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Electrical Permit in Unincorporated Yellowstone County, Montana

All electrical work in unincorporated Yellowstone County requires a State Electrical Permit from the Montana Building Codes Bureau, since Yellowstone County is not a certified local government for electrical code enforcement. Homeowners may wire their own home under a Homeowner Electrical Permit; all other work requires a Montana-licensed electrical contractor. Governed by Title 50, Chapter 60, Section 604, MCA and ARM 24.301.431.

Verified 2026-07-02 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Required for any new electrical installation, remodel, or repair statewide except in certified local jurisdictions (per Section 50-60-602, MCA exemptions and certified-government list — Yellowstone County is not certified)
  • Homeowners may self-perform wiring on their own home, garage, and premises via a Homeowner Electrical Permit — 'Is this permit for work to be done to property you own and maintain for your own personal use?' and 'Will you personally be performing the electrical work?' must both be answered yes Owner-builder
  • All other electrical work must be performed by a Montana-licensed electrical contractor (UCO or LCO license) pulling a Residential or Commercial Electrical Permit
  • Alternative energy (solar/wind/hydro) connections that are grid-tied require a licensed electrical contractor for the final connection even if a homeowner self-installs the rest

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Single Family Dwelling — Up to 200-amp serviceMontana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Residential/Homeowner Electrical Permit (ARM 24.301.431, Rev. 11/25), option A
$200
Single Family Dwelling — 201 to 400-amp serviceSame source, option B
$380
Single Family Dwelling — 401 to 600-amp serviceSame source, option C
$600
Single Family Dwelling — 601-amp service and upSame source, option D
$800
Interior/Exterior Wire or Rewire — 4+ circuits & change of service/interior panelSame source, option E
$120
Interior/Exterior Wire or Rewire — 4+ circuits (no panel/service change)Same source, option F
$100
2-3 additional circuits or pieces of equipmentSame source, option G
$70
1 additional circuit or piece of equipmentSame source, option H
$45
Residential Change of Service — exterior meter base/main disconnect onlySame source, option I
$45
Residential Change of Service — disconnect w/ feeder & distribution panelboard replacementSame source, option J
$75
Alternative Energy connection (residential change of service)Same source, option K
$45
Private Property Accessory Building (garage, etc.) — up to 200-amp panelSame source, option L
$80
Private Property Accessory Building — 201 to 300-amp panelSame source, option M
$150
Private Property Accessory Building — 301-amp panelSame source, option N
$250
Construction Service (Provisional Power)Same source, option AA
$60
Livestock wells / residential irrigation (new service)Same source, option BB
$50
Permit Renewal (expiration no more than 30 days)Same source, option CC
$60
Requested Inspection, per hourSame source, option DD
$60 (plus $30 per additional 30 min. or fraction thereof beyond one hour, plus travel time)

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Unincorporated Yellowstone County building department
~1–5 business days

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

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough-In

    Electrical permit holders must call for rough-in inspection and give 48 hours' notice before covering up the work

  2. 2

    Final

    Final inspection by a State Electrical Inspector; all wiring must meet National Electrical Code requirements

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

Tips

  • A homeowner may wire their own home, garage, and premises using a State Homeowner's Electrical Permit — but if the alternative energy source is grid-tied, a licensed electrical contractor must still make the final connection to the grid.
  • Electrical permit holders must call for rough-in and final inspections and give 48 hours notice before covering up work.
  • Montana's adopted electrical code is the 2020 NEC (effective June 11, 2022) with Technical Advisory NEC_TIA-23-3_210.8 issued August 12, 2022 — not the 2023 edition used in some other states.
  • Permits can be filed by mail to Building Codes Bureau, PO Box 200517, Helena, MT 59620-0517 or online at aca-prod.accela.com/bcb.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. All electrical work in unincorporated Yellowstone County requires a State Electrical Permit from the Montana Building Codes Bureau, since the county has no certified electrical code enforcement program. Homeowners may self-perform work on their own home under a Homeowner Electrical Permit; otherwise a Montana-licensed electrical contractor must pull the permit.

Per the Montana Building Codes Bureau fee schedule (ARM 24.301.431): a single-family dwelling with up to 200-amp service is $200 ($380 for 201-400 amp, $600 for 401-600 amp, $800 for 601+ amp). Smaller jobs range from $45 (one additional circuit) to $150-$250 for accessory-building panels.

Plan review for an electrical permit in Unincorporated Yellowstone County typically runs 1–5 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 Residential Electrical Permit. Depending on your project, Unincorporated Yellowstone County may also ask for: Application for Homeowner Electrical Permit. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Yellowstone County requires 2 inspection(s) for an electrical permit, in order: Rough-In, Final. Schedule each through Montana Department of Labor & Industry — Building Codes Bureau (Business Standards Division, Building and Commercial Measurements Bureau) ((406) 841-2056).

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..

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-02.

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.

Other permits in Unincorporated Yellowstone County

Residential Building PermitPlumbing PermitMechanical / HVAC PermitRoofing Permit (Reroof)Solar Panel PermitAccessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)Water Heater PermitElectric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station / EVSE Permit (State Electrical Permit)Sign PermitFire Sprinkler / Fire Alarm PermitChange of Use / Zoning Compliance Permit

Electrical Permit in other cities

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