Bolthole Index

Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-09

Montana Counties With No Building Codes and No Zoning

19 of Montana's 56 counties — 34% — require no residential building permit and have no county-wide zoning in their unincorporated areas. That is the 9th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Mineral County (75/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.

Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 517 counties nationwide → Montana: no building codes → Montana: no zoning → Montana: owner-builder → Montana: rv living → Montana: tiny homes → Montana: no minimum home size → Full Montana profile →

From the Montana guide

Which Montana counties don't require a residential building permit?

Montana has 37 of 56 counties without a residential building-permit requirement for unincorporated homes; city rules differ from these county counts.1 The highest-scoring counties in that group are Lewis and Clark County, Broadwater County, Mineral County, Lincoln County, Meagher County, Glacier County, Judith Basin County, Pondera County.1 Another 14 counties require residential building permits only in certain cases, and 5 require them.67

Use the Montana counties without building permits list to narrow the search, but a missing residential building permit does not remove separate electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit requirements.113 In state jurisdiction, farm and ranch buildings and residential buildings containing fewer than five dwelling units are exempt from state building permits, except residential buildings serving transient guests; certified local programs have their own requirements.14 Qualifying owners have a contractor-license exemption, which does not waive applicable construction permits or inspections.11

Which Montana counties have no zoning?

Montana has 22 counties without countywide zoning, including Broadwater County, Mineral County, Sanders County, Judith Basin County, Pondera County, Beaverhead County, Teton County, Fergus County.2 Montana also has 25 counties with zoning.8 The Montana no-zoning list is a starting point for comparing those county land-use answers.2

For buyers seeking both conditions, 19 counties have neither a residential building-permit requirement nor countywide zoning; Broadwater and Mineral lead that group by Index score.9 See the combined no-building-permit and no-countywide-zoning list for the full group.9 Montana law allows county zoning for all or part of a jurisdictional area, with regulations that can differ between districts, so ask the county planning office whether the specific parcel lies in a zoning district.15 A county without countywide zoning still needs the separate drainfield and designated-floodplain checks described below.1016

Read the full Montana guide →

Sources

  1. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 56 Montana counties, as of October 9, 2026: Montana counties that do not require a residential building permit in unincorporated areas
  2. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 56 Montana counties, as of October 9, 2026: Montana counties with no county-wide zoning
  3. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 56 Montana counties, as of October 9, 2026: Montana counties that require a residential building permit only in some cases (for example floodplain or certain structures)
  4. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 56 Montana counties, as of October 9, 2026: Montana counties that require a residential building permit in unincorporated areas
  5. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 56 Montana counties, as of October 9, 2026: Montana counties with county zoning
  6. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 56 Montana counties, as of October 9, 2026: Montana counties with neither a residential building permit nor county-wide zoning
  7. Montana: Engineering Infrastructure & Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  8. Montana: Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors, quoted and re-checked
  9. Montana: Building Permits, quoted and re-checked
  10. Montana: Building Permits, quoted and re-checked
  11. Montana: 76-2-201. County zoning authorized, MCA, quoted and re-checked
  12. Montana: Stream Permitting, quoted and re-checked

From the Montana guide, written from the cited official sources and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: confirm with the office before you buy or build.

19 of 56 Montana counties · sorted by Index score

Keep exploring

Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Montana state page for all 56 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.

Off-grid gear

Building on land in one of these Montana counties? The kit we'd start with:

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General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.