County Building Permits
Stillwater County, MT - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Stillwater County, Montana. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Administers building permits and development regulations for unincorporated portions of Stillwater County. County does NOT have its own certified building code enforcement program; state program handles electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and building code matters.
- Department
- Stillwater County Planning Department
- Address
- Stillwater County, Montana
Online Permit Portal
Platform: EBIZ.MT.GOV • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Application Process
- Contact Stillwater County Planning Department or review development regulations document
- Determine if Coordinated Development Permit is needed (required for multi-family, planned unit developments, commercial/industrial)
- For state building code matters (electrical, plumbing, mechanical, structural), submit Building Permit/Plan Review Application to Montana Department of Labor & Industry via EBIZ.MT.GOV
- County Planning may route development applications internally to County Sanitarian, Floodplain Administrator, GIS/Rural Addressing, and Road and Bridge Department for comment
- Obtain County Coordinated Development Permit (no additional fee for coordination process)
- Obtain State Building Code Permit if required
Typical processing time: Average 3 weeks for state plan review
General Requirements
State permit required for new buildings, alterations, additions, repairs; county development permit may be required for subdivisions, multi-family, commercial/industrial, conditional use permits
Required Documents
- Building plans
- Building Permit/Plan Review Application
- Proof of property ownership or authorization
- Building code
- Montana 2021 (based on International Building Code 2021), effective September 2024. Montana plans to adopt 2024 ICC codes in mid-2026.
Fees
- Permit fee formula
- State fees typically range $5-$15 per $1,000 of project valuation; exact county/state coordination fees require direct contact
- Payment note
- Fee schedule not publicly available online; contact county planning or state program
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Stillwater County Planning Department to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- ()
- ()
- Scheduling deadline
- 24 hours notice minimum recommended
Typical inspection sequence: County may require stop-work inspections during development/construction phases; state inspections follow building code phases (underground rough-in, above-ground rough-in, final, etc.)
Additional Resources
- Building code: Montana 2021 (based on International Building Code 2021), effective September 2024. Montana plans to adopt 2024 ICC codes in mid-2026.
- Stillwater County Planning Department
- Montana Building Codes Program
- Certified Government Programs List
- Inspection Areas & Contact Information
- 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 Stillwater County Planning Department before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stillwater County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Stillwater County, MT?
- State permit required for new buildings, alterations, additions, repairs; county development permit may be required for subdivisions, multi-family, commercial/industrial, conditional use permits
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Stillwater County, MT?
- Fees are calculated as: State fees typically range $5-$15 per $1,000 of project valuation; exact county/state coordination fees require direct contact.
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Stillwater County, MT?
- 1. Contact Stillwater County Planning Department or review development regulations document 2. Determine if Coordinated Development Permit is needed (required for multi-family, planned unit developments, commercial/industrial) 3. For state building code matters (electrical, plumbing, mechanical, structural), submit Building Permit/Plan Review Application to Montana Department of Labor & Industry via EBIZ.MT.GOV 4. County Planning may route development applications internally to County Sanitarian, Floodplain Administrator, GIS/Rural Addressing, and Road and Bridge Department for comment 5. Obtain County Coordinated Development Permit (no additional fee for coordination process) 6. Obtain State Building Code Permit if required
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Stillwater County, MT?
- Typical processing time is Average 3 weeks for state plan review.
- What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated Stillwater County, MT?
- The following work is generally exempt: Farm and ranch buildings; Mining buildings on mining property; Petroleum refineries and pulp/paper mills (except office and shop buildings); Residential buildings containing less than five dwelling units (except transient-use buildings); Private garages and private storage buildings for owner's own use (not commercial enterprise). Note: Work may still require local county permits for zoning/development review even if exempt from state building code
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Stillwater County, MT?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: , . 24 hours notice minimum recommended.
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