Commercial Building Permit (New Construction / Addition / Alteration / Remodel) in Glasgow, Montana

Glasgow requires a commercial building permit (new construction / addition / alteration / remodel) for: Same Building Permit Application used for residential work, completed for a commercial class of work: owner, contractor, and architect/engineer contact information; legal description; valuation of work; type of construction; Commercial new construction requires 3 complete sets of plans submitted for review; commercial remodel requires 3 complete sets of plans -- both a higher plan-set count than the 2-set minimum for a residential remodel/garage project. Source: City of Glasgow Building Permit Packet, page 2; Construction/floor plans for a commercial structure must be drawn at a scale not less than 1/8 inch = 1 foot, versus not less than 1/4 inch = 1 foot for residential structures. Source: City of Glasgow Building Permit Packet, page 8 (Construction Plans); All commercial plans for public buildings must be wet-stamped (each set original-stamped) by a Montana-licensed architect or engineer. Source: City of Glasgow Building Permit Packet, page 3; For a commercial building structure, multiple cross sections are required (more than the one or two typically sufficient for a garage or house). Source: City of Glasgow Building Permit Packet, page 2; Submitted roof truss diagrams must bear the seal of a Montana-licensed professional engineer; a single stamped component (e.g., a truss plan) does not by itself satisfy the requirement that the whole facility was designed by an architect for a commercial building open to the public. Source: City of Glasgow Building Permit Packet, page 5; As of Ordinance No. 966 (effective July 27, 2020): property pins must be established and clearly visible before permit issuance for any new building project or any project that modifies an existing structure's footprint; the Building Inspector must witness the pins in place, or a licensed surveyor must establish them first; Projects within the designated 500-foot Critical Zone of the Glasgow/Cherry Creek/Milk River Levee require mandatory additional review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before the City can issue an approved permit; Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical work for a commercial project are not covered by this permit -- Glasgow holds DLI certification for Building (B) only, so those trades require separate permits issued directly by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau (see the electrical-permit-state, plumbing-permit-state, and mechanical-permit-state permit types documented separately). If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Glasgow Public Works Department / Building Codes Department — Rod Dees, Code Compliance Officer; city-certified for Building (B) permits only. Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits within Glasgow city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, not the City. at (406) 228-2476 before starting work.

Per the City of Glasgow's own Building Permit Packet: minor commercial projects typically take 2-4 weeks for review, and major commercial projects typically take 3-6 weeks, longer than the 4-7 working days typical for minor residential/accessory work.

You'll need: Application for Building Permit; Plot Plan / Site Plan; Construction/Floor Plan, Elevations, and Cross Sections (Commercial Scale); Wet-Stamped Plans (Public Buildings). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Apply through City of Glasgow Public Works Department / Building Codes Department — Rod Dees, Code Compliance Officer; city-certified for Building (B) permits only. Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits within Glasgow city limits are issued directly by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry Building Codes Bureau, not the City. at 319 3rd Street South, Glasgow, MT 59230. Phone: (406) 228-2476, email: codecompliance@cityofglasgowmt.com. 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.. Official information: https://www.cityofglasgowmt.com/public-works-department.

