Glasgow building permits
VerifiedDepartment contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Glasgow, Montana.
Last verified 2026-07-03 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- 319 3rd Street South, Glasgow, MT 59230
- Phone
- (406) 228-2476
- Office hours
- City Hall: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-12:00 PM and 1:00 PM-5:00 PM, closed federal holidays. Code Compliance Officer Rod Dees: (406) 228-2476 ext. 8, cell (406) 263-3386. Public Works Department can also be reached at (406) 228-2476 ext. 4 for pre-submittal project discussions.
- Website
- Official site
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Glasgow — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
Codes adopted
Montana adopts a single statewide building code by rule and, by default, enforces it directly — local governments only gain enforcement authority once the state certifies them. Under the Montana Building Codes Act (Mont. Code Ann. Title 50, Chapter 60), the Department of Labor & Industry's Building Codes Bureau adopts one state building code applicable everywhere (§ 50-60-203, codified further at Administrative Rules of Montana Title 24, Chapter 301) — currently the 2021 editions of the IBC, IRC, IMC, IFGC, IECC, IEBC, ISPSC, and UPC, with the 2020 NEC for electrical (effective statewide since 6/11/2022 per the Bureau's own Current Codes page). A city, county, or town may adopt and enforce its own building-code program under § 50-60-301, but its adopted code "may include only codes adopted by the Building Codes Bureau" — a local edition can never diverge from or be less stringent than the state's. Critically, under § 50-60-302, a local government cannot enforce ANY building code — even one it has formally adopted — until the Bureau certifies its program (requiring an approved code, a published fee schedule, an enforcement plan, and properly licensed or nationally certified inspectors); certification is granted per TRADE, not as one blanket designation. The Bureau's own "Certified City, County and Town Programs" list uses the key B=Building, P=Plumbing, E=Electrical, M=Mechanical, SP=Pool, W=Wildland-Urban-Interface — a jurisdiction can be certified for Building only while Electrical/Plumbing/Mechanical remain directly state-enforced within the same city limits (e.g., Havre, Anaconda-Deer Lodge), or certified across all trades (e.g., Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell). Non-certified jurisdictions — most of Montana's unincorporated county land, since very few counties appear on the certified list — fall under direct enforcement by the state Building Codes Bureau (§ 50-60-304). Montana also exempts private homes and buildings of four or fewer dwelling units not serving transient guests from the state building-permit requirement entirely, though electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits remain separately required regardless. Always confirm with the specific jurisdiction which trades it is certified for versus which remain directly state-enforced.
- 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 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 list (bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits).
- Glasgow is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B) ONLY within city limits; certified building official on file with DLI: Rod Dees, (406) 228-2476. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, 'Montana Certified Local Government Program' roster, updated 04/22/2026, https://bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/building-codes-permits/certified-city.pdf — verified directly against the PDF: 'Glasgow | B | Rod Dees | 228-2476 | City Limits'.
- Per the City of Glasgow's own 'General Information for Building Permit Applications' packet (Public Information Sheet GIPBA No. 4, dated 11/17/2021): all building designs and plans must adhere to the 2018 International Residential Code, 2018 International Building Code, 2018 International Mechanical Code, 2018 International Existing Building Code, 2018 International Fuel Gas Code, 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, 2012 International Energy Code, and the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code, plus applicable local zoning codes. Source: City of Glasgow Building Permit Packet, cityofglasgowmt.com/_files/ugd/2ff7f3_a263251865d842a9b7db016c72ebf448.pdf
- Note on code-edition discrepancy: the City's own packet (last dated 2021) cites 2018-edition I-codes and the 2012 IECC, while the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau's statewide 'Current Codes' page lists the newer 2021-edition codes (2021 IBC, IRC, IMC, IFGC, ISPSC, IEBC, UPC; 2021 IECC; 2020 NEC) as effective statewide since June 11, 2022. Because Glasgow is a certified local Building program, ARM 24.301.202 requires its adopted code to be one 'adopted by the Building Codes Bureau' — the City's own document may not have been updated to reflect the 2021-cycle codes. This discrepancy is reported as found rather than resolved by assumption; applicants should confirm current code edition in effect with the City Building Codes Department, (406) 228-2476 ext. 8. Source: bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits/current-codes vs. City of Glasgow Building Permit Packet.
