Missoula, Montana Building Permit Guide

The City of Missoula Building Division, part of Community Planning, Development & Innovation (CPDI), covers only the city limits. Outside them, permits come from the Missoula County Building Division, which the state lists as a separate certified county program (258-3723).

This guide covers the city’s permit process, design criteria and inspections. New fee schedules take effect October 1, 2026 and the city’s fee page is being updated, so no fee amounts are given here.

What requires a building permit in Missoula?

Residential sheds under 200 square feet and commercial sheds under 120 square feet need no building permit, though zoning setbacks and height limits still apply. Building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and roofing work is permitted through the online portal; demolition, moving, paving and right-of-way work use fillable paper forms. Fence permits and zoning compliance permits are also filed online.

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 Missoula?

The Current Planning & Land Use Division reviews building permits, floodplain permits, sign permits and zoning compliance permits against the Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan and the zoning code. Checks go to CPDI at 435 Ryman St.

Missoula design criteria and codes

• Frost depth 3'; wind 105 MPH; seismic category D0; climate zone 6B.
• Minimum roof snow load 30 PSF; soil pressure 1500-2000 PSF (site specific); air freezing index 2000.
• An ice barrier is required on roofs per R905.1.2.

The city’s current codes (2021 IRC, IBC, IECC and others, and the 2020 NEC) took effect September 1, 2022, and the city says it will adopt the new state code 90 days after the state does. The state code moved to the 2024 International Codes on 26 September 2026, so confirm the edition for your filing date.

For 1-2 family dwellings, electrical and mechanical work is not plan-reviewed but verified at inspection.

Missoula permit costs and fees

New fee schedules take effect October 1, 2026, adopted by City Council on August 17, 2026 (building, licensing and land use: Resolution 8970; impact fees: Resolution 8972). Since July 1, 2026, Land Use & Planning and Engineering review fees on residential and commercial building permits are paid at intake. Impact fees, development fees, building permit fees and water meter fees are collected when the permit is approved; they depend on square footage per occupancy, number of units, disturbed area, water meter size and whether the site is in the Sxwtpqyen/Mullan Area Boundary.

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 building permit in Missoula

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 Missoula

Schedule inspections by texting SCHEDULE to (888) 413-4439, by calling the IVR line at (406) 552-6040, or through the online portal. All rough mechanical, electrical and plumbing inspections must pass before a framing inspection is scheduled, and trade inspections go only on trade permits.

Building inspection codes include 110 Footing and Slab, 120 Foundation Walls, 125 Foundation Drain, 127 Foundation Dampproofing, 140 Framing, 150 Insulation and 190 Final. Every permit should have a final inspection, and every open permit must pass final before occupancy.

Official Missoula permitting resources

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

• Missoula Building Division
• Missoula: apply for a permit
• Missoula: schedule an inspection
• Missoula: estimate permit fees
• Missoula Development Services
• Montana DLI list of certified building-code jurisdictions

Frequently asked questions

Does a small shed need a permit in Missoula?

Not a residential shed under 200 square feet or a commercial shed under 120 square feet, though zoning setbacks and height limits still apply.

Can I schedule a Missoula inspection by text?

Yes. Text SCHEDULE to (888) 413-4439, or call (406) 552-6040.

When are Missoula permit fees paid?

Land Use & Planning and Engineering review fees at intake; impact, development, building permit and water meter fees when the permit is approved.

Simplify Missoula permitting with Alliance Permitting

• Confirm the parcel is inside the city limits and file the right Accela permit types
• Prepare plans to Missoula’s design criteria and budget for the intake review fees
• Schedule the coded inspections and track every permit to final

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 Missoula permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.