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Billings BMC Chapter 4 requires dogs to be leashed or under direct physical control whenever off the owner property; at-large dogs are impounded by Yellowstone County Animal Shelter and the owner pays redemption fees.
Billings allows a limited number of hens on residential lots subject to coop setbacks and prohibits roosters in most residential zones; larger livestock such as horses, cattle, and goats require agricultural zoning under BMC Title 27 zoning code.
Billings does not impose a breed-specific ban; instead BMC Chapter 4 uses behavior-based dangerous and vicious dog designations that trigger registration, secure enclosure, muzzling, and liability insurance requirements after a hearing.
Billings restricts consumer fireworks to a narrow window around Independence Day under BMC Chapter 15, with discharge prohibited the rest of the year; the Billings Fire Department enforces and Yellowstone County rules apply outside city limits.
Open burning of yard waste in Billings requires a permit through the Billings Fire Department under BMC Chapter 15, with seasonal restrictions and Yellowstone County air-quality stage controls; recreational fires in approved containers are allowed without a permit.
Billings allows recreational backyard fire pits, chimineas, and patio fireplaces fueled by clean wood under BMC Chapter 15, provided the fire is contained, attended, and kept a safe distance from structures, fences, and combustible vegetation.
Billings requires property owners to control tall grass, weeds, and accumulated brush under BMC Chapter 17 and Chapter 40, with extra defensible-space attention along the rims and Yellowstone River corridor where wildfire risk is elevated.
Billings does not designate formal wildland-urban interface zones the way Western Montana does, but the rimrocks above the city and the Yellowstone River corridor carry elevated wildfire risk; BFD coordinates with Yellowstone County and Montana DNRC during fire weather.
Montana adopts NFPA 58 Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code statewide through the State Fire Prevention and Investigation Section. Storage setbacks, tank sizing, installation, and licensing of LP-gas dealers are regulated uniformly, with the State Fire Marshal enforcing compliance across all jurisdictions.
Billings requires short-term rental operators to obtain a business license and register with the city before listing properties on platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo for stays under 30 days.
Billings short-term rentals collect Montana's combined 11% lodging tax: a 7% lodging facility use tax and a 4% sales tax on lodging, both remitted to the Montana Department of Revenue quarterly.
Billings short-term rental guests must comply with city noise ordinances under BMC Chapter 23, including quiet hours typically observed from 10pm to 7am. Hosts share responsibility for guest conduct.
Billings short-term rental occupancy follows Montana building code and city zoning standards, typically limiting overnight guests to two per bedroom plus two additional, with safety egress requirements.
Billings short-term rentals must accommodate guest parking on-site or via legal street parking, following BMC Title 27 zoning rules and avoiding obstruction of neighbors' driveways or fire lanes.
Billings does not mandate specific short-term rental insurance, but hosts are strongly advised to carry commercial liability or platform-provided coverage since standard homeowner policies often exclude STR activity.
Montana SB 528, codified in 2023, requires cities and counties to allow accessory dwelling units on lots zoned for single-family use. Local governments cannot impose owner-occupancy, family-only, or excessive parking requirements.
Montana adopts statewide building and residential codes through the Department of Labor and Industry. Tiny houses on foundations follow IRC Appendix Q, while RV-classified tiny homes on wheels are regulated as recreational vehicles under state law.
Montana statute MCA 70-16-205 establishes the partition fence rule: when a neighbor encloses land bordering an existing fence, they must pay a just proportion of the fence value. Property line fence disputes also fall under Montana spite fence and adverse possession doctrines.
Montana adopts the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code through state building code adoption under MCA 50-60-203. Pool barriers must be at least 48 inches high with self-closing, self-latching gates. The code applies statewide for new residential pool construction and is enforced by local building departments.
The Montana Local Food Choice Act (MCA 50-50-116 to 50-50-122) preempts local food licensing for direct producer-to-consumer sales of homemade foods. Cities cannot require permits or inspections for qualifying cottage food operations meeting state labeling rules.
Montana requires state registration or licensure for home-based child care under Title 52, Chapter 2, MCA. The Department of Public Health and Human Services sets capacity, safety, and background-check standards that apply uniformly statewide.
Montana law permits rainwater harvesting from rooftops for non-consumptive uses without a water right. Cisterns and storage are not separately regulated by the state, but collection cannot interfere with senior downstream water rights.
Montana's Water Use Act vests water rights administration with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Cities cannot grant or override water rights, though local utilities may impose drought-related conservation rules on customers.
