Administrative overview · FIPS 30005
Blaine County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
State Fallback
This profile identifies a handoff outside the county’s ordinary structural permitting lane.
Required jurisdiction check
Confirm the controlling local or state authority before filing.
The record is marked State Fallback. That means the county profile should be treated as a routing brief: incorporated municipalities, a state building department, or a state fire marshal may control plan review, permits, and inspections. Contact the named agency below and verify the parcel’s jurisdiction before paying a fee or scheduling field work.
Responsible agency
Montana Department of Labor & Industry, Building Codes Bureau; Blaine County Floodplain Management and Subdivision Planning remain county functions
For a project in or near Blaine County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
(406) 841-2056 (State Building Codes Bureau); (406) 443-3962 (Blaine County Floodplain Management/WWC Engineering)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Montana Building Codes Bureau, 301 South Park Avenue, Helena, MT 59620; Blaine County Courthouse, 420 Ohio Street, Chinook, MT 59523
Operating hours
Blaine County general offices: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, generally closed 12:00 PM-1:00 PM; state Bureau hours were not published on the reviewed permit page.
Review expectation
The Montana Building Codes Bureau states that plan review averages three weeks; issuance follows resolution of comments and payment of fees.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Blaine County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked State Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact (406) 841-2056 (State Building Codes Bureau); (406) 443-3962 (Blaine County Floodplain Management/WWC Engineering).
How long might review take?
The Montana Building Codes Bureau states that plan review averages three weeks; issuance follows resolution of comments and payment of fees.
How are inspections scheduled?
For covered work outside certified local jurisdictions, contact the Montana Building Codes Bureau at (406) 841-2056 for permit and inspection instructions. For floodplain work, contact Blaine County’s contracted floodplain manager, WWC Engineering, at (406) 443-3962; the county directory also lists subdivision planning contacts.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Montana’s current 2026 code set: 2021 International Building Code, 2021 International Residential Code, 2021 International Existing Building Code, 2021 International Mechanical Code, 2021 International Fuel Gas Code, 2021 International Energy Conservation Code, 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code, 2020 National Electrical Code, 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, and 2021 Wildland-Urban Interface Code, as amended by ARM Title 24, Chapter 301. At the state level, farm or ranch buildings, mine buildings on the mine site, petroleum refineries and pulp/paper mills except office/shop buildings, private homes or apartments with four or fewer dwelling units that do not serve transient guests, and private garages/storage buildings used only by the owner are generally exempt. A Blaine County floodplain permit is still required before development in a regulated floodplain, and county subdivision/site requirements can apply.