Cascade County, Montana Building Permit Guide

Cascade County’s Planning Department does not enforce building codes. Outside Great Falls, building codes are enforced by the state Building Codes Program in the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, and the City of Great Falls tells callers building outside city limits to call the state at (406) 841-2040. The county’s own role is land use, floodplain, septic and road permits.

This guide covers the county’s land-use, floodplain, septic and road permits, the state’s role and the City of Great Falls office.

What requires a permit in Cascade County?

A county Location/Conformance Permit is required for all proposed buildings, structures, signs, land uses and changes in use within the county Zoning Jurisdictional Area, with a separate permit for each tract and each distinct use. A septic system needs a City-County Health Department permit before it is built, altered or repaired, and county approach and excavation work needs a Road & Bridge permit before it starts.

Montana adopts one building code, based on the 2024 International Codes from 26 September 2026; a certified local program or the state Building Codes Program enforces it, and the state code does not reach houses of fewer than five units, farm and ranch buildings or private garages unless a local government has made it apply to them. How Montana’s statewide code works

Who handles permitting in Cascade County?

Anyone building or developing land outside Great Falls and the towns of Belt, Cascade and Neihart should contact Cascade County Planning & GIS about applications and regulations before starting.

From July 10, 2026 Planning & GIS closes Friday afternoons 12-5 pm, by appointment only.

Cascade County septic and road permits

Septic

CCHD Environmental Health Specialists permit and inspect septic systems; a permit is valid for 180 days. Paper applications are accepted until 10/1/2026, after which applications go through the My Health Department portal.

County roads

Road & Bridge administers county approach and excavation permits. Applications are submitted in person at the Public Works facility, and work may start only after the permit is issued.

Cascade County permit costs and fees

• County land use (revised July 12, 2022 by Resolution #22-46): Location/Conformance Permit $75.00, or $300.00 after the fact; E911 address assignment $25.00.
• County floodplain: $400.00 for a small project and $700.00 for a large one (one needing an encroachment analysis, elevation or floodproofing certificates, or fill for a LOMR-F); after the fact $650.00 and $950.00.
• CCHD septic: a new system not in a DEQ pre-approved subdivision is $575 with a non-certified installer or $325 with a Cascade County certified installer; a site evaluation and soil profile is $100 plus $1.00 per mile round trip.
• Great Falls (schedule effective 10-05-2023): building fees use the higher of the stated value or the ICC Building Valuation Data table and rise automatically by 2.5% each July 1, unless the Building Fund balance exceeds $600 000 on June 30.

Where the state issues the permit, the fee follows a valuation table and plan review is 35 percent of the permit fee; a certified local program sets its own schedule. Montana’s state permit rules

How to get a permit in Cascade County

Where the state issues the permit, plan review averages about three weeks, and the building permit must be issued before any trade permit. Montana’s state permit rules

Inspections in Cascade County

CCHD inspects septic systems. In Great Falls, inspections are called in to (406) 455-8430 the day before they are needed, or before 7:00 a.m. on the day by voicemail for a same-day slot. Great Falls initial plan review takes 5-10 working days for single-family and duplex homes and 30 business days for commercial work, and a geotechnical report is required for new residential and commercial construction. Floodplain questions inside the city go to (406) 455-8435.

Official Cascade County permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Cascade County Planning & GIS
• Cascade County planning applications and permits
• Cascade County planning fee schedule
• Cascade County septic systems
• Cascade County Road & Bridge
• Great Falls Building Division FAQs
• Great Falls building permit fees

Frequently asked questions

Who enforces building codes in Cascade County outside Great Falls?

The state Building Codes Program in the Montana Department of Labor & Industry; Great Falls points callers to (406) 841-2040.

What is a Location/Conformance Permit?

A county permit required for all proposed buildings, structures, signs, land uses and changes in use in the Zoning Jurisdictional Area; $75.00, or $300.00 after the fact.

How long is a Cascade County septic permit valid?

180 days.

Simplify Cascade County permitting with Alliance Permitting

• Confirm whether Great Falls or the state enforces building codes on the parcel
• Prepare the county Location/Conformance, floodplain and septic applications
• Book inspections and track each permit to issuance

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Montana. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Cascade County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.