montana

Toole County (Unincorporated) requires a residential/commercial solar photovoltaic (pv) permit (state-issued) for: Electrical interconnection/wiring for a solar PV system anywhere in unincorporated Toole County (residential or commercial) is filed with the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, not the county, since Toole County holds no electrical certification at all; A licensed electrical contractor applies for a standard state Electrical Permit and selects 'solar' on the application; a non-electrician installer submits a state Alternate Energy Permit with solar information instead, per Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau Alternative Energy Information guidance; A homeowner performing PV installation on their own owner-occupied residence may use the state homeowner electrical permit option, providing solar-specific system information on the application; Fee is based on the total value of the electrical work, including the solar equipment, per the Bureau's own Alternative Energy Information page; Commercial racking/mounting structural work routes to Toole County's own commercial-only Building certification (Kyle Harlan); residential racking/mounting routes to the state DLI Building Codes Bureau, same as documented in this file's residential-building-permit-state entry. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Toole County holds NO dedicated Planning or Building Department page or staff distinct from its general county offices. The Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's own certified-jurisdictions roster lists Kyle Harlan as the certified local Building Official for Toole County's narrow commercial-only program (same official also certified for Choteau and Pondera County). The Toole County government website's own County Directory routes 'Building Inspection Services' through the Clerk & Recorder / Courthouse general line, with no separate named local contact, email, forms, or fee schedule published online for this program. at (406) 424-8300 (Toole County Courthouse / Clerk & Recorder general line, per county directory) / (406) 424-8310 (Kyle Harlan, certified Building Official on file with Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau) before starting work.

In Toole County (Unincorporated), the published Alternative Energy Source add-on (solar, wind, or hydro) is: $45-$65 additional fee added to the selected base electrical work-type fee. Additional published fees: Single Family Dwelling or Cabin — up to 200-amp service (base electrical fee, if applicable to the interconnection scope) — $200. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Toole County (Unincorporated) does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Toole County holds NO dedicated Planning or Building Department page or staff distinct from its general county offices. The Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's own certified-jurisdictions roster lists Kyle Harlan as the certified local Building Official for Toole County's narrow commercial-only program (same official also certified for Choteau and Pondera County). The Toole County government website's own County Directory routes 'Building Inspection Services' through the Clerk & Recorder / Courthouse general line, with no separate named local contact, email, forms, or fee schedule published online for this program. at (406) 424-8300 (Toole County Courthouse / Clerk & Recorder general line, per county directory) / (406) 424-8310 (Kyle Harlan, certified Building Official on file with Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau) for current turnaround.

You'll need: Application for Residential Electrical Permit (or Alternate Energy Permit, as applicable). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Apply through Toole County holds NO dedicated Planning or Building Department page or staff distinct from its general county offices. The Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's own certified-jurisdictions roster lists Kyle Harlan as the certified local Building Official for Toole County's narrow commercial-only program (same official also certified for Choteau and Pondera County). The Toole County government website's own County Directory routes 'Building Inspection Services' through the Clerk & Recorder / Courthouse general line, with no separate named local contact, email, forms, or fee schedule published online for this program. at Toole County Courthouse, 226 1st St S, Shelby, MT 59474 (general county contact; also the Clerk & Recorder's office, which the county directory lists as handling 'Building Inspection Services'). Phone: (406) 424-8300 (Toole County Courthouse / Clerk & Recorder general line, per county directory) / (406) 424-8310 (Kyle Harlan, certified Building Official on file with Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau). Office hours: Toole County Courthouse: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday-Friday, per the county directory page. No separate office hours are published for the county's commercial-only Building program specifically.. Official information: https://toolecountymt.gov/county-directory/.

Toole County (Unincorporated), 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/scopes in a partially-certified jurisdiction 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).; Toole County is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B), COMMERCIAL ONLY, countywide (i.e., covering unincorporated areas outside Shelby city limits, which is separately certified). Verified directly against the DLI Building Codes Bureau's 'Montana Certified Local Government Program' roster PDF (fetched and text-extracted directly from the primary-source PDF, updated 04/22/2026): 'Toole County | B (commercial only) | Kyle Harlan | 424-8310 | County'. Source: https://bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/building-codes-permits/certified-city.pdf; The same certified official, Kyle Harlan, also holds the identical 'B (commercial only)' certification for neighboring Pondera County (788-3398) and a full 'B' (all-scope) certification for the Town of Choteau (466-2510) — confirming this is one regional building official serving multiple small Montana jurisdictions under separate DLI certifications, per the same roster.; Per the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's Current Codes page (statewide effective date June 11, 2022, applicable to all certified and state-enforced jurisdictions alike): 2021 IBC, 2021 IRC, 2021 IEBC, 2021 IMC, 2021 IFGC, 2021 IECC, 2021 ISPSC, 2021 UPC, 2020 NEC, 2017 ICC A117.1 Accessibility. No Toole County-specific amended code text was found published online; the county's own website has no dedicated Building/Planning code page. Source: bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits/current-codes; Toole County has NO countywide zoning ordinance — per direct research of the county's own published materials, the county has only Subdivision Regulations (last amended and adopted by the Toole County Commission, December 18, 2023) and no general zoning code. Individuals seeking zoning verification are directed to contact the relevant municipal office instead. Source: Toole County Subdivision Regulations, https://toolecountymt.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/f64d3662-92c5-43f5-b981-7924256526f0.pdf, and general web research of Toole County zoning status.. Local amendments apply — see the Toole County (Unincorporated) overview page for the full list.

The Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau issues the electrical/interconnection permit for any solar PV installation in unincorporated Toole County, since the county holds no DLI electrical certification. A licensed electrical contractor applies for a state Electrical Permit and selects solar, adding the state's Alternative Energy Source fee ($45-$65) to the base electrical fee. Commercial racking/mounting structural work may route to the county's own commercial-only Building program instead.