Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-09
56 of Montana's 56 counties — 100% — let an owner build their own home without a licensed contractor. That is the 26th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Lake County (79/100). 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 2952 counties nationwide → Montana: no building codes → Montana: no zoning → Montana: no codes, no zoning → Montana: rv living → Montana: tiny homes → Montana: no minimum home size → Full Montana profile →
56 of 56 Montana counties · sorted by Index score
Statewide rule. A homeowner performing the plumbing installation themselves for the owner's personal-use residence in Montana state jurisdiction, including applicable areas of L…
Plumbing Permits ↗Statewide rule. A homeowner performing plumbing installation in the owner's personal-use residence under Montana state jurisdiction. The homeowner must perform the plumbing inst…
Plumbing Permits ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property or contracting for work by a registered construction contractor under Montana construction-contractor law. The exemption…
MCA -- December 2025: Chapter 45 Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. A homeowner performing plumbing installation in the State's jurisdiction, including Mineral County where no certified local program governs the project. The home…
Plumbing Permits ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders performing building work in Montana state-jurisdiction areas, including Broadwater County areas outside certified local-government jurisdictions. …
bsd.dli.mt.gov ↗Homeowner installation of an on-site wastewater treatment system. The homeowner must pass the installer exam with a score of at least 90%. The system must be a standard gravity …
Sanders County Wastewater Regulations ↗Because Montana law exempts single-family residences from state building permit requirements and Lincoln County has no local building code program, an owner may build their own …
Montana DLI Building Permit FAQ ↗Statewide rule. State building-permit exemption for private homes and apartments with four or fewer units that do not serve transient guests, including qualifying construction i…
bsd.dli.mt.gov ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. A homeowner performing plumbing installation personally in a residence for the owner's personal use in Pondera County, where the state plumbing jurisdiction appl…
Plumbing Permits ↗Statewide rule. Owner-performed plumbing installation in a residence within Montana state plumbing-code jurisdiction, including applicable projects in Judith Basin County outsid…
Plumbing Permits ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗With no county residential building code, owners may build their own single-family homes; a homeowner is also exempt from wastewater-installer licensing on their own property.
Beaverhead County Wastewater System Regulations ↗A homeowner installing, altering, or repairing an individual sewage treatment system for the homeowner's own residence on the homeowner's own property in Park County. The homeow…
Park County Onsite Wastewater Treatment Regulations ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. Owner-performed electrical wiring of the owner's home, garage, and premises in Madison County areas under Montana state electrical jurisdiction. A state homeowne…
Electrical Permits ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Unincorporated Flathead County: no county building permit is required, so there is no permit to be exempt from and you may build your own home. State licensing for electrical, p…
flatheadcounty.gov ↗Owner-performed plumbing work in a primary residence. The structure must be the owner's primary residence. There must be no intent to sell the property.
NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION PERMIT CHECKLIST ↗Statewide rule. A homeowner performing plumbing installation personally in a residence for the owner's personal use, including property in Deer Lodge County where state plumbing…
Plumbing Permits ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. Owner-performed plumbing installation in a residence within Montana state plumbing jurisdiction. The homeowner must perform the plumbing installation personally.…
Plumbing Permits | Montana Building Codes Program ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. A homeowner performing plumbing installation personally in a residence within Montana state plumbing jurisdiction, including applicable areas of Stillwater Count…
Plumbing Permits ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. Owner-performed plumbing installation in Musselshell County areas under Montana state building-code jurisdiction. Musselshell County is not listed among the cert…
Certified City, County and Town Programs ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builder plumbing installation in a residence within Montana state plumbing jurisdiction, including applicable Big Horn County areas. The homeowner must per…
Plumbing Permits ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. An owner of residential property in Wheatland County who personally performs all sanitary plumbing and potable water supply piping work. The exemption is limited…
50-60-506. Exceptions to permit requirement, MCA ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Unincorporated Granite County: no county building permit is required, so there is no permit to be exempt from and you may build your own home. State licensing for electrical, pl…
Planning Department ↗Statewide rule. Owner-performed plumbing installation for the owner's personal-use residence in Montana, including Powder River County where state jurisdiction applies. The home…
Plumbing Permits ↗Unincorporated Yellowstone County: no county building permit is required, so there is no permit to be exempt from and you may build your own home. State licensing for electrical…
Yellowstone County Public Works General Information ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. State-level building-permit exemption relevant to private residential construction, including owner-built private homes, subject to local-government requirements…
bsd.dli.mt.gov ↗Statewide rule. Plumbing installation by an owner of a single-family residence used exclusively for the owner's personal use. The exemption concerns plumbing licensure and sanit…
mca.legmt.gov ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. A homeowner performing the plumbing installation personally for a residence intended for the owner's personal use in Chouteau County, to the extent the project i…
Plumbing Permits ↗Unincorporated Rosebud County: no county building permit is required, so there is no permit to be exempt from and you may build your own home. State licensing for electrical, pl…
County Planner - Rosebud County ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Unincorporated Valley County: no county building permit is required, so there is no permit to be exempt from and you may build your own home. State licensing for electrical, plu…
Building Permits ↗Unincorporated Fallon County: no county building permit is required, so there is no permit to be exempt from and you may build your own home. State licensing for electrical, plu…
Fallon County Growth Policy 2024 ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders performing plumbing installation themselves in a residence located in Sheridan County where Montana state plumbing jurisdiction applies. The homeo…
Plumbing Permits ↗Statewide rule. A homeowner performing plumbing installation themselves in a residence for the owner's personal use in Montana, including Blaine County where the state has juris…
Plumbing Permits ↗Statewide rule. A homeowner performing plumbing installation personally in an owner-occupied Montana residence, including a residence in Wibaux County where the state has plumbi…
Plumbing Permits ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗A homeowner constructing or altering an individual sewage treatment system for the homeowner’s own residence on the homeowner’s own property in McCone County The exemption is fr…
McCone County On-Site Wastewater Treatment Regulations ↗Statewide rule. A homeowner personally performing plumbing installation in a residence within Montana state plumbing jurisdiction. The exemption applies only when the homeowner …
Plumbing Permits ↗Unincorporated Petroleum County: no county building permit is required, so there is no permit to be exempt from and you may build your own home. State licensing for electrical, …
Petroleum County Growth Policy 2022 Revision ↗Statewide rule. An owner working on the owner's property, or an owner contracting for work performed by a registered construction contractor, under Montana's construction-contra…
Montana Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 45, Construction Contractors ↗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.
