Bozeman, MT Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)
Key Facts
- Who decides
- A building official of the City of Bozeman
- Certificate of occupancy
- Withheld until the nonconformity is resolved
- Stop work order effect
- Cancels any pending inspections
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, fine not exceeding $500.00 plus costs
- Continuing violation
- Each day is a separate offense
- Code source
- Adopted by reference from Administrative Rules of Montana
Summary
In the City of Bozeman, Montana, a building official can withhold a certificate of occupancy until a structure conforms to the adopted technical codes and its building permit, and can order all permit work stopped. A stop work order cancels pending inspections, and the city inspects only corrective work until the order is lifted.
C.Authority to withhold certificate of occupancy. In addition to other authority provided by any model technical code adopted under the authority of this chapter, a building official of the city may withhold the issuance of a certificate of occupancy when the available evidence shows the structure and associated development does not conform with the standards and requirements of the following:1.Any model technical code, as such may be amended by the city;2.The provisions of a building permit; ... Once the nonconformity has been resolved to the satisfaction of the building official, a certificate of occupancy may be issued. ... Any person who shall continue any work after having been served with a stop work order, except such work as that person is directed by the city to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall be subject to the penalty provision of section 10.02.100. The issuance of a stop work order cancels any pending inspections. The city will not inspect any work other than work necessary to correct nonconformity until the stop work order is lifted.
Full Breakdown
Section 10.02.010 of the Bozeman Municipal Code is the enforcement backbone of the building inspection process in the City of Bozeman. Subsection A adopts by reference the current editions of the model technical codes, including building, plumbing, electrical and mechanical, as set out in the Administrative Rules of Montana by the Building Codes Bureau of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. Inspectors apply those codes as amended by the city, and one copy of each code is kept at the city clerk's office, 411 East Main Street, with another at the building division.
Two tools stand out. Under subsection C, a building official can withhold a certificate of occupancy when the available evidence shows the structure and associated development does not conform to a model technical code, to the provisions of the building permit, or to the Code's Chapter 38 and Chapter 40 requirements. Once the nonconformity is resolved to the satisfaction of the building official, a certificate of occupancy can be issued. Under subsection D, a building official can order any owner, contractor, subcontractor or other person performing work under a permit to immediately stop all work of any kind related to the permit on the same grounds.
A stop work order also changes the inspection schedule. It cancels any pending inspections, and the city will not inspect any work other than work necessary to correct the nonconformity until the order is lifted. The only work that continues is what the city directs a person to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition.
Fees connect to inspections as well. Section 10.02.020 lets the building division assess a reinspection fee against a previously issued permit when additional reinspections exceed what is commonly performed, and that fee must be paid to the building division before the building inspector makes any further inspection at the site. The same section assesses a reinspection fee against the permit when an occupant moves into a structure before the certificate of occupancy is issued.
Violations & Fines
Continuing work after being served with a stop work order is punishable under section 10.02.100: a misdemeanor carrying a fine not exceeding $500.00 plus the costs and expenses of the case, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense. Moving into a structure before the certificate of occupancy is issued also triggers a reinspection fee on the permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Bozeman refuse to issue a certificate of occupancy?
What happens to my inspections after a stop work order?
Is there a fee for extra inspections in Bozeman?
Who decides which building code editions apply in Bozeman?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bozeman
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