Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm System Permit in Billings, Montana

Billings requires a fire sprinkler / fire alarm system permit for: Fire protection systems — automatic sprinkler, alternative automatic extinguishing (clean agent, foam, CO2), and fire alarm systems — must be reviewed and approved by the Fire Prevention Bureau for all new and remodeled buildings; Deputy Fire Marshals assist the Fire Marshal and Assistant Fire Marshal with plans review covering building plans, fire sprinkler systems, and fire alarm systems; Plans may be submitted as a delayed plan review for new or remodeled buildings using the Delayed Plan Submittal Verification Form, which must be completed and returned to the Fire Marshal's Office prior to approval of the building plans; Delayed sprinkler/alternative-extinguishing/alarm plans must be submitted within 60 days of building-plan approval, and must be complete with all information required under the currently adopted fire code; Sprinkler, alternative-extinguishing, and alarm system plans are submitted directly to the City's third-party reviewer, Fire Safety Consultants, Inc. (FSCI, Elgin, IL), rather than to city staff; FSCI forwards its recommendations to the Fire Marshal for final approval; Automatic Sprinkler System submittals must also include a completed Owner's Information Certificate documenting construction type (fire-resistive/noncombustible vs. wood-frame/ordinary), any specialized occupancies (aircraft hangar, power plant, water-cooling tower, marine terminal, etc.), presence of flammable/combustible liquids or other hazardous materials, and any storage over 12 ft (or plastic/rubber storage over 5 ft); Governed by NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm Code) and NFPA 13/13R/13D (sprinkler system installation standards), per the Fire Department's Adopted Codes and Standards page — note this fire-department-specific codes page lists 2016-edition NFPA standards and predates the citywide 2021 model-code adoption (2021 IFC etc.) under Administrative Order #150 (Sept. 2022) documented elsewhere on the City's Building Division site; the currently governing NFPA edition for new submittals was not independently confirmed against that later readoption; Final inspection for the certificate of occupancy requires a minimum 24-hour notice through the Building Department; where fire protection systems are installed, additional time must be reserved for system acceptance testing and all fire-protection sub-contractors must be on site during the final inspection. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Billings Building Division at (406) 657-8270 before starting work.

The City of Billings does not publish a fire-protection-system plan review fee. Review fees are paid directly to the City's third-party reviewer, Fire Safety Consultants, Inc. (FSCI), by the submitting contractor or designer, not to the City.

Billings does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Billings Building Division at (406) 657-8270 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Delayed Plan Submittal Verification Form; Fire Protection System Construction Documents. Depending on your project, Billings may also ask for: Owner's Information Certificate. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Billings requires 1 inspection(s) for a fire sprinkler / fire alarm system permit, in order: Fire Protection System Acceptance Test. Schedule each through City of Billings Building Division ((406) 657-8270).

Apply through City of Billings Building Division at 316 N 26th St, 5th Floor, Billings, MT 59101. Phone: (406) 657-8270, email: permits@billingsmt.gov. Office hours: Building Division front counter, 5th Floor, City Hall, 316 N. 26th St., Billings, MT 59101 (inspection requests: inspections@billingsmt.gov or 406-657-8270). Official information: https://www.billingsmt.gov/67/Building.

Billings, 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 (building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, swimming pool, etc.); a certified local program's adopted code 'may include only codes adopted by the Building Codes Bureau' (ARM 24.301.202). Non-certified areas fall under direct state administration by the DLI Building Codes Bureau. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, Certified City, County and Town Programs and Current Codes pages (bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits).; Billings is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Building (B), Plumbing — Mechanical/Gas (P(M/G)), Electrical (E), Mechanical (M), and Swimming Pool (SP) within Billings city limits; certified program contact on file with DLI: Jessica Fust, (406) 657-8270. Source: Montana DLI Building Codes Bureau, Current Codes page (list of certified jurisdictions), bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits/current-codes; 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — effective statewide June 11, 2022; adopted by City of Billings, last readopted September 1, 2022 per Administrative Order #150; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — effective statewide June 11, 2022; adopted by City of Billings per Administrative Order #150. Note: per the City's Adopted Codes page, IRC Chapters 11-14 and 16-43 are deleted in their entirety; IRC Chapter 15 (Exhaust Systems) is adopted as an alternative to the IMC for exhaust systems only, with all other mechanical-system requirements for detached 1-2 family dwellings and townhouses (3 stories or less) found in the adopted IMC; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — effective statewide June 11, 2022; 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — effective statewide June 11, 2022; adopted by City of Billings per Administrative Order #150; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — effective statewide June 11, 2022; adopted by City of Billings per Administrative Order #150; 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — effective statewide June 11, 2022; adopted by City of Billings per Administrative Order #150; 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) — effective statewide June 11, 2022; adopted by City of Billings per Administrative Order #150 (Montana uses the Uniform Plumbing Code, not the International Plumbing Code); 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) — effective statewide June 11, 2022; adopted by City of Billings per Administrative Order #150; 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — effective statewide June 11, 2022; Billings is DLI-certified for swimming pool (SP) permitting; 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) — per City of Billings Building Division FAQ, current adopted code list; ICC A117.1-2017 Accessibility — effective statewide June 11, 2022 (state-adopted; referenced for commercial accessibility compliance); NFPA 99c, Standard on Gas and Vacuum Systems (medical gas), 2021 Edition — per City of Billings Adopted Codes page; All codes amended by the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) Title 24, Chapter 301. City of Billings Building Codes were last (re)adopted September 1, 2022 per Administrative Order #150. Local amendments apply — see the Billings overview page for the full list.

The Billings Fire Prevention Bureau's Deputy Fire Marshals assist with plans review, but the sprinkler, alternative-extinguishing, and fire alarm system plans themselves are submitted to and reviewed by the City's contracted third-party reviewer, Fire Safety Consultants, Inc. (FSCI), which forwards recommendations to the Fire Marshal for final approval.