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Commercial Building Permit in Unincorporated Yellowstone County, Montana

Yellowstone County issues no building permits of any kind outside the Billings city limits, and unincorporated Yellowstone County does not appear on the Montana Building Codes Bureau's Certified City, County and Town Programs list -- the Bureau's own roster of every local government running its own certified building-code program (updated 07/30/2026). Several other Montana counties do appear on that same roster (Deer Lodge County, Missoula County, Pondera County, Richland County, Silver Bow, and Toole County among them), so the county's absence reflects a real gap rather than a scope limit of the list. Billings is on the roster too, but its certification is marked 'City Limits' only. The roster's own header states: 'All other areas are under the jurisdiction of the State Building Codes Bureau.' A commercial building permit for property in unincorporated Yellowstone County is therefore issued, plan-reviewed, and inspected directly by the Montana Building Codes Bureau (Department of Labor & Industry), not by Yellowstone County, under the 2021 International Building Code as adopted statewide by ARM Title 24, Chapter 301. The county's own role on a commercial project is limited to land-use and site matters that sit outside the building code: a County Zoning Compliance Permit for the use itself, a county Floodplain Permit if the parcel lies in a mapped floodplain, and septic/wastewater review through Riverstone Health -- none of which substitutes for the state building permit, and none of which the state building permit substitutes for.

Verified 2026-08-26 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Nearly every commercial building falls outside Montana's state building-permit exemptions -- those cover only private homes/apartments of four or fewer units (non-transient), farm and ranch buildings, mining buildings, petroleum refineries and pulp/paper mills (except their own office and shop buildings), and private garages/storage buildings for personal use -- so a commercial structure in unincorporated Yellowstone County requires a state Building Permit (BCP-1) from the Bureau
  • Reviewed against the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) and 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), both adopted statewide effective June 11, 2022 under ARM Title 24, Chapter 301, the same codes already listed for this jurisdiction
  • Plans must demonstrate IECC energy compliance; the Bureau accepts a ComCheck report for this purpose
  • Both the building permit fee and the plan review fee (35 percent of the permit fee) must be paid in full before the Bureau will issue the permit, per ARM 24.301.138(1)(b) and (2)
  • Project valuation for fee purposes covers the total value of all construction work under the permit plus finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire-extinguishing systems, and any other permanent equipment (ARM 24.301.138(3))
  • A County Zoning Compliance Permit (Section 27-1628 of the joint Billings/Yellowstone County zoning code) is a separate requirement whenever the project establishes or changes a land use in the county's zoning jurisdictional area; the Planning and Community Services Department reviews it for zoning conformance only and states plainly that it 'shall not constitute a review of compliance with any applicable building codes' -- see this jurisdiction's Change of Use / Zoning Compliance Permit entry
  • A Yellowstone County Floodplain Permit ($50 non-refundable processing fee) is required in addition to the state building permit if the parcel lies within a mapped floodplain, per the county's Floodplain Office
  • Septic/wastewater capacity for a commercial project must be confirmed separately with Riverstone Health Environmental Health Services
  • Fire-suppression system work is submitted as 'Fire Suppression' Type of Work on the same BCP-1 application rather than through a separate county or local fire-code program -- see this jurisdiction's Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Permit entry for how fire review is handled
  • Separate state Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits are required for those trades and are not covered by the building permit fee -- see this jurisdiction's Electrical Permit, Plumbing Permit, and Mechanical / HVAC Permit entries

