Montana has 56 counties, and every one of them elects its own sheriff. The state covers roughly 147,000 square miles and holds a little over one million people, so the elected sheriff is often the main law enforcement officer for a very large stretch of ground. This page lists sheriff offices across Montana, from Yellowstone County in Billings to Garfield County in Jordan. Use the listings to find a street address and phone number before you drive, because distances are long and many offices run with small staffs.

How Sheriff's Offices Are Organized Across Montana's 56 Counties

The sheriff is a county officer created by the Montana Constitution. Voters in each county choose the sheriff at the ballot box, and the term is four years. Because the job is elected locally, the sheriff answers to county voters rather than to the governor or the attorney general. County commissioners approve the budget, but they do not direct day-to-day policing.

Most duties come from the Montana Code Annotated. The sheriff keeps the peace, makes arrests, runs the county jail or arranges for inmates to be held elsewhere, serves civil papers, and attends district court. In many counties the sheriff also oversees 911 dispatch. That means one office may take your call for a deputy, an ambulance, or a grass fire.

State agencies work alongside the counties rather than above them. The Montana Department of Justice, headed by the elected attorney general, includes the Montana Highway Patrol, the Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in Helena. A state certification council sets training standards for peace officers. A sheriff can ask the state for help with a major investigation, but the county office stays in charge of its own territory.

The practical result is variety. Office hours, available services, fees, and the way you request records can differ from one county to the next. A short phone call before a visit usually saves a wasted trip.

Billings to Jordan: How Urban and Rural Montana Sheriffs Differ

The largest offices sit in the few counties with real population centers. The Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office is at 2550 3rd Avenue North in Billings (406-256-2929). The Gallatin County Sheriffs Office at 615 South 16th Avenue in Bozeman (406-582-2100) and the Flathead County Sheriff's Office at 800 South Main Street in Kalispell (406-758-5585) serve growing areas with heavy seasonal traffic from visitors and recreation. In Helena, our database lists a Lewis and Clark County Sheriff substation at 406 Fuller Avenue (406-562-3460), so ask which location handles your particular matter.

Silver Bow County has the most listings of any county in our records. Butte and Silver Bow County operate as one consolidated city-county government, which is unusual in Montana. One of the Butte listings, at 217 West Park Street (406-635-5738), is labeled in our records as Prairie County Sheriffs Office, so confirm by phone that you have reached the office you need.

Out on the eastern plains the picture changes. Garfield County in Jordan (PO Box 103, 406-557-2540), Wibaux County in Wibaux (200 Wibaux Street, 406-796-2415), and Golden Valley County in Ryegate (104 Kemp Street, 406-568-2321) cover wide, thinly settled ranch and farm country. A deputy may be a long drive from a call, and the office itself may be staffed by only a handful of people.

In the southwest, Beaverhead County is the largest Montana county by land area. Its sheriff's office is at 10 North Pacific Street in Dillon (406-683-3700). Several offices list only a mailing address, such as Sweet Grass County (PO Box 567, Big Timber), McCone County (PO Box 201, Circle), and Judith Basin County (PO Box 427, Stanford). Use those for mail and call to learn where to walk in.

Everyday Services You Can Request From a Montana Sheriff

Most people contact a sheriff for something other than an emergency. Typical services include:

Fees and appointment rules are set locally or by statute, and they change. Ask the office for the current amount and accepted payment methods. Small offices may accept only checks or money orders, so confirm before you go.

Who Responds Where: City Police, Tribal Police, and Federal Land in Montana

Inside a city with its own police department, city officers usually take the first call. The sheriff covers everything outside city limits and often runs the jail. Many small Montana towns have no police department at all, so the sheriff handles the town as well.

Montana has seven Indian reservations, and jurisdiction on them depends on where an incident happens and who is involved. Roosevelt County, which includes part of the Fort Peck Reservation, has three listings in our database. Rosebud County, in the southeast, shares territory with the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Tribal police, federal agencies, and the sheriff may each have a role. If you are unsure who to call, dial 911 and let the dispatcher route the request.

Federal land adds another layer. National forests, Glacier National Park, part of Yellowstone National Park, and large Bureau of Land Management tracts have their own rangers and agents. Sheriffs still coordinate on search and rescue and on wildfire evacuations. Late summer fire season is when evacuation notices most often come through county sheriffs and emergency management offices.

Highways follow a similar split. The Montana Highway Patrol handles most crashes on state and federal highways, while the sheriff handles county roads. When both agencies arrive at one scene, ask for the report number and which agency wrote it.

Before You Visit a Sheriff's Office in Montana

A little preparation goes a long way in a state this large. Call ahead to confirm hours, since some rural offices close for lunch or have no one at the front counter when deputies are out. Bring a government-issued photo ID, and bring any case number, court paperwork, or notice you received. For winter travel, check road conditions through the state's 511 service before you leave. A mountain pass or a drifted county road can add hours to a trip that looks short on the map.

