Billings, MT Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- City administrator or designee
- Appeal window
- 10 days after denial
- Council hearing
- Within 21 days of appeal
- Fee
- Set by council resolution
- Dedicated cafe ordinance
- None exists
Summary
Billings requires an encroachment permit from the city administrator before any table, chair, or structure for outdoor dining can occupy the public sidewalk or right-of-way.
No encroachment on any public right-of-way or public property shall be allowed except by authority of an encroachment permit issued by the city administrator or his designee. An applicant seeking to install and operate a small cell wireless facility in the public right-of-way shall obtain a revocable encroachment permit and enter into a license agreement with the city prior to constructing, attaching, and operating a small cell wireless facility in the public right-of-way. Application for an encroachment permit shall be made on the forms and in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the city administrator. A fee for the permit application shall be charged to cover the administrative costs of processing as prescribed by council resolution.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Billings' Code has no separate sidewalk-cafe ordinance: restaurants that want to put tables and chairs on the public sidewalk fall under the same Sec. 22-407 encroachment-permit process used for any private use of city right-of-way. The city administrator reviews and approves or denies the application, and a processing fee set by council resolution applies. A denied applicant has ten days to appeal to the city council, which must hear the appeal within twenty-one days and after published notice. Sec. 22-403 separately bars any obstruction placed outside the curb line without that authorization.
Violations & Fines
Setting up dining tables or chairs on the sidewalk without an approved encroachment permit is an unlawful obstruction under Sec. 22-403 and Sec. 22-407, enforceable by the city administrator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Billings have a specific sidewalk cafe permit?
Who approves the permit?
What if my permit is denied?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Billings
Compare Billings to another location·View the Montana special events & permits overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.