- The City of Glasgow's own Building Permit Packet contains an internal inconsistency regarding Mechanical permits: one bullet in the 'General Information' page states 'The City of Glasgow also issues plumbing/mechanical permits,' while a later 'NOTICE' section in the same packet states plainly: 'The City of Glasgow covers Building Permits and Mechanical Permits; the State of Montana issues plumbing and electrical plans for work in the city.' The DLI's own certified-jurisdictions roster (updated 04/22/2026) lists Glasgow's certification as 'B' ONLY, with no 'M' code shown (contrast with e.g. Havre or Choteau, also 'B' only, or Belgrade/Billings which show explicit 'M' certification). Given the DLI roster is the authoritative statewide certification record, this KB treats Mechanical permits in Glasgow as STATE-ISSUED (routed to the DLI Building Codes Bureau) consistent with the official 'B'-only certification, while flagging the City's own document's contrary claim as an unresolved discrepancy applicants should verify directly with (406) 228-2476 ext. 8 before assuming which office issues a mechanical permit.
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration)
Required for new single-family home construction, additions, garages, decks over 2 feet high, and structural alterations within Glasgow city limits. Issued by the City of Glasgow Public Works/Building Codes Department under its DLI-certified local Building (B) program. Plans are reviewed against the code editions referenced in the City's own Building Permit Packet (2018 IRC/IBC/IMC/IEBC/IFGC/ISPSC, 2012 IECC, 2018 UPC — see codesAdopted note on a possible discrepancy with the state's newer 2021-cycle codes).
Electrical Permit (State-Issued)
Because Glasgow is DLI-certified for Building only, electrical work anywhere within Glasgow city limits requires a Residential (or Commercial) Electrical Permit issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not by the City of Glasgow. Confirmed explicitly in the City's own Building Permit Packet: 'The City of Glasgow does not issue Electrical or Plumbing Permits... Electrical and Plumbing permits are obtained from the State of Montana Business Standards Division.'
Plumbing Permit (State-Issued, incl. Water Heater)
Because Glasgow is DLI-certified for Building only, plumbing work anywhere within Glasgow city limits — including water heater installation/replacement — requires a Plumbing Permit issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not by the City of Glasgow. Confirmed explicitly in the City's own Building Permit Packet.
Mechanical / HVAC Permit (State-Issued)
Because Glasgow's DLI certification is Building (B) ONLY per the official DLI roster (no 'M' shown), this KB treats mechanical/HVAC work anywhere within Glasgow city limits as requiring a Mechanical Permit issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena. Note: the City's own Building Permit Packet contains conflicting language, at one point stating the City itself issues mechanical permits alongside building permits — see the codesAdopted discrepancy note. Applicants should confirm directly with the City (406-228-2476 ext. 8) which office to file with before submitting.
Fencing Permit
Required for new fence/wall/hedge construction or installation, extensive repair, or additional runs of fencing over 10 feet in length within Glasgow city limits, per City Fence Ordinance No. 972 (originally required since July 15, 2015 under Ordinance No. 953). Issued by the City of Glasgow Public Works Department.
Demolition Permit
Required for demolition of any structure within Glasgow city limits. Issued by the City of Glasgow Office of Public Works. Requires documented utility disconnection and inspected removal of footings/foundations and sewer-line plugging before close-out.
Accessory Structure / Deck Permit
Required for decks over 2 feet off the surrounding ground and for detached accessory buildings/sheds larger than 120 square feet (10'x12') within Glasgow city limits. Uses the same combined Application for Building Permit as new construction.
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit
Required for installation of rooftop or ground-mount solar photovoltaic systems within Glasgow city limits. Requires a City Building Permit (structural/racking, issued by the City's own Code Compliance Officer) plus a State of Montana Electrical Permit (wiring/interconnection) -- Glasgow is city-certified for Building permits only; Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits within city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, not the City.
EV Charger / Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit
Montana has no dedicated EV-charger permit type or line item, and Glasgow is not electrically-certified, so installing a Level 2 (240V) home EV charger or EVSE within Glasgow city limits requires a State of Montana Electrical Permit issued directly by the DLI Building Codes Bureau, billed under the same general residential wiring/circuit line items used for any new dedicated circuit or service upgrade -- there is no separate 'EV charger' or 'EVSE' line item on the state's Residential Electrical Permit application. A City Building Permit is NOT required unless the installation also involves new structural work (e.g., a new carport/canopy). Re-chased 2026-07-20: directly downloaded and text-extracted the live State electrical permit PDF, confirming the $45/$70 additional-circuit lines and $200 up-to-200-amp service line are still current verbatim.
Sign Permit / Commercial Sign Standards
Glasgow does not publish a standalone, dedicated Sign Permit application or fee schedule -- checked the City's Public Works Department page, Building Permits page, Planning & Zoning page, Documents/Projects page, and the City-hosted zoning-district guideline PDFs (Zone 'A' and 'B' Residence Districts contain no sign language at all). The one substantive, currently-live source found is the City's 'Zone "C" Commercial District' guideline PDF, which sets numeric sign standards (size, height, placement, lighting) as part of its Design Standards for Retail/Service uses over 2,500 square feet (shopping centers/PUDs, reviewed as a conditional use by the Planning Board). The document is explicitly self-described as 'general guidelines only' and directs owners to 'consult the Public Works Department directly to review the current Zoning and Use Codes,' and states plainly it is 'not a substitute for a Building Permit, nor intended to function as a Building Permit.' A sign that itself constitutes erecting or altering a structure (e.g., a freestanding/pylon sign requiring its own footing) would fall under the City's general Application for Building Permit ('permit to erect/alter a structure ... located as shown on the accompanying plot plan'), the same combined form used for all other unlisted construction activity -- there is no sign-specific form.
Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Permit
Neither the City of Glasgow nor the State of Montana publishes a dedicated, standalone 'fire sprinkler permit' or 'fire alarm permit' product. Because Glasgow's DLI certification covers Building only (see codesAdopted), fire protection (sprinkler) system connections are billed under the State of Montana Plumbing Permit's fee schedule, which includes the line item 'Each lawn sprinkler, fire protection system, any meter, or backflow protection device -- $30' (directly confirmed against the live BCP-1, Rev. 10/2019 Application for Plumbing Permit PDF). Fire alarm systems are wired work with no dedicated line item on the State Electrical Permit forms; they are billed as ordinary new/additional circuit wiring under the same general electrical fee lines this KB already documents on the EV-charger-permit entry (e.g., the $45/$70 additional-circuit lines), following the identical pattern seen elsewhere in small, non-electrically-certified Montana jurisdictions this session. Separately, when a fire protection system is part of new construction, the City's own Building Permit Packet requires the design package to include a 'Fire protection system design concept adequate for shop drawing preparation by others' from a Montana-licensed design professional, reviewed as part of the City-issued Building Permit for the project. Glasgow's volunteer Fire Department (Fire Chief Brandon Brunelle) has no documented dedicated Fire Marshal/fire-prevention-bureau function, plan-review fee, or inspection fee of its own for these systems.
Change of Use / Change of Occupancy (Certificate of Occupancy)
Glasgow does not have a standalone Change of Use or Certificate of Occupancy application, product, or fee. A 'CHANGE OF OCCUPANCY FROM ____ TO ____ OCCUPANCY' field is built directly into the City's standard Application for Building Permit -- the same combined form used for all new construction, additions, and alterations -- confirmed by direct text extraction of the current, live Building Permit Packet PDF (page 6, Legal Description section of the application form). This means a change of use/occupancy in Glasgow is processed as a Building-Permit-class action through the Public Works/Building Codes Department, not through a separate certificate-of-occupancy office or process. Montana state law, MCA 50-60-107, separately establishes that 'a certificate of occupancy for a building constructed in accordance with the provisions of the state building code or county, city, or town building code must certify that the building conforms to the requirements of the building regulations applicable to it,' and that such a certificate, once issued, is binding and conclusive on all local agencies unless set aside by a court.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-05)
- No data reported
- Trailing 12 months
- No data reported
- Year to date (2026 YTD)
- No data reported
- Full year 2025
- 0units
0 buildings · $0 valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-05 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Montana building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Glasgow is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for BUILDING (B) permits ONLY — verified directly against the DLI Building Codes Bureau's own 'Montana Certified Local Government Program' roster PDF (updated 04/22/2026): 'Glasgow | B | Rod Dees | 228-2476 | City Limits'. Electrical and Plumbing permits anywhere within Glasgow city limits are issued DIRECTLY by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau in Helena, not the City — this is confirmed both by the DLI roster and explicitly by the City's own Building Permit Packet ('The City of Glasgow does not issue Electrical or Plumbing Permits... obtained from the State of Montana Business Standards Division').
