City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Columbia Falls, MT
How Columbia Falls regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here operate under a registration or permit system with ongoing operating rules.
- STR permit required: Administrative Special Provision Permit in residential and suburban-agricultural zones (Ch. 18.445)
- Ministerial administrative permit on objective standards (no discretionary/CUP step in codified section)
- Fire Marshal sign-off and State Public Accommodation (Tourist Home) inspection required
- No citywide cap and no owner-occupancy requirement
Based on: Columbia Falls Municipal Code Title 18 (Zoning Regulations) — Chapter 18.445 Vacation Rentals (2012 adoption; current
Summary of the rule
The codified Ch. 18.445 (18.445.010 + 18.445.020) establishes an 'Administrative Special Provision Permit' obtained by submitting an application form with filing fee; the permit 'shall ensure' the objective standards (A–L) are met. The codified chapter contains NO discretionary conditional-use review, NO neighbor-protest/opposition step, and NO Board-of-Adjustment escalation for vacation rentals — it is a straightforward ministerial administrative permit keyed to objective health/safety/registration standards.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 17, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Columbia Falls · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.