Missoula County

Provided by Missoula County www.co.missoula.mt.us; (406) 721-5700

Missoula County, Montana, covers approximately 2,600 square miles in the western part of the State.  Five large valleys and two major rivers wind through this mountainous region.  Missoula County has a population of over 100,000 people and the County Seat is located in the City of Missoula.  The present Courthouse (200 West Broadway, Missoula, MT  59802), was designed by A.J. Gibson, Missoula's premier architect.  Construction began in 1908 and the Courthouse was completed in 1910.  The neoclassical sandstone block building is crowned by a four-sided clock tower with a two-ton bell that rings on the half hour and hour.  Its south foyer is graced by a series of eight murals painted by famed western artist Edgar S. Paxson between 1912 and 1914.  An annex was added to the north side of the building in 1966.  The Missoula County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Missoula County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners, consisting of three elected members who serve six-year staggered terms.  All legislative, executive and administrative powers and duties of the local government, not specifically reserved by law or ordinance to other elected officials, reside in the Commission (MCA 7-3-401).  The current Board includes, Jean Curtiss, Chair for 2011, Michele Landquist and Bill Carey. The Commissioners hold a Weekly Public Meeting every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in Room 201 on the second floor of the annex.

Other Elected Officials include:  County Auditor Barbara Berens;  County Clerk and Recorder/Treasurer Vickie Zeier;  County Superintendent of Schools Erin Lipkind;  County Attorney Fred VanValkenburg;  County Sheriff/Coroner Carl C. Ibsen;  Clerk of District Court Shirley Faust;  County Justice of the Peace John Odlin;  and County Justice of the Peace Karen Orzech.

Missoula County Rural Initiatives (RI) provides County citizens with an avenue for collecting and distributing data, legislation, regulations and policies relative to Missoula County.  RI staff advise the Commissioners on issues of importance to County citizens in nine planning regions in Missoula County.  Activities include comprehensive land use and parks planning; support for sustained agricultural, ranching and timber employment and opportunities at the local, state and national level; natural resource monitoring and protection; water course and water source protection; and cultural resource protection and enhancement.  The work of RI staff is complemented by the efforts of an Open Lands Citizen Advisory Committee established in November, 2006 when voters passed a $10 million Open Space Bond.

The Missoula County Department of Public Works serves the residents of the County in the areas of engineering and surveying services; road and bridge construction and maintenance; water and wastewater facilities construction and maintenance; mapping; and Rural Special Improvement District (RSID) creation.  In May, 2006, Missoula County adopted a Countywide Building Code Enforcement Program, administered through the Public Works Department.  The Building Code Fee Schedule is reviewed and revised on an annual basis.


The Missoula County Treasurer’s Office is the collection and distribution center for all taxes in Missoula County.  Property Taxes can be paid online by accessing Webpay through the online Property Tax Payment System. The Treasurer’s Office also handles license plate renewals and title work for newly purchased vehicles. Appointments may be scheduled for title work, or for 5 or more renewals, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.  The Office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for renewals and from 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. for title transactions.  MasterCard and Visa credit cards accepted.

Citizens in the Seeley Lake area can access a number of services at the County’s satellite office at 3360 Highway 83 North. On the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., citizens can renew motor vehicle registrations and tabs, acquire 40 day temporary registration permits, obtain Montana birth and death certificates, pay real estate, mobile home, and business taxes, and obtain dog licenses and moving permits. The satellite office also houses the public works departments’ building codes division for the north end of Missoula County and resident deputies from the Sheriff’s department.

Citizens can also access property information and recorded documents through the Property Information System, renew motor vehicle registration, check the status of their ballot during an election, and register their cell phones for reverse 9-1-1 notifications on the County’s website.

These are just a few examples of the services that Missoula County provides. Additional Information about all County Services may be found at www.co.missoula.mt.us, or by calling (406) 721-5700.

Distances from Missoula

Billings 273 miles
Boise 369 miles
Bozeman 166 miles
Calgary, Alberta 467 miles
Denver 895 miles
Great Falls 205 miles
Helena 94 miles
Kalispell 121 miles
Los Angeles 1,211 miles
Phoenix 1230 miles
Portland 549 miles
Salt Lake City 524 miles
San Francisco 1147 miles
Seattle 476 miles
Spokane 198 miles

Missoula’s Climate

Elevation 3,199 feet above sea level
Annual Average Temp 44.4ºF
January Daily Minimum Temp 29.5ºF
July Daily Minimum Temp 84.1ºF
Annual Average Snowfall 46.5”
Annual Average Rainfall 13.5”