Sign Permit / Commercial Sign Standards in Glasgow, Montana

Glasgow requires a sign permit / commercial sign standards for: Per the Zone 'C' Commercial District Design Standards (applicable to Retail/Service uses over 2,500 sq ft reviewed as a conditional use): one protruding sign advertising the particular use of the property is permitted per use, not to exceed fifty (50) square feet in area, and not to exceed a height of thirty-five (35) feet; Signs must not be located on public property or within the public right-of-way; No sign, outdoor commercial advertising device, or lighting device may conflict with public traffic control devices or create lighting glare/focus/animation/flashing affecting adjacent residential districts; revolving beacons, fountain spot lights, strobe lights, and pogo/zip sticks not used for sign illumination and intended to attract attention are expressly prohibited; These numeric standards are published only for the Zone 'C' Commercial District's over-2,500-sq-ft conditional-use category -- no equivalent published sign standard was found for Zone 'A'/'B' Residence Districts or for smaller (under 2,500 sq ft) accepted-use commercial buildings; confirm applicability for your specific property and use with Public Works before assuming these figures govern your sign; If the sign installation itself requires erecting or altering a structure (footings, a freestanding pole/pylon structure, or attachment altering a building's framing), the general Application for Building Permit process applies, including its property-pin (Ordinance No. 966) and plan-submission requirements documented in this KB's residential-building-permit entry; The City's own guideline document is explicitly advisory only ('general guidelines only ... may not cover specific zoning or use circumstances') and is not itself a permit or a substitute for one -- treat it as the operative published sign standard, not as proof a dedicated sign-permit product exists. 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.

Glasgow does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact 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 for current turnaround.

Depending on your project, Glasgow may also ask for: Application for Building Permit (if the sign involves erecting/altering a structure). 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 — 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.. Local amendments apply — see the Glasgow overview page for the full list.

The City does not publish a standalone sign-permit application or fee. It does publish numeric sign standards (max 50 sq ft, max 35 ft height, one protruding sign per use, no right-of-way placement) within its Zone 'C' Commercial District design-standards guideline for retail/service uses over 2,500 square feet. A sign requiring its own structure/footings would be processed under the City's general Application for Building Permit. Confirm requirements for your specific project with the Building Codes Department, (406) 228-2476 ext. 8.

Per the Zone 'C' Commercial District guidelines (for retail/service uses over 2,500 sq ft), one protruding sign per use is permitted up to 50 square feet in area and up to 35 feet in height, and may not be placed on public property or in the right-of-way.