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee -- valuation $1 to $500Mont. Admin. r. 24.301.138, Table 109.2 (Building Permit Fees)
$23.50
Building Permit Fee -- valuation $501 to $2,000Mont. Admin. r. 24.301.138, Table 109.2
$23.50 for the first $500, plus $3.05 for each additional $100 or fraction thereof, to and including $2,000
Building Permit Fee -- valuation $2,001 to $25,000Mont. Admin. r. 24.301.138, Table 109.2
$69.25 for the first $2,000, plus $14.00 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $25,000
Building Permit Fee -- valuation $25,001 to $50,000Mont. Admin. r. 24.301.138, Table 109.2
$391.75 for the first $25,000, plus $10.10 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $50,000
Building Permit Fee -- valuation $50,001 to $100,000Mont. Admin. r. 24.301.138, Table 109.2
$643.75 for the first $50,000, plus $7.00 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $100,000
Building Permit Fee -- valuation $100,001 to $500,000Mont. Admin. r. 24.301.138, Table 109.2
$993.75 for the first $100,000, plus $5.60 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $500,000
Building Permit Fee -- valuation $500,001 to $1,000,000Mont. Admin. r. 24.301.138, Table 109.2
$3,233.75 for the first $500,000, plus $4.75 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $1,000,000
Building Permit Fee -- valuation $1,000,001 and upMont. Admin. r. 24.301.138, Table 109.2 -- the top tier's marginal rate differs from Idaho jurisdictions' versions of this same model fee table elsewhere in this corpus (e.g., $3.65/$1,000 in Buhl, Idaho); each state's own adopting rule controls its own figure
$5,608.75 for the first $1,000,000, plus $3.15 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof
Plan Review FeeMont. Admin. r. 24.301.138(1)(b)
35 percent of the building permit fee (50 percent of the combined plan-review-and-permit fee if only plan review services, without a permit, are requested)
Requested Inspection FeeMont. Admin. r. 24.301.138(1)(c), added as a new paragraph to IBC Section 109.2
$75.00 per hour, any portion of an hour rounded up to the next full hour, plus travel and per diem at the state's existing rates
Inspections outside normal business hoursMont. Admin. r. 24.301.138, Table 109.2, "Other Inspections and Fees" -- this figure and the $75.00/hour Requested Inspection Fee above both appear in the same current rule text without the rule reconciling the two; recorded as published rather than resolved
$45.00 per hour, two-hour minimum charge
Inspections for which no fee is specifically indicated / additional plan review required by plan changesMont. Admin. r. 24.301.138, Table 109.2, "Other Inspections and Fees"
$45.00 per hour, half-hour minimum charge
Wind farm turbine foundationsMont. Admin. r. 24.301.138(6)
$200 for the first turbine, plus $100 for each additional turbine in the project
Solar field (utility-scale)Mont. Admin. r. 24.301.138(7)
$100 per megawatt

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Unincorporated Yellowstone County building department
~14–21 business days

How long did your Commercial Building Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Yellowstone County?

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Inspection process

    See the full Unincorporated Yellowstone County inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

    Tips

    • Building valuation for fee purposes is set, in order of priority, from a firm bid or contract amount, then a design professional's preliminary cost estimate, then the ICC 'Building Valuation Data' square-foot table -- and each method carries its own multiplier (0.6 for bids/estimates, 0.35 for the square-foot table) before the fee schedule is applied, per Mont. Admin. r. 24.301.138(4).
    • The Bureau's own current rule text lists two different hourly inspection rates -- a $75.00/hour 'Requested Inspection Fee' added under 24.301.138(1)(c), and a $45.00/hour rate for after-hours or unscheduled inspections under the Table 109.2 fee footer -- without stating which supersedes the other; confirm which applies to a specific inspection with the Bureau at (406) 841-2056 before budgeting.
    • Local governments certified by the Bureau to run their own building-code program may set their own permit fees and valuation method (ARM 24.301.203) -- that is why Billings' own fee schedule, certified for its city limits only, does not apply to a commercial project in unincorporated Yellowstone County even though both sit in the same county.
    • A commercial project needs to clear four separate desks that do not talk to each other automatically: the state Building Permit (Bureau), the County Zoning Compliance Permit (Planning and Community Services Department), a Floodplain Permit if applicable (Yellowstone County Floodplain Office), and septic/wastewater review (Riverstone Health) -- budget time for all four rather than assuming the state permit covers the others.

    Frequently asked questions

    Unincorporated Yellowstone County requires a commercial building permit for: Nearly every commercial building falls outside Montana's state building-permit exemptions -- those cover only private homes/apartments of four or fewer units (non-transient), farm and ranch buildings, mining buildings, petroleum refineries and pulp/paper mills (except their own office and shop buildings), and private garages/storage buildings for personal use -- so a commercial structure in unincorporated Yellowstone County requires a state Building Permit (BCP-1) from the Bureau; Reviewed against the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) and 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), both adopted statewide effective June 11, 2022 under ARM Title 24, Chapter 301, the same codes already listed for this jurisdiction; Plans must demonstrate IECC energy compliance; the Bureau accepts a ComCheck report for this purpose; Both the building permit fee and the plan review fee (35 percent of the permit fee) must be paid in full before the Bureau will issue the permit, per ARM 24.301.138(1)(b) and (2); Project valuation for fee purposes covers the total value of all construction work under the permit plus finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire-extinguishing systems, and any other permanent equipment (ARM 24.301.138(3)); A County Zoning Compliance Permit (Section 27-1628 of the joint Billings/Yellowstone County zoning code) is a separate requirement whenever the project establishes or changes a land use in the county's zoning jurisdictional area; the Planning and Community Services Department reviews it for zoning conformance only and states plainly that it 'shall not constitute a review of compliance with any applicable building codes' -- see this jurisdiction's Change of Use / Zoning Compliance Permit entry; A Yellowstone County Floodplain Permit ($50 non-refundable processing fee) is required in addition to the state building permit if the parcel lies within a mapped floodplain, per the county's Floodplain Office; Septic/wastewater capacity for a commercial project must be confirmed separately with Riverstone Health Environmental Health Services; Fire-suppression system work is submitted as 'Fire Suppression' Type of Work on the same BCP-1 application rather than through a separate county or local fire-code program -- see this jurisdiction's Fire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm Permit entry for how fire review is handled; Separate state Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits are required for those trades and are not covered by the building permit fee -- see this jurisdiction's Electrical Permit, Plumbing Permit, and Mechanical / HVAC Permit entries. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Montana Department of Labor & Industry — Building Codes Bureau (Business Standards Division, Building and Commercial Measurements Bureau) at (406) 841-2056 before starting work.

