Cal. Civ. Code § 37.111.102
37.111.102 REVIEW OF PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS
Operative Text
(1) Plans and specifications must be submitted to the local regulatory authority for review and approval before any new license is issued. (2) Local regulatory authority approval is required before any construction, remodeling, or conversion for a new or existing establishment begins. (3) The local regulatory authority must review the plans and specifications and respond to the applicant within 30 days with a written approval, disapproval, or request for additional information. (4) If the establishment was previously licensed by the department and no structural modification will be involved, the local regulatory authority may waive the requirement for the submission of plans and specifications. (5) If the local regulatory authority is unable to perform the review, plans and specifications must be submitted to the department for review and approval. (6) Plans and specifications must include the following: (a) location and detail of storage rooms used for bedding and furnishings; (b) location and detail of janitorial facilities; (c) location and detail of laundry facilities, including a description of equipment and floor and wall finish material; (d) a flow chart indicating the route of laundry through sorting, washing, drying, ironing, folding, and storage; (e) location and description of all food preparation, storage, and service areas, unless already required to license as a retail food service establishment under 50-50-102 , MCA; (f) description of dishes, cookware, utensils, and cooking equipment available in guest rooms, including details of cleaning and storage; (g) location and detail of ice production, storage, and dispensing equipment; (h) location of swimming pools, spas, and other recreational water features; (i) name of sanitary landfill licensed by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) which will receive solid waste from the establishment; (j) documentation of approval from DEQ and any applicable local regulatory authority permit and inspection report, if the establishment will be served by a public wastewater treatment system; (k) documentation of approval from the local regulatory authority, if the establishment will be served by a nonpublic wastewater treatment system; (l) documentation of approval from DEQ, if the establishment will be served by a public water supply; (m) demonstration of compliance with this subchapter, if the establishment will be served by a nonpublic water supply; and (n) any other pertinent information requested by the department or local regulatory authority. (7) Construction must be in accordance with the plans and specifications as approved. Any changes from the approved plans must be reviewed and approved, in writing, by the department or local regulatory authority. (8) Approval is valid for two years. If construction, remodeling, or conversion is not completed within two years, the department or local regulatory authority may require plans and specifications to be resubmitted for review.
Mont. Admin. R. 37.111.102 establishes a mandatory plan-review process that applies before any new lodging or similar establishment license is issued and before construction, remodeling, or conversion work begins on a new or existing establishment. The local regulatory authority must review submitted plans and specifications—covering everything from laundry flow to water supply documentation—and issue a written approval, disapproval, or request for more information within 30 days. Approvals remain valid for two years, and any deviation from approved plans requires separate written authorization from the department or local regulatory authority.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mont. Admin. R. 37.111.102, operators seeking a new license or planning construction, remodeling, or conversion work generally prepare and submit a comprehensive plans-and-specifications package to the local regulatory authority before breaking ground. A compliant operator ensures the submission addresses all required elements listed in the rule—such as laundry routing, food service areas, waste disposal arrangements, and water supply documentation—and waits for written approval before proceeding. Operators also track the two-year validity window on any approval and seek resubmission if work extends beyond that period or if design changes arise mid-project.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mont. Admin. R. 37.111.102 is primarily a pre-licensing and construction oversight rule, but it has indirect relevance to guests and residents of lodging establishments: it sets baseline standards for how facilities must be designed and approved before they open or undergo significant changes. If a tenant or guest has concerns that a facility was constructed or modified without the required plan approvals, they may raise those concerns with the local regulatory authority or the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, which oversees this subchapter. Tenant-rights organizations or legal aid services can help individuals understand how this provision interacts with any licensing or habitability issues they may be experiencing.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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