Solar Permit Cost in Austin, TX (2026)
Residential rooftop solar permit fees for the City of Austin, Texas (Travis County), pulled directly from the Development Services Department FY 2025-26 Residential Fee Schedule (effective October 1, 2025, updated November 13, 2025 - current). Austin permits solar through its Austin Energy "Auxiliary Power" lines: the solar electrical permit is $111.66 (a $101.51 base plus the 10% Austin Energy technology fee), and an $32.47 Auxiliary Power intake fee applies on top - about $144.13 all-in. Texas has no statewide levy, and the 10% technology fee applies only to these Austin Energy solar lines, not to a home's core building permit.
This guide covers: The City of Austin residential rooftop solar permit as published on the Development Services FY 2025-26 Residential Fee Schedule - the Austin Energy "Auxiliary Power" solar electrical permit of $111.66 (a $101.51 base plus the 10% Austin Energy technology fee of $10.15), plus the $32.47 Auxiliary Power intake fee, for about $144.13 all-in.
About the 10% technology fee: Austin applies its 10% Austin Energy technology fee ONLY to Austin Energy / Auxiliary Power line items - which is where residential solar sits. It is not applied to the per-square-foot building/electrical/mechanical/plumbing permit lines a home carries for other work. That is why it is already baked into the $111.66 figure here.
This guide does NOT cover: the solar equipment and installation cost, structural review if the roof needs reinforcement, a battery/energy-storage system (which can carry its own review), an electrical service or panel upgrade filed separately, Austin Energy interconnection engineering beyond the permit, or HOA approval. These are separate and are not part of the solar permit fee.
A residential solar permit in Austin, TX is about $111.66 for the Austin Energy Auxiliary Power electrical permit (a $101.51 base plus the 10% Austin Energy technology fee), plus a $32.47 intake fee - roughly $144.13 all-in on the FY 2025-26 Development Services Residential Fee Schedule. The 10% technology fee applies only to these solar lines, and Texas adds no state levy. A separate electrical service or panel upgrade is not included. Confirm current fees with Austin Development Services at 512-978-4000 before filing.
- Austin permits residential solar through its Austin Energy "Auxiliary Power" lines: a $111.66 solar electrical permit plus a $32.47 intake fee - about $144.13 all-in.
- The $111.66 already includes the 10% Austin Energy technology fee ($101.51 base + $10.15). That 10% fee applies only to Austin Energy / solar lines, not to a home's core building permit.
- The permit fee does not scale with array size - it is the same set of line items for a typical residential rooftop system.
- These figures are CURRENT - the FY 2025-26 Residential Fee Schedule is effective October 1, 2025 (updated November 13, 2025) - so there is no source-age caveat on this page.
- A battery/energy-storage system, a separate electrical service or panel upgrade, and structural roof review are not part of the solar permit and are budgeted on their own.
- Texas has no statewide percentage permit levy - unlike Virginia's 2% USBC surcharge. A 2.35% card service fee ($2 minimum) applies only if you pay by card through the AB+C portal.
Austin Solar Permit Fee Structure
Residential solar is permitted through Austin Energy's Auxiliary Power lines: a solar electrical permit (with the 10% Austin Energy technology fee already included) plus a flat intake fee. There is no statewide levy. All figures are from the Development Services FY 2025-26 Residential Fee Schedule (effective October 1, 2025, updated November 13, 2025, current).
| Item | Fee | How It Is Calculated |
|---|---|---|
| Solar electrical permit base | $101.51 | Base Auxiliary Power (solar) electrical permit before the technology fee. |
| Austin Energy technology fee (10%) | $10.15 | 10% of the $101.51 base; applies to Austin Energy / solar lines only. |
| Solar electrical permit (incl. tech fee) | $111.66 | $101.51 base + $10.15 technology fee. |
| Auxiliary Power intake fee | $32.47 | Flat intake fee applied to the Auxiliary Power (solar) submission. |
| Typical all-in | $144.13 | $111.66 solar electrical permit + $32.47 intake fee. |
| State percentage levy | None | Texas has no statewide permit levy. |
Source: City of Austin Development Services FY 2025-26 Residential Building Plan Review & Inspection Permit Fees (effective October 1, 2025, updated November 13, 2025). The $101.51 base, the 10% Austin Energy technology fee, the resulting $111.66 solar electrical permit, and the $32.47 intake fee are exact on the schedule. A separate electrical service or panel upgrade, if filed on its own, is not included.