    The Montana Building Codes Bureau calculates the fee from Table 109.2 of its adopted fee rule (Mont. Admin. r. 24.301.138): $23.50 for a project valued at $500 or less, scaling up to $5,608.75 plus $3.15 per additional $1,000 for projects over $1,000,000. A Plan Review Fee equal to 35 percent of that permit fee is also required, and both fees must be paid before the permit is issued.

    Plan review for a commercial building permit in Unincorporated Yellowstone County typically runs 14–21 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with Montana Department of Labor & Industry — Building Codes Bureau (Business Standards Division, Building and Commercial Measurements Bureau) at (406) 841-2056.

    You'll need: Application for Building Permit (BCP-1); Commercial Building Plan Review Submittal Requirements checklist; ComCheck Energy Compliance Report. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through Montana Department of Labor & Industry — Building Codes Bureau (Business Standards Division, Building and Commercial Measurements Bureau) at 301 South Park Ave, Floors 4-5, Helena, MT 59620 (mailing: Building Codes Bureau, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517). Phone: (406) 841-2056, email: buildingcodes@mt.gov. Office hours: Mon–Fri, state business hours; online permitting available 24/7 via https://aca-prod.accela.com/bcb/. Official information: https://bsd.dli.mt.gov/building-codes-permits/.

    Unincorporated Yellowstone County, Montana has adopted: 2021 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted statewide by ARM Title 24, Chapter 301; effective June 11, 2022; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) — ARM Title 24, Chapter 301; effective June 11, 2022; 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — ARM Title 24, Chapter 301; effective June 11, 2022; ICC A117.1-2017 (Accessibility) — ARM Title 24, Chapter 301; effective June 11, 2022; 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) — ARM Title 24, Chapter 301; effective June 11, 2022 (fixture table at ARM 24.301.351); 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — ARM Title 24, Chapter 301; effective June 11, 2022; 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — ARM Title 24, Chapter 301; effective June 11, 2022; 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) — ARM Title 24, Chapter 301; effective June 11, 2022 (NEC Technical Advisory NEC_TIA-23-3_210.8 issued August 12, 2022); 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — ARM Title 24, Chapter 301; effective June 11, 2022; 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — ARM Title 24, Chapter 301; effective June 11, 2022; 2021 Wildland Urban Interface Code (WUIC) — ARM Title 24, Chapter 301; effective June 11, 2022; NOTE: All codes listed are statewide codes administered directly by the Montana Building Codes Bureau for areas (like unincorporated Yellowstone County) that are NOT within a certified local-government building code jurisdiction..

    No. Yellowstone County issues no building permits of any kind outside the Billings city limits, and it does not appear on the Montana Building Codes Bureau's Certified City, County and Town Programs list -- the roster that lists every local government running its own certified building-code program. Several other Montana counties do appear on that roster (Missoula, Deer Lodge, Pondera, Richland, Silver Bow, Toole), which is why the list's own header states that 'all other areas are under the jurisdiction of the State Building Codes Bureau.' A commercial building permit for unincorporated Yellowstone County is issued directly by that state Bureau.

    Zoning, floodplain, and septic/sanitation review stay with the county and its partner agencies even though the state issues the building permit. The joint Billings/Yellowstone County Planning and Community Services Department requires a $77.00 Zoning Compliance Permit before any commercial land use is established or changed; the county's Floodplain Office requires its own $50.00 permit if the parcel lies in a mapped floodplain; and Riverstone Health Environmental Health Services reviews septic/wastewater capacity separately. None of these substitutes for the state building permit, and the state building permit does not cover any of them.

    Sources & verification

    Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-08-26.

    Fee schedules

    Applications & forms

    Department & other records

    Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Unincorporated Yellowstone County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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