- IMPORTANT UNRESOLVED DISCREPANCY: the City of Glasgow's own Building Permit Packet contains internally conflicting language about Mechanical permits — one bullet claims the City 'also issues plumbing/mechanical permits,' while a later NOTICE states 'The City of Glasgow covers Building Permits and Mechanical Permits; the State of Montana issues plumbing and electrical plans.' Since the DLI's official roster shows Glasgow certified for 'B' only (no 'M'), this KB routes Mechanical permits to the state DLI Building Codes Bureau for consistency with the authoritative certification record, but flags this as unresolved — applicants should call the City Building Codes Department, (406) 228-2476 ext. 8, to confirm before filing a mechanical/HVAC permit application.
- No fixed, published building-permit fee schedule (valuation-based table) was found for Glasgow after checking the City's Building Permit Packet, Public Works Department page, Find-a-Form page, and the Municode-hosted Code of Ordinances (which returned an HTTP 403 error during direct verification and could not be independently confirmed). The Demolition Permit form's reference to City Code 'Sec. 8-117' indicates Chapter 8 likely contains fee provisions, but the specific building-permit fee table itself could not be located online. This is reported as an honest publication/access gap, not an inferred number — contact (406) 228-2476 ext. 8 for a current quote.
- Glasgow's own published review timeline (City Building Permit Packet): minor residential renovation or typical detached accessory building project, 4-7 working days; minor commercial, 2-4 weeks; major commercial, 3-6 weeks. This is the City's own figure, not borrowed from the state DLI's FAQ timeline for state-issued permits.
- Detached accessory buildings/sheds 120 sq ft (10'x12') or smaller require NO building permit. Roofing 're-roof over existing structurally-sound roof' does not require a permit, but a maximum of THREE total roofing layers may ever be applied before the roof must be stripped to sheathing.
- Ordinance No. 966 (effective July 27, 2020): property pins must be established and clearly visible, and witnessed in place by the Building Inspector, before a building permit is issued for any new project or one that modifies an existing footprint.
- Projects within the mapped 500-foot Critical Zone of the Glasgow/Cherry Creek/Milk River Levee require MANDATORY U.S. Army Corps of Engineers review before the City can issue an approved building permit — plan for significant additional lead time if your property falls in this zone.
- Fence permits ($5.00 flat fee, Ordinance No. 972, in effect since Ordinance No. 953 of July 15, 2015): typical review is 1-2 days but can take over a week; fences/hedges up to 3 feet are allowed anywhere including clear-vision zones, taller fences must respect setbacks and stay clear of mapped sightline triangles at intersections.
- Demolition permits ($50 residential / $150-$500 commercial, City Code Sec. 8-117) require plugged-and-inspected sewer lines at the property line, removed-and-inspected footings/foundation, and signed utility-disconnection documentation for electrical, gas, telephone, cable, sanitary sewer, and water.
- If your project is outside Glasgow city limits (unincorporated Valley County), the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau covers building projects directly there — contact the State Building Inspector at (406) 439-2809, per the City's own Building Permit Packet.
- Code-edition note: the City's own Building Permit Packet (last dated 11/17/2021) cites 2018-cycle I-codes and the 2012 IECC, while the statewide DLI 'Current Codes' page has since moved to the 2021 cycle (effective June 11, 2022) plus 2020 NEC. This may reflect the City packet being stale rather than an intentional local amendment — confirm current code edition with the City Building Codes Department before design work.