17 permits · verified 2026-09-12
What permits do you need to open a auto repair shop in Billings?
In short
A auto repair shop in Billings, MT has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 13 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City/County Planning Division, City of Billings Planning & Community Services Department charges $1,719 one-time, per application (FY26 rate, effective July 1, 2025, plus postage) for the zone change. 8 of the 17 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-12 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a auto repair shop in Billings
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | City/County Planning Division, City of Billings Planning & Community Services Department | A $2.50-per-square-foot Sign application fee plus a $1.50-per-square-foot Sign permit fee (FY26 rates, effective July 1, 2025). | one-time, per sign — not stated in the published fee schedule | 2026-09-12 |
| Industry-Specific Municipal License (not found beyond the general Business License)only if it applies to you | City of Billings, Department of Finance (Business License Division) | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-12 |
| Special Review (functional Conditional Use Permit)only if it applies to you | City/County Planning Division, City of Billings Planning & Community Services Department | $1,299–$1,776 one-time, per application: $1,299.00 (residential) or $1,776.00 (commercial), FY26 rates effective July 1, 2025, plus postage | one-time, per application; an approval expires one year after issuance unless substantial work has commenced, or once the use has ceased for more than six months (BMCC Sec. 27-1623.H) | 2026-09-12 |
| Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Montana Dealer Statute Scopeonly if it applies to you | Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Employment Relations Division | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-04 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Billings
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoning Clarification (Zoning Verification)only if it applies to you | City/County Planning Division, City of Billings Planning & Community Services Department | Varies — formula on the Billings page | one-time, per request — not stated in the published fee schedule | 2026-09-12 |
| Commercial Building Permit | City of Billings, Building Division | Varies — formula on the Billings page | one-time, per project — not stated in the published fee schedule | 2026-09-12 |
| Zoning Variance (City Board of Adjustment)only if it applies to you | City of Billings, City Board of Adjustment | Varies — formula on the Billings page | one-time, per application | 2026-09-12 |
| City of Billings Business License | City of Billings, Department of Finance (Business License Division) | Varies — formula on the Billings page | annual — one year from the month the license is obtained | 2026-09-12 |
| Certificate of Occupancy | City of Billings, Building Division | No fee | one-time — issued after required inspections confirm code compliance | 2026-09-12 |
| Zone Changeonly if it applies to you | City/County Planning Division, City of Billings Planning & Community Services Department | $1,719 one-time, per application (FY26 rate, effective July 1, 2025, plus postage) | one-time, per application | 2026-09-12 |
| Fire Prevention Business Inspection (City fee not published) | Billings Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-12 |
| Fire System Permit (Installation, Repair, or Replacement of Fire Protection/Alarm Systems)only if it applies to you | Billings Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau | Varies — formula on the Billings page | one-time, per system installation, repair, or replacement | 2026-09-12 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
MT registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $35 one-time filing | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $35 one-time filing | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division | Varies — formula on the MT page | annual — due between 1 January and 15 April | 2026-09-04 |
| Sales Tax Registration — Montana Department of Revenue Positiononly if it applies to you | Montana Department of Revenue, Business Tax Unit | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-04 |
| General Business License — Montana Secretary of State Guidanceonly if it applies to you | Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-04 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a auto repair shop in Billings?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 17 records listed for a auto repair shop in Billings, MT, 4 apply to every business of this type and 13 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
8 of the 17 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 6 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Sign Permit: A $2.50-per-square-foot Sign application fee plus a $1.50-per-square-foot Sign permit fee (FY26 rates, effective July 1, 2025).
Special Review (functional Conditional Use Permit): $1,299–$1,776 one-time, per application: $1,299.00 (residential) or $1,776.00 (commercial), FY26 rates effective July 1, 2025, plus postage
The other 6 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Billings permits page and the MT state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Billings?
