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Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station / EVSE Permit (State Electrical Permit) in Unincorporated Yellowstone County, Montana

Unincorporated Yellowstone County has no county-run electrical program and no dedicated EV charger/EVSE permit or fee line. All electrical work, including EV charging station/EVSE circuit installation, requires a State Electrical Permit from the Montana Building Codes Bureau (Title 50, Chapter 60, Section 604, MCA), the same statewide program used for the county's general electrical-permit entry, since Yellowstone County is not a certified local government for electrical code enforcement. The Bureau's Application for Residential/Homeowner Electrical Permit fee schedule (ARM 24.301.431) was checked directly and contains no distinct 'electric vehicle,' 'EV charger,' 'EVSE,' or 'charging station' line item; an EVSE circuit addition would be billed under an existing general-purpose fee category -- most likely 'Alternative Energy connection (residential change of service)' ($45) if tied to a service change, or the '1 additional circuit or piece of equipment' ($45) / '2-3 additional circuits or pieces of equipment' ($70) categories for a standalone dedicated circuit -- depending on project scope.

Verified 2026-07-20 · Source

When you need this permit

  • No standalone EV charger/EVSE permit application exists; apply for a State Electrical Permit (Residential or Homeowner) from the Montana Building Codes Bureau, the same permit used for all other electrical work in unincorporated Yellowstone County
  • Homeowners may self-perform the EVSE circuit wiring on their own home/garage/premises via a Homeowner Electrical Permit; otherwise a Montana-licensed electrical contractor (UCO or LCO license) must pull the permit Owner-builder
  • The Bureau's numeric fee schedule (ARM 24.301.431) has no EV-specific line item; the applicable fee category depends on project scope -- a new dedicated circuit/piece of equipment, a service change, or an alternative-energy-style connection
  • Governed by the 2020 NEC (effective June 11, 2022, with Technical Advisory NEC_TIA-23-3_210.8), which includes NEC Article 625 (Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System) provisions for EVSE circuits and disconnects

Required documents

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Fee schedule

1 additional circuit or piece of equipment (e.g., dedicated EVSE circuit)Montana Building Codes Bureau, Application for Residential/Homeowner Electrical Permit (ARM 24.301.431, Rev. 11/25), option H -- likely fee category for a simple dedicated EV charger circuit; no EV-specific line exists so this is the closest matching general category
$45
Alternative Energy connection (residential change of service)Same source, option K -- may apply if the EV charger installation is paired with a service change
$45
Residential Change of Service -- disconnect w/ feeder & distribution panelboard replacementSame source, option J -- may apply if a panel upgrade is needed to support the EV charger's electrical load
$75

Review timeline

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

How long did your Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station / EVSE Permit (State 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 EVSE circuit work

  2. 2

    Final

    Final inspection by a State Electrical Inspector; wiring must meet 2020 NEC requirements including Article 625 (Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System)

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

Tips

  • Do not look for a county EV charger permit or a county electrical inspector -- unincorporated Yellowstone County electrical work, including EV charging stations, is permitted and inspected by the Montana Building Codes Bureau's statewide State Electrical Permit program, the same one used for all other electrical work here.
  • There is no dedicated EV/EVSE fee line on the state's fee schedule -- the closest matching categories are the 'additional circuit or piece of equipment' fees ($45-$70) or the 'Alternative Energy connection' fee ($45) if paired with a service change; confirm which applies with the Building Codes Bureau (406-841-2056) before applying.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Yellowstone County requires an electric vehicle (ev) charging station / evse permit (state electrical permit) for: No standalone EV charger/EVSE permit application exists; apply for a State Electrical Permit (Residential or Homeowner) from the Montana Building Codes Bureau, the same permit used for all other electrical work in unincorporated Yellowstone County; Homeowners may self-perform the EVSE circuit wiring on their own home/garage/premises via a Homeowner Electrical Permit; otherwise a Montana-licensed electrical contractor (UCO or LCO license) must pull the permit; The Bureau's numeric fee schedule (ARM 24.301.431) has no EV-specific line item; the applicable fee category depends on project scope -- a new dedicated circuit/piece of equipment, a service change, or an alternative-energy-style connection; Governed by the 2020 NEC (effective June 11, 2022, with Technical Advisory NEC_TIA-23-3_210.8), which includes NEC Article 625 (Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System) provisions for EVSE circuits and disconnects. 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.

In Unincorporated Yellowstone County, the published 1 additional circuit or piece of equipment (e.g., dedicated EVSE circuit) is: $45. Additional published fees: Alternative Energy connection (residential change of service) — $45; Residential Change of Service -- disconnect w/ feeder & distribution panelboard replacement — $75. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review for an electric vehicle (ev) charging station / evse permit (state 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 electric vehicle (ev) charging station / evse permit (state 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 2026-07-20.

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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