Billings, MT — Just in time for the spring building season, the Billings City Council has approved a significant 25% reduction in building permit fees, marking another major step in the City’s commitment to supporting growth and affordability.
Making building and development more affordable has been a top priority for Billings. Over the past 18 months, the City has been in close conversation with local builders and developers to identify opportunities for meaningful cost savings. The City’s Building Division led a thorough evaluation of the permit fee structure and proposed a reduction, with another review planned in two years to ensure continued progress.
“Billings has historically offered both lower permit fees and faster first review turnaround times than other Montana cities,” according to City Building Division Manager, Jessica Fust. “And to keep Billings an attractive place to build and invest, we’ve been looking at ways to remove barriers for the building community.”
The impact of the new fee schedule will be noticeable for both residential and commercial projects. For example, a residential home valued at $350,000 will now see permit fees reduced from approximately $1,540 to $1,154, a 25% savings totaling $386. For a commercial project valued at $2.5 million, fees will be reduced from roughly $11,010 to $8,246, a 25.1% decrease totaling $2,764. It is important to note that building permit fees can only be spent on building services; therefore, these savings cannot legally be redirected to support other city services.
When compared to other Montana cities, these reductions further strengthen Billings’ competitive advantage in affordability and efficiency, offering builders and developers a strong incentive to invest in the community.
“This is Billings doing what we can to help make building more affordable in a proactive and responsible way,” said City Administrator, Chris Kukulski. “It’s about supporting growth that benefits everyone from homeowners and contractors to businesses and residents.”
The updated fees will take effect early March, continuing the City’s tradition of working hand-in-hand with the building & development community to make Billings the best place in Montana to live, work, and build.
PRESS RELEASE from City of Billings