Sheriff offices in Montana are independently elected county agencies responsible for law enforcement, jail operations, and civil process service. Each county in Montana elects its own sheriff, who serves as the chief law enforcement officer for that county's unincorporated areas.

Sheriff locations are available in 61 cities across Montana. They are spread across 55 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of sheriff office listings include Butte, Big Timber, Choteau, reflecting the population centers where multiple sub-offices or specialty divisions may be located.

Montana residents should note that sheriff offices handle civil law enforcement functions — such as serving eviction notices and foreclosure papers — in addition to criminal law enforcement, so the sheriff office is often the correct point of contact for civil legal matters at the county level.

Sheriff by Counties

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If you are a Montana resident looking to obtain a concealed carry permit, request a background check clearance letter, or serve legal documents through official channels, your county sheriff office is the starting point — contact them directly to confirm required documentation and current processing times.

Browse Sheriff by county across Montana to find the nearest location.

Reaching a Sheriff's Office in Montana: Details by Region

Geography shapes how you reach a sheriff here, so it helps to think in regions. Along the northern Hi-Line, the Liberty County Sheriff is on East Adams Avenue in Chester (406-759-5171), and the Blaine County Sheriffs Office is at 400 Ohio Street North in Chinook (406-357-3260). The Teton County Sheriff's Office is at 18 1st Street Southeast in Choteau, on the Rocky Mountain Front, though our records show no phone number for it. Big Sandy in Chouteau County has its own Sheriffs Department at 115 Johannes Avenue (406-378-2297).

In the southeast corner, the Powder River County office is at 114 North Street in Broadus (406-436-2333), and the Carter County Sheriff's Office is at 101 East Park Street in Ekalaka (406-775-8743). Fallon County is served from 10 West Fallon Avenue in Baker (406-778-2879), Rosebud County from 501 Main Street in Ashland (406-784-2399), and Richland County from 110 2nd Avenue Northwest in Sidney (406-433-2919).

In the mountain west and the Yellowstone valley, Madison County operates from 100 Wallace Street in Virginia City (406-843-5301). Jefferson County's office and detention center is at 110 South Washington Street in Boulder (406-225-4075), Sanders County's is at 522 Maiden Lane in Thompson Falls (406-827-3584), and Stillwater County's is at 400 East 3rd Avenue North in Columbus (406-322-5326).

The links for Powder River County and Carter County show the local listings for those two southeastern offices. Always confirm a phone number and hours before you travel.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sheriffs in Montana

Dial 911 for emergencies and call the county office directly for everything else. Examples from our listings include Stillwater County at 406-322-5326, Sweet Grass County at 406-932-5143, and Fallon County at 406-778-2879. In small counties the same dispatcher may answer both lines while also talking to deputies on patrol, so be patient. Give your location by road name, mile marker, or the nearest landmark, because many rural properties have no street address a dispatcher can easily find.

Applications go to the sheriff of the county where you live. Since 2021, Montana law has allowed many adults to carry concealed without a permit in much of the state, but permits are still issued and can matter if you travel to states that honor Montana permits. Rules about restricted locations still apply. Fees, required documents, and processing times differ by office, so call your own county's sheriff before you go, and bring a valid photo ID.

The sheriff of the county where the person lives or works usually serves civil papers such as summonses, subpoenas, and eviction notices. You deliver the documents and any required fee to the office, and a deputy attempts service and files proof with the court. Montana's civil procedure rules also let an adult who is not a party to the case serve a summons. Ask the clerk of district court which option fits your case, and allow extra time in remote counties.

People required to register do so with local law enforcement where they live, which outside a city police jurisdiction means the county sheriff. They must also update the registration when they move. The Montana Department of Justice maintains the statewide registry, and members of the public can search it online. If you have a question about a specific registrant's address or compliance, contact the sheriff of that county rather than a neighboring one.

It depends on the road and who is closest. The Montana Highway Patrol, part of the Department of Justice, is responsible for state and federal highways, while the sheriff handles county roads. In sparsely populated counties, whichever agency is nearer often arrives first, and the other may follow. Dispatch will send help regardless of jurisdiction. Afterward, ask the responding officer which agency wrote the report and get the case number, since you will need it for your insurance claim.

No. Some listings, such as Wibaux County, Fallon County, Madison County, and Powder River County, are paired with a county jail, but smaller counties often hold inmates in a neighboring county by agreement. Call the sheriff's office to learn where a person is being held. The facility sets its own rules for visits, mail, money deposits, and phone calls. Bring a valid photo ID, expect to be screened, and ask about visiting hours first.