Montana's County Noxious Weed Control Act requires every landowner to manage state-listed noxious weeds on their property. County weed districts have statutory authority to inspect, notify, and force compliance, with costs assessed against the landowner.
Aircraft noise in Montana is governed almost entirely by federal law under the Federal Aviation Act and FAA regulations. State and local authorities generally cannot regulate flight operations, altitudes, or in-flight noise. Montana airports may impose proprietor-based restrictions consistent with federal law under MCA Title 67.
Montana state law treats persistently barking dogs as a public nuisance under MCA 27-30-101. While most enforcement occurs at the city or county level, the statewide nuisance framework allows neighbors to pursue civil abatement actions against owners of dogs whose barking unreasonably interferes with use of property.
Montana adopts the International Building Code and International Swimming Pool and Spa Code statewide. Local jurisdictions enforce barrier requirements but cannot weaken state minimum safety standards.
Montana regulates public swimming pools, spas, and bathing places under state health rules requiring licensing, water quality testing, and lifeguard standards regardless of local jurisdiction.
Billings landlords must maintain rental units free from infestation under BMC Chapter 17 Health and Sanitation and the Montana Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; tenants are responsible for sanitation that contributes to pest problems and must cooperate with treatment.
Billings enforces the Montana-adopted International Building Code and International Fire Code, which require automatic fire sprinklers in most multi-family, commercial, and high-occupancy buildings, but typically not in standard single-family detached homes.
Billings homes built before 1978 are subject to federal EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting rules and Montana DEQ oversight; contractors disturbing painted surfaces must be RRP certified and provide tenants and buyers with the federal lead pamphlet.
Elevators in Billings commercial and multi-family buildings are regulated through the Montana Building Codes Bureau under MCA Title 50 Chapter 60, which requires annual inspections, certification of operators, and prompt correction of safety deficiencies before continued use.
Scaffolding for Billings construction projects must meet federal OSHA standards and Montana Department of Labor and Industry workplace-safety oversight; the city building department also reviews encroachment and pedestrian protection where scaffolds extend over public sidewalks.
Montana state law preempts local rent control under MCA section 70-24-104.1, enacted in 2009. Billings cannot cap residential rent increases or impose rent stabilization on private landlords.
Montana does not require just-cause for eviction. Under MCA Chapter 70-24, landlords may terminate month-to-month tenancies with 30 days written notice without stating any reason.
Billings does not operate a city-wide rental property registration program. Landlords must hold a business license under BMC Chapter 8 if operating multiple units but face no separate rental registry.
Montana law under MCA 70-25 governs security deposits with no statutory cap, but requires landlords to provide written itemized statements within 30 days of tenancy end and return undisputed amounts.
Montana law under MCA 70-24-431 prohibits landlord retaliation against tenants who exercise statutory rights such as complaining to authorities or organizing tenant associations.
Montana does not have a state bed-bug statute. Billings handles infestations through landlord-tenant habitability rules under MCA Title 70 Chapter 24 and through RiverStone Health complaints when lodging or congregate housing is involved.
RiverStone Health (Yellowstone County Health Department) inspects Billings restaurants under Montana food code. Reports are public, but Montana does not use a letter-grade placard system like California or New York City does.
Billings Municipal Code Chapter 17 (Health and Sanitation) and Chapter 11 (Code Compliance) allow the city to require abatement of rodent harborage on private property, including overgrown vegetation, debris piles, and uncapped openings.
Billings residents can dispose of used syringes through RiverStone Health programs and pharmacy take-back. Improper disposal in household trash or public spaces is discouraged but not aggressively penalized at the municipal level.
Montana does not mandate a statewide food-handler card, but RiverStone Health and Billings food establishments commonly require ServSafe or equivalent training for staff who handle unpackaged food.
Billings code enforcement and police coordinate encampment cleanups on public property under BMC Chapter 11 and Chapter 27 park rules, providing notice and connecting individuals to local services.
Billings restricts sitting, lying, or sleeping on downtown sidewalks during business hours under BMC Chapter 36 streets and Chapter 27 conduct rules, with constitutional limits from Martin v. Boise.
The Yellowstone Continuum of Care coordinates emergency shelter, transitional housing, and rapid rehousing for Billings through Montana Rescue Mission and partner agencies under HUD framework.
Billings enforces the Montana state buffer between licensed cannabis businesses and schools, places of worship, and similar protected uses. The local code reference is BMC §27-1602 within the city zoning regulations.
Montana voters legalized adult-use cannabis through I-190 in 2020, implemented by HB 701 in 2021. Yellowstone County opted in, so licensed adult-use sales are allowed in Billings subject to Billings Zoning Regulations and a state buffer.