Permits for a auto repair shop in Billings, MT come from 8 separate offices: City/County Planning Division, City of Billings Planning & Community Services Department, City of Billings, Building Division, City of Billings, City Board of Adjustment, City of Billings, Department of Finance (Business License Division), Billings Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau, Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Montana Department of Revenue, Business Tax Unit, Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Employment Relations Division. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City/County Planning Division, City of Billings Planning & Community Services DepartmentIssues 4 permits on this page: Sign Permit, Zoning Clarification (Zoning Verification), Special Review (functional Conditional Use Permit), Zone Change2825 3rd Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101 · (406) 657-8247www.billingsmt.gov/103/Planning-Community-Services
- City of Billings, Building DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Commercial Building Permit, Certificate of Occupancy316 North 26th Street, Billings, MT 59101 · (406) 657-8270www.billingsmt.gov/67/Building
- City of Billings, City Board of AdjustmentIssues 1 permit on this page: Zoning Variance (City Board of Adjustment)2825 3rd Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101 · (406) 657-8247www.billingsmt.gov/73/City-Board-of-Adjustment
- City of Billings, Department of Finance (Business License Division)Issues 2 permits on this page: Industry-Specific Municipal License (not found beyond the general Business License), City of Billings Business License316 North 26th Street, Billings, MT 59101 (P.O. Box 1178, Billings, MT 59103) · (406) 657-8364www.billingsmt.gov/981/Business-License-Information
- Billings Fire Department, Fire Prevention BureauIssues 2 permits on this page: Fire Prevention Business Inspection (City fee not published), Fire System Permit (Installation, Repair, or Replacement of Fire Protection/Alarm Systems)2305 8th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101 · (406) 657-8422www.billingsmt.gov/453/Fire-Prevention-Bureau
- Montana Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionIssues 4 permits on this page: Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization (LLC), Annual Report, General Business License — Montana Secretary of State Guidance1301 6th Avenue, Room 260, Helena, MT 59620 · (406) 444-3665sosmt.gov/business
- Montana Department of Revenue, Business Tax UnitIssues 1 permit on this page: Sales Tax Registration — Montana Department of Revenue Position(406) 444-6900revenue.mt.gov/taxes/general-sales-tax
- Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Employment Relations DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Montana Dealer Statute Scope1805 Prospect Avenue, Helena, MT 59601 · (406) 444-7734erd.dli.mt.gov/work-comp-regulations/montana-contractor/independent-contractor
What does a auto repair shop need in Billings that other businesses do not?
1 of the 4 permits particular to a auto repair shop here applies to no other business type we cover in Billings: Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Montana Dealer Statute Scope.
Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Montana Dealer Statute Scope
No fee is listed for this record. MCA 61-4-101 lists the vehicle-trade licenses the state department issues — a new dealer's license, a used dealer's license, a broker's license, an auto auction license and a wholesaler license — and under that section each covers buying, selling, brokering or auctioning vehicles, not repair work. An applicant for a new dealer's license must, under the same section, maintain a bona fide service department for repair and maintenance, but that obligation attaches to the dealer, not to an independent garage. A shop that only repairs vehicles, buying and selling none, falls outside 61-4-101.
Shared with other businesses in Billings
- Sign Permit — City/County Planning Division, City of Billings Planning & Community Services Department, A $2.50-per-square-foot Sign application fee plus a $1.50-per-square-foot Sign permit fee (FY26 rates, effective July 1, 2025)., one-time, per sign — not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, salons and barbers, fitness studios and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the veterinary clinics page.
- Industry-Specific Municipal License (not found beyond the general Business License) — City of Billings, Department of Finance (Business License Division), No fee, not applicable. Also required for retail stores, veterinary clinics, fitness studios and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
- Special Review (functional Conditional Use Permit) — City/County Planning Division, City of Billings Planning & Community Services Department, $1,299–$1,776 one-time, per application: $1,299.00 (residential) or $1,776.00 (commercial), FY26 rates effective July 1, 2025, plus postage, one-time, per application; an approval expires one year after issuance unless substantial work has commenced, or once the use has ceased for more than six months (BMCC Sec. 27-1623.H). Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
The other 8 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Billings, MT; what each one involves is set out on the Billings permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across MT and are covered on the MT state page.
How does a auto repair shop compare with other businesses in Billings?
The closest match is a retail store, which shares 3 of these permits. A auto repair shop also needs Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Montana Dealer Statute Scope. A retail store needs nothing here that a auto repair shop does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a auto repair shop | Only a auto repair shop needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail stores | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Fitness studios | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Restaurants | 8 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Childcare centres | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Food trucks | 7 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
Sources
Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the veterinary clinics page, fitness studios page and retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Billings permits page and the MT state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- 61-4-101, Montana Code Annotated — the complete list of motor vehicle dealer license types, with no repair-shop categoryMontana Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.