Worked Examples - Real Solar Projects in Austin
The examples below use the exact schedule lines: the $111.66 solar electrical permit (which already includes the 10% Austin Energy technology fee) and the $32.47 Auxiliary Power intake fee. The permit does not scale with array size.
A homeowner installs a standard rooftop photovoltaic system with no service upgrade.
- Solar electrical permit (incl. 10% AE fee): $111.66
- Auxiliary Power intake fee: $32.47
- Total permit cost: $144.13
This is the common all-in permit figure for a residential rooftop system that does not need a service upgrade.
A homeowner installs a larger rooftop system on a bigger home.
- Solar electrical permit (incl. 10% AE fee): $111.66
- Auxiliary Power intake fee: $32.47
- Total permit cost: $144.13
The Auxiliary Power solar lines are not tiered by array size, so a bigger system carries the same permit lines. Structural roof review, if needed, is separate.
A home needs an electrical service/panel upgrade to support the new array, filed separately.
- Solar electrical permit + intake: $144.13
- Separate service/panel upgrade permit: department-priced
- Solar side is $144.13; the upgrade is a separate line
A service or panel upgrade is its own electrical permit and is not part of the solar Auxiliary Power lines - ask Development Services how it is priced for your project.
When This Estimate May Not Apply
The $111.66 solar electrical permit and $32.47 intake fee come from Austin's current FY 2025-26 schedule. Route your project to Development Services before relying on a figure if any of the following applies:
- You need a service or panel upgrade. That is a separate electrical permit, filed on its own, and is not part of the solar Auxiliary Power lines.
- You are adding battery/energy storage. An energy-storage system can carry its own review and is not the rooftop solar permit.
- The roof needs structural reinforcement. Structural review for added load is separate from the electrical solar permit.
- Ground-mount or commercial solar. Non-rooftop or commercial systems can follow different lines and reviews.
- Austin Energy interconnection engineering is involved. Interconnection studies beyond the permit are handled by Austin Energy separately.
- HOA approval applies. Homeowners-association review is separate from the city permit.
A separate service upgrade, battery storage, structural review, ground-mount/commercial scope, interconnection engineering, and HOA rules are all excluded from or may change the solar figures on this page, and the page-standard disclaimer applies - always verify with Austin Development Services before budgeting.
Austin Solar Permit Cost vs Other Verified Texas Cities
Texas cities price residential solar permits very differently - some a low flat fee, some a few hundred dollars. The table below compares Austin's all-in solar permit against other verified Texas cities. Figures are the residential solar permit as each city charges it.
| City | Solar Fee Basis | Solar Permit |
|---|---|---|
| Temple, TX | Flat line | $35.00 |
| Lubbock, TX | Flat electrical | $75.00 |
| Carrollton, TX | Flat line | $125.00 |
| Austin, TX | Electrical permit + intake (incl. 10% AE fee) | $144.13 |
| Plano, TX | Flat line | $150.00 |
| Conroe, TX | Flat electrical | $300.00 |
Scope note: Austin's $144.13 all-in solar permit sits in the middle of verified Texas cities - above Temple's $35, Lubbock's $75, and Carrollton's $125, just below Plano's $150 flat, and well below Conroe's $300. Austin is distinctive in permitting solar through Austin Energy's Auxiliary Power lines with a 10% technology fee baked into the electrical permit. Austin's schedule is current (FY 2025-26).
See Austin's full residential fee schedule, or compare another Austin project type.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who to Contact
| Department | City of Austin - Development Services Department (DSD) |
| Phone | 512-978-4000 (or Austin 3-1-1) |
| Location | Permitting and Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Austin, TX 78752 (Travis County) |
| Fee schedule | Austin Development Services Fees (FY 2025-26) |
Sources
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City of Austin - Development Services Department Fees (FY 2025-26 Residential) City of Austin official residential fee schedule (extracted June 10, 2026). Primary source for the $101.51 solar electrical permit base, the 10% Austin Energy technology fee, the resulting $111.66 permit, and the $32.47 Auxiliary Power intake fee. Footer reads "Updated: 11/13/2025 - Effective: 10/01/2025" (FY 2025-26, current).
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Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 214 Texas statute (.gov) confirming municipal building-regulation authority and that Texas imposes no statewide percentage building-permit levy. Context for the "no statewide levy" statement. Verified September 2026.