County Building Permits
Big Horn County, MT - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Big Horn County, Montana. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
The Crow Reservation and Crow Nation trust lands are under exclusive Crow tribal government authority for building permits and codes. State of Montana and Big Horn County permitting do NOT apply on tribal trust land. All construction on Crow trust land must comply with Crow Nation building codes and permit requirements (which may differ significantly from state requirements). State contractor licenses do NOT automatically satisfy tribal permit requirements. Tribal lands within Big Horn County include Crow Agency and surrounding reservation areas.
- Department
- Crow Tribe of Montana
- Address
- P.O. Box 159, 43 Heritage Lane, Crow Agency, Montana 59022
- Phone
- (406) 638-1447
- Website
- http://www.crow-nsn.gov/
Application Process
- Contact Crow Tribe building/codes department at (406) 638-1447 or visit tribal offices at 43 Heritage Lane, Crow Agency
- Request permit application and determine specific requirements for planned project type
- Prepare construction plans/drawings according to Crow Nation building code standards
- Submit permit application and plans to tribal building department
- Application reviewed by tribal building official
- Pay permit fee
- Receive tribal building permit
- Schedule inspections with tribal building inspector
- Complete required inspections
- Receive approval upon final inspection
Typical processing time: Not publicly specified; contact Crow Tribe building department for estimate
Source: Crow Tribe of Montana
General Requirements
All building permits for new construction, additions, alterations on Crow tribal trust land must comply with Crow Nation requirements; contact tribal office for specific trigger requirements
Required Documents
- Tribal permit application form (obtain from tribal office)
- Construction plans
- Site plans
- Proof of land status (trust land verification)
- Estimated project valuation
- Permit validity
- Contact tribal building department for permit validity duration
- Building code
- Crow Nation maintains independent building codes; exact code standards not publicly specified online - contact tribal office
- Owner-builder
- Contact Crow Tribe building department; owner-builder rules may differ significantly from state rules
- Contractor requirements
- State contractor licenses do NOT automatically satisfy tribal permit requirements; contact Crow Tribe for tribal contractor requirements and any licensing/bonding needed
Fees
- Permit fee formula
- Contact tribal office; formula unknown
- Payment note
- Payment method details not publicly available; contact tribal office at (406) 638-1447
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Crow Tribe of Montana to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- ()
Typical inspection sequence: Contact tribal building department for inspection requirements and sequence
Additional Resources
- Building code: Crow Nation maintains independent building codes; exact code standards not publicly specified online - contact tribal office
- Crow Nation official website
- Crow Tribal Code
- Crow Agency Bureau of Indian Affairs
- License lookup guide: Montana Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Montana Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Montana hub: Montana Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Crow Tribe of Montana before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Big Horn County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Big Horn County, MT?
- All building permits for new construction, additions, alterations on Crow tribal trust land must comply with Crow Nation requirements; contact tribal office for specific trigger requirements
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Big Horn County, MT?
- Fees are calculated as: Contact tribal office; formula unknown.
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Big Horn County, MT?
- 1. Contact Crow Tribe building/codes department at (406) 638-1447 or visit tribal offices at 43 Heritage Lane, Crow Agency 2. Request permit application and determine specific requirements for planned project type 3. Prepare construction plans/drawings according to Crow Nation building code standards 4. Submit permit application and plans to tribal building department 5. Application reviewed by tribal building official 6. Pay permit fee 7. Receive tribal building permit 8. Schedule inspections with tribal building inspector 9. Complete required inspections 10. Receive approval upon final inspection
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Big Horn County, MT?
- Typical processing time is Not publicly specified; contact Crow Tribe building department for estimate.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Big Horn County, MT?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: .
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