Montana adults 21 and older may grow cannabis at home for personal use under HB 701, with statutory plant limits per household. Billings does not add a separate municipal cap, but odor and visibility nuisance rules still apply.
Montana statute caps personal cultivation at two mature plants and two seedlings per adult, with a household maximum of four mature plants. Billings has no municipal override but enforces secure-storage expectations through nuisance code.
Montana law generally prohibits door-to-door cannabis delivery to consumers. Licensed dispensaries in Billings sell on premises only, with limited curbside pickup pilots authorized by the Montana Department of Revenue.
Montana raised the legal sales age for tobacco and vape products to 21 under MCA §16-11-305, conforming to federal Tobacco 21 law. Billings retailers must check identification and may not sell to anyone under 21.
Vape retailers in Billings must hold a Montana tobacco product license under MCA Title 16 Chapter 11 and follow age-21 sales rules. Billings does not impose a separate municipal vape retail license.
Montana has not enacted a statewide flavored tobacco or vapor ban, leaving most flavored products legal for sale to adults 21 and older under MCA 50-50A-103.
Montana law preempts local plastic-bag bans through MCA §75-10-101 and related provisions. Billings cannot prohibit single-use carryout bags or impose a local bag fee on retailers.
Billings has no ban on expanded polystyrene foam takeout containers or coolers. State preemption under Montana auxiliary-container law blocks local regulation. Restaurants and grocers may use foam containers freely.
Billings does not require straws on request and does not limit plastic straw distribution. Montana auxiliary-container preemption removes the legal basis for a local rule. Restaurants set their own straw policies.
Billings operates an MS4 stormwater system under EPA NPDES Phase II permit. Property owners cannot discharge non-stormwater pollutants to streets, gutters, ditches, or storm drains feeding the Yellowstone River.
Construction on the Billings Rims, Sacrifice Cliff terraces, and steep draws above the Yellowstone Valley must install erosion controls before grading to keep sediment out of storm drains and waterways.
Billings regulates construction within the FEMA-mapped Yellowstone River floodplain through floodplain permits, elevation requirements, and prohibitions on fill or structures that increase flood heights downstream.
Montana has no statewide diesel anti-idling rule, and Billings does not impose a general idling ban. Air quality near the ExxonMobil refinery, CHS Laurel, and rail yards is monitored under federal Clean Air Act standards.
Billings discharges treated wastewater from its plant to the Yellowstone River under a Montana DEQ permit. The city does not operate a purple-pipe recycled water program for residential or landscape reuse.
Billings residents should report visible water main breaks, hydrant leaks, and sewer backups to Billings Public Works dispatch immediately, day or night, to limit damage and water loss.
Billings Public Works asks residents to follow voluntary odd-even outdoor watering schedules during summer to manage demand on the Yellowstone River intake and treatment plant capacity.
Construction on the sandstone Rims, Skyline Drive area, and bluffs above the Yellowstone Valley is subject to slope-sensitive review under Billings zoning and grading rules to limit erosion and visual impact.
The Billings Future Plan is the joint city-county growth policy adopted under Montana law. It guides annexation, zoning amendments, and capital projects across Billings and the surrounding Lockwood and Heights areas.
Billings does not have a state-mandated density bonus law like California. The Planned Unit Development process under BMC Title 27 lets developers cluster units and request increased density in exchange for amenities.
Billings has a growing network of bike lanes, shared-use trails along the Yellowstone River, and Heritage Trail connections. Bicyclists must follow vehicle code rules under MCA Title 61 with limited city overlays.
Billings has piloted shared electric scooter operators but does not run a permanent program. MET Transit operates the city bus system serving downtown, the Heights, and major employment centers like the West End.
Billings designates loading zones, time-limited parking, and accessible spaces in the downtown core through Public Works and the Parking Authority. Most residential streets have unrestricted curb parking.
Tow operators in Billings must register with the Montana Public Service Commission for non-consent towing and follow BMC Chapter 8 business licensing. Maximum tow and storage rates are set under state administrative rules.
Billings tobacco retailers must register with Montana Department of Revenue and follow MCA Title 16 Chapter 11 rules. Minimum sale age is 21 statewide. RiverStone Health enforces local compliance checks.
Billings pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers must register with the Billings Police Department, hold a city business license, and report transactions through electronic property reporting databases to deter trafficking in stolen goods.
Tattoo and piercing shops in Billings must register with RiverStone Health for sanitation inspection and obtain a city business license under BMC Chapter 8. Montana has no statewide tattoo license requirement.