Glasgow, 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 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, which lists '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; The 2021 editions govern. The City's own permit packet (dated 11/17/2021) cites 2018-edition I-codes and the 2012 IECC, while Montana DLI's statewide Current Codes page lists 2021 editions; Glasgow's own Municipal Code settles the discrepancy — Chapter 8, Article II adopts the 2021 editions by section, each 'Pursuant to MCA 50-60-301 and ARM 24.301.202'. The City packet is simply out of date relative to the City's own codified ordinance. City of Glasgow Code of Ordinances Chapter 8 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Article II (Technical Codes) (nodeId COOR_CH8BUBURE); codification current through Ordinance No. 981, adopted 2022-08-15, online content updated 2023-12-01.; 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.; International Building Code, 2021 edition — adopted at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-23, 'as amended by ARM 24.301.131 and all accompanying appendices, amendments, and modifications adopted by the building codes bureau, state department of labor and industry', pursuant to MCA 50-60-301 and ARM 24.301.202. City of Glasgow Code of Ordinances Chapter 8 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Article II (Technical Codes) (nodeId COOR_CH8BUBURE); codification current through Ordinance No. 981, adopted 2022-08-15, online content updated 2023-12-01.; International Residential Code, 2021 edition — adopted at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-24, as amended by ARM 24.301.154, for detached single- or two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories and their accessory structures. City of Glasgow Code of Ordinances Chapter 8 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Article II (Technical Codes) (nodeId COOR_CH8BUBURE); codification current through Ordinance No. 981, adopted 2022-08-15, online content updated 2023-12-01.; International Fuel Gas Code — adopted at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-25 'as adopted by the state in ARM 24.301.173'. NOTE: Sec. 8-25 is the one adoption section in Article II that cites NO edition year of its own; the edition is whatever ARM 24.301.173 currently carries. Stated as the section states it rather than assumed to be 2021 by analogy with Secs. 8-23, 8-24, 8-26 and 8-27. City of Glasgow Code of Ordinances Chapter 8 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Article II (Technical Codes) (nodeId COOR_CH8BUBURE); codification current through Ordinance No. 981, adopted 2022-08-15, online content updated 2023-12-01.; International Existing Building Code, 2021 edition — adopted at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-26, as amended by ARM 24.301.171, usable 'as an alternative prescriptive method for the remodel, repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition, and relocation of existing buildings'. City of Glasgow Code of Ordinances Chapter 8 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Article II (Technical Codes) (nodeId COOR_CH8BUBURE); codification current through Ordinance No. 981, adopted 2022-08-15, online content updated 2023-12-01.; International Energy Conservation Code, 2021 edition — adopted at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-27, as amended by ARM 24.301.161. This supersedes the 2012 IECC cited in the City's own 2021 permit packet. City of Glasgow Code of Ordinances Chapter 8 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Article II (Technical Codes) (nodeId COOR_CH8BUBURE); codification current through Ordinance No. 981, adopted 2022-08-15, online content updated 2023-12-01.; Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (current edition, published by the General Services Administration) — adopted by reference at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-28(a), together with the appendices, amendments and modifications adopted by the state building codes bureau as set out in the Administrative Rules of Montana. City of Glasgow Code of Ordinances Chapter 8 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Article II (Technical Codes) (nodeId COOR_CH8BUBURE); codification current through Ordinance No. 981, adopted 2022-08-15, online content updated 2023-12-01.; Uniform Plumbing Code (current edition, published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials) — adopted by reference at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-88(a), with the ARM amendments. NOTE this is a UPC jurisdiction for plumbing, not an IPC one; plumbing permits themselves are issued by the Montana DLI rather than the City, per localAmendments. City of Glasgow Code of Ordinances Chapter 8 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Article II (Technical Codes) (nodeId COOR_CH8BUBURE); codification current through Ordinance No. 981, adopted 2022-08-15, online content updated 2023-12-01.; City of Glasgow Code of Ordinances Chapter 8 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Article II (Technical Codes) adopts seven codes by section.. Local amendments apply — see the Glasgow overview page for the full list.

No. The City of Glasgow uses the same Application for Building Permit for residential and commercial construction alike -- there is no distinct commercial-only form. Commercial projects do carry their own requirements within that process: 3 complete plan sets (new construction or remodel), a 1/8 inch = 1 foot minimum drawing scale, and a wet-stamp requirement for public-building plans.

The City publishes no valuation-based fee table for its building permit, commercial or residential -- Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-117 covers demolition fees only. Contact the Building Codes Department at (406) 228-2476 ext. 8 for a current quote. Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical work on the same project is billed separately by the Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau.