Montgomery County Solar Permit Cost (2026)

Residential rooftop solar building permit fees in Montgomery County, Maryland, pulled directly from the official Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) Residential Construction Fee Schedule. Montgomery charges a flat $227.12 for a rooftop solar panel building permit, regardless of system size. The schedule also lists a $113.56 rooftop solar refer-back fee. Maryland has no statewide percentage levy, so there is no Virginia-style 2% add-on. The electrical interconnection is a separate trade permit. The published DPS schedule carries a printed effective period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 (FY2022).

Rooftop Solar Building Permit

$227.12 flat

Rooftop Solar Refer-Back

$113.56

State / Local Percentage Levy

None (Maryland has no statewide levy)

Electrical Interconnection

Separate DPS trade permit

Fee Basis

Flat - not by kW or system value

Fee Status

Official DPS schedule - FY2022 printed date, verify current rates

What This Guide Covers - and What It Does Not

This guide covers: Montgomery County, Maryland residential rooftop solar building permit fees as published in the DPS Residential Construction Fee Schedule (AllFees.pdf): the flat $227.12 rooftop solar panel permit and the $113.56 rooftop solar refer-back fee. It also covers the bundled plan review and the optional 25% expedited plan review fee.

This guide does NOT cover: Trade permits - the electrical permit for the inverter, wiring, and utility interconnection is filed separately on its own DPS schedule and is not priced here. Battery / energy-storage system permits, which may carry their own requirements. Ground-mount solar arrays may be classified differently from rooftop solar; confirm with DPS. Roof structural reinforcement if required. Utility (Pepco) interconnection application fees. Solar installer equipment and labor costs.

Important note on fee schedule age: The DPS AllFees.pdf currently published by Montgomery County carries a printed effective period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. Because that printed date is more than 24 months old, confirm current rates with DPS at 240-777-0311 before relying on any figure for a load-bearing budget.

About the refer-back fee: The DPS schedule lists a separate "rooftop solar refer-back" line at $113.56, a reduced charge associated with a referred-back rooftop solar review. Confirm with DPS when this reduced fee applies to your application rather than the full $227.12.

Key Takeaways

Montgomery County charges a flat $227.12 for a residential rooftop solar building permit. The fee does not scale with system size (kW) or system value - a 6 kW array and a 12 kW array pay the same building permit fee.
The DPS schedule also lists a $113.56 rooftop solar refer-back fee - a reduced charge tied to a referred-back rooftop solar review. Confirm with DPS when this applies instead of the full fee.
Maryland has no statewide percentage building-permit levy, so there is no 2% add-on like Virginia's USBC levy. The DPS solar fee is the entire building permit charge.
The electrical interconnection - inverter, conductors, and utility tie-in - is a separate electrical trade permit filed on its own DPS schedule. That fee is not included in the $227.12 figure and is not priced on this page; contact DPS for the current electrical permit rate.
Montgomery's $227.12 solar building permit is notably higher than several peers. Baltimore County charges $79 for a residential solar system; Washington, DC processes most residential rooftop solar through an Instant Permit at $36.30; and Fairfax County waives the solar building permit fee entirely (electrical filed separately).
Standard plan review is bundled into the permit fee. An optional Expedited Plan Review Fee of 25% of the total permit fee is available if you need faster turnaround.
The DPS AllFees.pdf currently published carries a printed effective period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. Montgomery County may have adjusted rates since then. Always confirm the current solar fee with DPS at 240-777-0311 before filing.

Open the Permit Fee Calculator All Montgomery County Permit Fees

Montgomery County Solar Permit Fee Structure

Montgomery County uses a flat building permit fee for rooftop solar. There is no percentage levy and no per-kW or per-watt rate. Standard plan review is bundled, and the electrical interconnection is billed separately as a trade permit.

Item	Fee	Notes
Rooftop solar building permit	$227.12	Flat fee. Does not change with system size (kW) or value.
Rooftop solar refer-back	$113.56	Reduced charge tied to a referred-back rooftop solar review. Confirm applicability with DPS.
Electrical interconnection	Separate	Electrical trade permit for inverter, wiring, and utility tie-in - filed on its own DPS schedule, not priced here.
Plan review	Bundled	Standard plan review included. Optional expedited review = 25% of the total permit fee.
State / local percentage levy	None	Maryland has no statewide USBC-style percentage levy. No 2% add-on.

Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services Residential Construction Fee Schedule (AllFees.pdf), Solar Panels / Rooftop Solar lines. Printed effective period July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022 (FY2022). The electrical interconnection trade permit is billed separately on its own DPS schedule. Confirm current rates with DPS before filing.

Worked Examples - Real Solar Projects in Montgomery County

Each example uses the same DPS rooftop solar fee. Because Montgomery prices solar as a flat building permit, the system size does not change the building permit cost - the electrical interconnection trade permit is always separate.

Example 1: Standard 8 kW rooftop solar array

A homeowner installs a typical 8 kW rooftop solar array on a single-family home, with a string inverter and utility interconnection.

Solar building permit:

Rooftop solar building permit (flat): $227.12
Maryland percentage levy: $0.00 (none)
Building permit subtotal: $227.12

Electrical interconnection trade permit:

Filed separately on the DPS electrical permit schedule - not priced here
Contact DPS at 240-777-0311 for the current electrical permit fee for your scope.

Example 2: Larger 12 kW system with battery

A homeowner installs a 12 kW rooftop array paired with a home battery. The solar building permit is the same flat fee - system size does not change it - but the battery and electrical work add separate considerations.

Rooftop solar building permit (flat): $227.12
Maryland percentage levy: $0.00 (none)
Electrical interconnection: separate trade permit (not priced here)
Battery / energy-storage system: may carry its own requirements - confirm with DPS
Solar building permit subtotal: $227.12

The 12 kW system pays the same $227.12 building permit as the 8 kW system - Montgomery's solar fee is flat, not size-based. PermitPrice does not estimate the separate electrical or battery permit amounts because they are set on separate DPS schedules.

Example 3: Referred-back rooftop solar review

A rooftop solar application is referred back through the DPS review process. The schedule lists a reduced refer-back fee for this scenario.

Rooftop solar refer-back fee: $113.56
Maryland percentage levy: $0.00 (none)

The $113.56 refer-back line is exactly half of the $227.12 full fee. Confirm with DPS at 240-777-0311 when the refer-back fee applies to your application rather than the full permit fee.

Montgomery County Solar Permit Cost vs Other Verified Jurisdictions

Montgomery's $227.12 flat solar building permit is high relative to peers - some neighboring jurisdictions waive the solar building permit or use a low-cost instant-permit path. Read the basis column for context.

Jurisdiction	Solar Building Permit Basis	Building Permit Fee
Montgomery County, MD	$227.12 flat (rooftop)	$227.12
Baltimore County, MD	flat residential solar	$79.00
Washington, DC	Instant Permit (≤15 kW) + 10%	$36.30
Fairfax County, VA	building permit waived	$0.00

This table compares the solar building permit portion only. In every jurisdiction the electrical interconnection is a separate trade permit (Fairfax, for example, waives the building permit but still requires a separately priced electrical permit). Montgomery and Baltimore County figures carry source-age caveats (FY2022 and 2018 respectively); DC and Fairfax reflect their current published schedules.

Side-by-Side Math

See how Montgomery compares head-to-head against its Maryland neighbors.

Howard vs Montgomery → Montgomery vs Prince George's →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a solar permit cost in Montgomery County, MD?

A Montgomery County residential rooftop solar building permit costs a flat $227.12, regardless of system size. The DPS schedule also lists a $113.56 rooftop solar refer-back fee. Maryland adds no statewide percentage levy. The electrical interconnection is a separate trade permit and is not included in these figures. These come from the DPS schedule carrying an FY2022 printed effective date; confirm current rates with DPS at 240-777-0311.

Does the solar permit include the electrical interconnection?

No. The electrical work - inverter, conductors, and utility tie-in - is filed as a separate electrical trade permit on its own DPS schedule. That fee is not included in the $227.12 building permit figure and is not priced on this page. There may also be a separate Pepco utility interconnection application. Contact DPS at 240-777-0311 for the current electrical permit fee for your scope.

What is the $113.56 rooftop solar refer-back fee?

The DPS Residential Construction Fee Schedule lists a separate "rooftop solar refer-back" line at $113.56 - exactly half the $227.12 full fee. It is a reduced charge tied to a referred-back rooftop solar review. PermitPrice reports the figure as published but does not interpret the exact administrative trigger; confirm with DPS at 240-777-0311 when the refer-back fee applies to your application rather than the full permit fee.

Does Maryland add a state levy like Virginia's 2% USBC levy?

No. Maryland has no statewide percentage building-permit levy. In Virginia, every permit carries a mandatory 2% USBC state levy on top of the local fee. In Montgomery County, the DPS solar permit fee is the entire building permit charge - there is no percentage add-on.

Does the solar fee change with system size?

No. The Montgomery rooftop solar building permit is a flat $227.12 whether your system is 6 kW or 12 kW. The building permit fee does not scale with kilowatts or system value. Larger systems can still mean more involved electrical work, which is billed on the separate electrical trade permit.

Why is Montgomery's solar permit more expensive than DC or Baltimore County?

It comes down to each jurisdiction's fee structure. Montgomery sets a flat $227.12 building permit for rooftop solar. Baltimore County charges $79 for a residential solar system, Washington, DC processes most residential rooftop solar through a $36.30 Instant Permit, and Fairfax County waives the solar building permit entirely. In every case the electrical interconnection is a separate trade permit, so compare the building permit portion separately from the electrical permit.

Does the permit fee include installing the solar panels?

No. The $227.12 Montgomery rooftop solar permit fee is the county building permit cost only. It does not include the solar installer's equipment or labor. A residential rooftop solar system in the suburban Maryland market commonly runs $15,000-$30,000 before incentives for the installed system. The permit fee is a small line item in your overall solar project budget.

Sources

Official Sources - Recorded June 2026

Montgomery County DPS Residential Construction Fee Schedule (AllFees.pdf) Printed effective period July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022 (FY2022) - Montgomery County, MD - Primary source for the rooftop solar permit fees ($227.12 flat; $113.56 refer-back). Extracted and recorded June 1, 2026 FY2022 - verify current
Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) Accessed June 2026 - Montgomery County, MD - Department index linking the fee schedule and the ePermits / Eplans online portal. Phone 240-777-0311

Next Step

Confirm your specific Montgomery solar permit cost or compare against neighbors.

Use the Calculator → All Montgomery County Fees Howard vs Montgomery

Montgomery Deck Permit Guide → Montgomery Pool Permit Guide → Montgomery Fence Permit Guide → Fairfax Solar Permit Guide → DC Solar Permit Guide → All Guides →

Always verify current solar permit fees directly with Montgomery County DPS before budgeting or filing. The DPS AllFees.pdf carries a printed effective period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. Montgomery County may have adjusted rates since then. Call 240-777-0311 or visit the ePermits portal at permittingservices.montgomerycountymd.gov to confirm current solar and electrical permit rates before submitting an application.

Disclaimer: All fee information on PermitPrice is for informational purposes only and is not an official permit quotation. Actual permit fees are determined by the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services at the time of application. Fee schedules, filing fees, and permit requirements can change without notice. The published DPS fee schedule carries an FY2022 printed effective date; confirm current rates before relying on any figure. Electrical interconnection, battery/energy-storage, and utility interconnection requirements are separate and are excluded from the figures on this page.

Written by: Munib Ur Rehman

Data verified against official fee schedule documents.