Rainwater harvesting is legal in Montana and encouraged. Yellowstone County has no ordinance restricting rain barrels. Rooftop collection for outdoor landscape use is allowed without a water right; large systems should be cleared with the state DNRC.
Montana permits residential rainwater collection, and Yellowstone County imposes no local ban or permit for rain barrels or cisterns. According to the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), collecting rainwater from rooftops and using it for irrigation, landscaping, or gardening is allowed without a water right, provided it does not interfere with downstream water users. Collected water should be stored in mosquito-proof containers. Anyone planning a large system exceeding roughly 0.1 acre-feet is advised to contact the DNRC first. HOA covenants may restrict visible barrels, so check any subdivision rules before installing a system.
No county penalty applies to standard residential rain barrels. Very large storage that affects downstream water rights could raise state water-law issues; consult the Montana DNRC before installing high-volume systems.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Yellowstone County, MT
Under the Yellowstone County Parkland Ordinance, county parks close to public access one-half hour after sunset and open one-half hour before sunrise. No ove...
Yellowstone County, MT
Yellowstone County has no numeric light-trespass standard. In the zoning area, off-site glare can be limited (a home occupation may create none off-site) and...
Yellowstone County, MT
Yellowstone County has no dark-sky or outdoor-lighting ordinance for unincorporated land. County zoning near Billings limits glare that spills off a property...
Yellowstone County, MT
Yellowstone County has no dedicated garage-sale-sign ordinance. Signs may not be placed in or intrude into the public right-of-way and require the property o...
Yellowstone County, MT
Montana rules govern political signs statewide: they may be placed on private property only with the owner's permission, may not intrude into the public righ...
Yellowstone County, MT
Yellowstone County has no tiny-home ordinance. In the zoning area around Billings, a tiny house on a foundation is a dwelling and must meet the district's se...
See how Yellowstone County's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
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