The Building Codes Program (BC Program) is part of the Commercial Measurements Bureau within the Montana Department of Labor & Industry’s Business Standards Division. The BC Program is responsible for adopting a uniform state building code, which is enforced statewide for residential and commercial buildings. The 2021 International Building Code (IBC) and the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) are incorporated by reference.
Cities, counties and towns have the option to enforce local building codes. These local building code enforcement programs must be certified by the BC Program. The cities, counties and towns that choose not to enforce building codes, fall under the jurisdiction of the BC Program. The Montana Building Codes Council exists for the purpose of assisting the department with the application, implementation, and interpretation of the state building code and building codes adopted by counties, cities, or towns.
Building Code Compliance Software for Montana
Plan Analyst code compliance software programs make it easy for building officials, architects and other designers to quickly perform commercial and residential building code plan reviews / code studies. Plan Analyst for the 2021 IBC and Plan Analyst for the 2021 IRC simplifies the plan review / code study process enabling compliance to specific code years. This proven software allows modifications to accommodate local amendments, where applicable. Users have the ability to add code requirements and to add to the checklist. Changes can be made permanent by changing the data file using the setup section of Plan Analyst, or specific reports can be edited for special conditions.
Plan Analyst Calculators: Deck – Sign – Beam & Column
Plan Analyst Deck, Sign and Beam & Column Calculators are additional simple and effective design and code review software tools that will quickly become your go-to resources when working on associated tasks.
Users of Plan Analyst in Montana have included:
| City of Bozeman | Hessler Architects |
| City of Great Falls | Bitnar Architects |
| City of Helena | Fullerton Architects PC |
| City of Kalispell | Bitterroot Engineering & Design |
| City of Missoula | Stevenson Design |
| City of Red Lodge | Process Architecture PC |
| City of Whitefish | Seabury Design Associates |
| Missoula City | Spectrum Group Architects PC |
Building and Residential Code Resources in Montana
- View the 2021 International Building Code free online via ICC
- View the 2021 International Residential Code free online via ICC
- Purchase Plan Analyst for the IBC and or IRC to automate and simplify your plan reviews / code studies plananalyst.com.
Energy Code Compliance Software for Montana
Visit the U.S. Department of Energy website to see the latest on energy code adoption in Montana, including the use of COMcheck and REScheck Energy Code compliance software. COMcheck enables architects, builders, designers, and contractors to determine whether new commercial or high-rise residential buildings, additions, and alterations meet the requirements of the IECC and ASHRAE Standard 90.1. REScheck product enables builders, designers, and contractors to determine whether new homes, additions, and alterations meet the requirements of the IECC or a number of state energy codes.
The “Building Codes Assistance Project” also provides information on Montana’s building energy codes.
FEMA Building Code Adoption Tracking
The FEMA Building Code Adoption Tracking program reports on the status of hazard-resistant building code adoption in each state. Montana is in FEMA Region 8. Read the 2023 Region 8 fact sheet showing the annual metric of the percent of communities adopting hazard-resistant building codes in Montana.
AIA and ICC
American Institute of Architects – AIA Montana represents architects in the state. There are nearly 1,500 registered and reciprocal architects in Montana.
Montana has an ICC Chapter.
Montana code adoption status on the ICC website