Massage therapists in Billings must hold a Montana state license under MCA Title 37 Chapter 33. Establishments register with the city Business License office. Operators face background checks and zoning compliance.
Billings Tree Code Chapter 40 requires permits to remove, prune, or plant trees in the public right of way. Private yard trees on residential lots are not regulated by the city tree ordinance.
When the city forester approves removal of a public tree under BMC Chapter 40, replacement planting is generally required using species from the approved Billings street tree list to maintain canopy.
Open containers of alcohol are prohibited on Billings streets, sidewalks, and parks under BMC Chapter 25 except inside permitted special-event zones. Montana allows open containers in passenger areas of stopped vehicles only on private property.
The Montana Clean Indoor Air Act bans smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces statewide. Billings adds restrictions on smoking near park playgrounds and the Yellowstone County complex under local rules.
Smoking or consuming cannabis in public places is prohibited statewide in Montana under HB 701 even though recreational use is legal at home for adults 21 and over. Billings enforces through BMC Chapter 25.
Billings prohibits aggressive panhandling near ATMs, bus stops, and outdoor dining under BMC Chapter 25. Passive sign-holding remains protected speech, but confrontational solicitation may draw misdemeanor charges.
Billings cites residents for hosting loud parties under disorderly conduct provisions in BMC Chapter 25 and quiet-hours noise rules in BMC Chapter 17. Repeat-offense properties may be declared chronic nuisances.
Public urination and defecation are misdemeanors in Billings under BMC Chapter 25 disorderly conduct and Montana state indecent exposure laws. Downtown bar districts see frequent enforcement on weekend nights.
Montana HB 200 enacted in 2023 prohibits sanctuary policies and requires state and local agencies to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Billings has no formal sanctuary stance and complies with state law.
Montana has not enacted a statewide E-Verify mandate for private employers, leaving use of the federal employment eligibility system voluntary except for federal contractors.
Billings hotel guests pay roughly 11 percent in Montana lodging taxes: 7 percent lodging facility tax plus 4 percent sales-on-lodging tax. Montana has no general sales tax but imposes these targeted lodging levies.
Billings has no hotel worker retention ordinance requiring new owners to retain existing staff. Montana is a right-to-work and at-will employment state with no city-level hospitality labor mandates.
Montana preempts local minimum wage ordinances under MCA section 39-3-409. The state minimum is CPI-adjusted to roughly $10.55 per hour. Billings cannot enact a higher city minimum wage.
Montana has no statewide paid sick or family leave mandate, and the state's wage statute MCA 39-3-411 does not clearly authorize or preempt local paid leave ordinances.
Montana has no statewide predictive scheduling law, and no Montana local government has enacted scheduling mandates of the kind seen in larger US cities.
Commercial drone pilots in Montana must hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. The FAA preempts local flight regulation, while Montana statutes restrict surveillance, evidence collection, and uses interfering with hunting or wildlife.
FAA rules govern airspace, while Montana law (MCA 45-8-213, 46-5-109) prohibits drone surveillance of private property and protected uses. Local governments cannot regulate flight, but state privacy and trespass statutes apply uniformly statewide.
Montana permits concealed carry without a permit for most adults under HB 102 (2021), while still issuing optional permits under MCA 45-8-321 for reciprocity and convenience.
Montana statute MCA 45-8-351 broadly preempts local governments from regulating the purchase, sale, ownership, possession, transportation, or transfer of firearms and ammunition.
Open carry of firearms is broadly lawful in Montana for adults who may legally possess a firearm, with local restrictions preempted by MCA 45-8-351.
Montana law under MCA 45-8-316 generally allows adults to carry firearms in vehicles, with permitless concealed carry now extended to most public places under HB 102 (2021).
Montana enacted MCA 17-7-216 requiring state-funded outdoor lighting fixtures to be shielded and minimize light pollution. The statute applies to state buildings and state-funded projects. Local jurisdictions retain authority over private dark sky ordinances, with Glacier National Park area communities adopting strict standards.
Light trespass in Montana is addressed primarily through the general nuisance statute MCA 27-30-101. Excessive artificial light spilling onto neighboring property can constitute an actionable nuisance when it unreasonably interferes with use and enjoyment of property. Local ordinances supplement this framework.
Montana counties may adopt zoning that protects agricultural land, while MCA 27-30-101 limits nuisance challenges and reinforces the priority of established farm uses.
Montana's Right to Farm and Ranch Act in MCA 27-30-101 protects qualifying agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits when conducted using generally accepted practices.