Access control installers in Montana: what the state requires

You can find the exemptions in MCA 37-68-103 inside Montana's electricians law. As one part states, a license isn't required when you handle 90 volts or less, whether AC or DC.

Have your installer tell you the voltage for every system component. If the project runs new wiring from the building's power to a door power supply, check whether that portion goes above 90 volts. Any job that goes over the limit is regulated by the State Electrical Board.

People can also handle electrical work on property they own and keep for themselves, under the same section. Likewise, regular maintenance electricians on their employer's own premises don't need a license.

A license is required by MCA 37-60-301 for anyone acting as an electronic security firm or security alarm installer. Both terms are significantly restricted by the definitions in 37-60-101.

An electronic security firm employs a security alarm installer to work on alarms that send automatic signals to a public safety agency. The alarms in question pick up and report intrusion, movement, break-ins or criminal acts. Someone who works as a locksmith and also installs cameras and battery-powered door devices isn't covered by that definition.

That means a card reader tied into a burglar alarm that alerts dispatch could trigger the license requirement. That wording doesn't cover a standalone door entry system, and access control isn't named by the electrical law either.

The Security Alarm Installer license is managed by the Department of Labor and Industry. You'll pay an $80 application fee and need to complete 16 hours of training. The renewal window runs January 1 through March 1, and the fee is $160.

The current codes list for Montana displays the 2024 International Building Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code. State rules set out in ARM Title 24, Chapter 301 alter them, and both start on September 26, 2026. The egress requirements for maglocks and other locked exits come from the building code.

Search for a license on the department's Citizen Portal using the Licensee Lookup. You can search for electricians and other professional and occupational licenses there. For help, the State Electrical Board answers at (406) 444-6880.

The alarm installer law doesn't mention it, and neither does the electrical law. Check with your city or county building office about any permits you need locally. For any part that runs above 90 volts, call in a licensed electrician.