County Permit SearchU.S. compliance directory
MontanaSilver Bow County

Administrative overview · FIPS 30093

Silver Bow 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

County

This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.

Responsible agency

Butte-Silver Bow Building & Code Enforcement Department, the certified county building-code authority

For a project in or near Silver Bow 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) 497-6210 (Building & Code Enforcement); (406) 497-6250 (Planning)

Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.

Permit counter

Butte-Silver Bow Courthouse, Room 108, 155 West Granite Street, Butte, MT 59701

Operating hours

N/A; the reviewed Building & Code Enforcement and online-permitting pages publish the office address and phones but not regular counter hours.

Review expectation

Butte-Silver Bow’s official commercial-permitting presentation reported 2022 averages of 20.7 days to first comment and 57.1 days to approval; current project timelines may vary.

Compliance workbench

Choose the next project decision.

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 Silver Bow County

Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?

Butte-Silver Bow Building & Code Enforcement Department, the certified county building-code authority is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area 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) 497-6210 (Building & Code Enforcement); (406) 497-6250 (Planning).

How long might review take?

Butte-Silver Bow’s official commercial-permitting presentation reported 2022 averages of 20.7 days to first comment and 57.1 days to approval; current project timelines may vary.

How are inspections scheduled?

Call the Planning and Building Department at (406) 497-6210, submit the permit application and plans through the GovWell portal or department process, await review and approval, then schedule required inspections. The official permitting presentation describes the sequence as application, review, approval, inspections, and certificate of occupancy.

Which codes and exemptions should I review?

Butte-Silver Bow’s official permitting presentation identifies the 2021 International Building Code, 2021 International Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings, 2021 International Existing Building Code, 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code, 2021 International Mechanical Code, 2021 International Fuel Gas Code, 2021 International Energy Conservation Code, 2012 International Fire Code, 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, and 2021 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code; local staff are certified to review and inspect under these codes. Current state amendments apply through ARM Title 24, Chapter 301. The official Butte-Silver Bow permitting presentation says permit exceptions are those listed in IBC 105.2; the reviewed presentation does not reproduce the full exception list. Permit categories include new construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, change of occupancy, roofing, plumbing, mechanical, excavation, right-of-way, sewer-tap, and related work.

Before contacting the permit counter

Have the project facts ready.

A productive call starts with a clear description of the property and proposed work. Keep the site address, parcel or assessor number, project valuation, existing occupancy, approximate square footage, structural scope, contractor information, and desired start date in front of you. Those facts help the Authority Having Jurisdiction route the question to building, planning, fire, environmental health, or another reviewing discipline.

Questions worth asking

  • • Is the parcel inside an incorporated city or county service area?
  • • Does this scope require building, trade, zoning, fire, or site permits?
  • • What plans and supporting documents make the submittal complete?
  • • How much lead time is needed for each inspection?