Solar Permit Design In Baltimore, MD

 

How Solar Permits Work in Baltimore County 

Solar permits in Baltimore County are issued by the Department of Permits, Approvals, and Inspections (PAI) through the CityWorks online portal. Residential PV systems under 10 kW need only an electrical permit pulled by a master electrician registered with the county. Systems 10 kW or larger also require a building permit. Maryland statewide codes — 2021 IBC, 2021 IRC, and 2020 NEC — apply, along with NFPA 1 Section 11.12 (referenced on the county’s PV installation certification form).

Quick Reference: Baltimore County Solar Permitting

Topic	Detail
AHJ name	Baltimore County Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections (PAI)
Submission portal	CityWorks PLL Portal (cityworkspro.baltimorecountymd.gov)
PAI phone	410-887-3900 (PAI main); 410-887-3953 (permit-required determinations)
PAI office	111 West Chesapeake Avenue, Towson, MD 21204
Building permit threshold	Required for PV systems 10 kW or larger; smaller residential systems need only an electrical permit
Electrical code	NEC 2020 (Maryland statewide adoption effective May 29, 2023)
Building code	2021 IBC / 2021 IRC (Maryland Building Performance Standards)
Fire code reference	NFPA 1 (2015) Section 11.12 — cited on the county’s solar PV certification form
Energy storage code	IRC 2021 Section R328 (Section R328.9 for hydrogen-producing systems)
PE stamp	Required on structural documentation for all freestanding systems and systems exceeding 10 kW; Maryland-licensed PE only
Contractor licenses	MHIC (state) plus a master electrician registered with Baltimore County
Airport overlay	Properties within 3.3 miles of Martin State Airport (MTN) require an Airport Zoning Permit from MAA
Service utility	Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) for the entire county
SolarAPP+ status	Not currently deployed; HB 1532 (2026) requires adoption by August 1, 2027

Do You Need a Building Permit? The 10 kW Threshold

This is the single most overlooked rule in Baltimore County solar permitting, and it changes how projects should be scoped. The PAI Solar Building Permit page states plainly that a building permit is required only when the system is 10 kilowatts or larger. Residential rooftop systems under 10 kW need only the electrical permit, pulled by a master electrician registered with Baltimore County.

That doesn’t mean the structural review disappears. The county’s PV installation certification form requires a structural installer signature for freestanding systems and any system exceeding 10 kW, and reviewers expect a signed and sealed structural letter from a Maryland-licensed PE for any roof-mounted system as supporting documentation. Skip that and expect resubmission requests.

• Under 10 kW residential rooftop: Electrical permit only, with a PE-stamped structural letter as supporting documentation.
• 10 kW or larger residential: Building permit plus electrical permit, filed in sequence (building first, then electrical referencing the building permit number).
• Any commercial system: Building permit plus electrical permit, regardless of size.
• Freestanding (ground-mount) systems: Structural installer signature on the PV certification form required regardless of kW.
• Energy storage inside the dwelling: Triggers a residential alteration building permit on top of the electrical permit (PV system size doesn’t change this).

The Baltimore County Permit Process at PAI

Baltimore County’s process is entirely online through the CityWorks PLL portal. For a standard residential 10 kW+ rooftop project with no airport overlay or septic complications, the workflow runs:

1. Confirm jurisdiction. Verify the property is in unincorporated Baltimore County, not Baltimore City (which has a separate AHJ), and not an incorporated municipality.
2. Check the Martin State Airport overlay. Properties within a 3.3-mile radius of MTN need an airport zoning permit through the Maryland Aviation Administration before the county can release the building permit.
3. Confirm site servicing. Ground-mount systems on well-and-septic properties must include a site plan that complies with Baltimore County’s Ground Water Site Plan Requirements.
4. Prepare the plan set. Reference 2021 IBC, 2021 IRC, NEC 2020, and NFPA 1 (2015) Section 11.12 on the cover sheet. Include a PE-stamped structural letter and the full electrical single-line diagram with maximum-voltage calculations.
5. Create a CityWorks portal account and name every file per the Baltimore County file naming convention before upload. Incorrectly named files are rejected at intake.
6. Submit the building permit application (for ≥10 kW systems). Plans the route to permit processing staff, then to technical reviewers.
7. Pay fees once invoiced. Baltimore County accepts Mastercard, Visa, or PayPal only.
8. After building permit issuance, the master electrician registered with Baltimore County files the electrical permit referencing the building permit number.
9. Schedule inspections through the portal after installation. The master electrician must have the signed Certification of Solar PV Installation (PAI EL 16W) on site at inspection.
10. Submit interconnection to BGE. This runs in parallel with the permit application, not after.

For the statewide picture , code adoption timelines, MHIC licensing, SolarAPP+ rollout, and how Baltimore County compares to Montgomery, Howard, and Anne Arundel, see our solar permit in Maryland guide.

Baltimore County Plan Set Requirements

On top of the statewide Maryland documentation, Baltimore County reviewers expect:

• Cover sheet referencing 2021 IBC, 2021 IRC, NEC 2020, and NFPA 1 (2015) Section 11.12.
• PE-stamped structural letter from a Maryland-licensed engineer confirming roof capacity for added dead load (3–4 psf typical) and wind uplift. Reviewers enforce this even on sub-10 kW systems.
• Maximum system voltage calculation using the formulas on Baltimore County’s PV installation certification form (PAI EL 16W), with the manufacturer’s V-temperature coefficient method or NEC Table 690.7. The form specifies a -15°C coldest-design temperature for the Baltimore area.
• Single-line diagram showing modules, string configuration, inverter(s), rapid shutdown initiators per NEC 690.12, AC/DC disconnects, overcurrent protection, grounding, and the BGE point of interconnection.
• NEC 705.12 load calculation showing 120% busbar rule compliance or, where the rule fails, an explicit supply-side tap connection.
• Site plan with property lines, structures, setbacks, and array placement. Ground-mount systems require a full site plan; roof-mount systems need only roof-mount details.
• Groundwater Site Plan documentation for ground-mount installations on well-and-septic properties.
• Airport Zoning Permit attached if the property is inside the 3.3-mile MTN radius.
• All files named per the Baltimore County file naming convention before upload.

Martin State Airport Zoning Overlay

Martin State Airport (MTN) sits on Middle River in eastern Baltimore County. Any property within a 3.3-mile radius, including much of Essex, Middle River, Edgemere, and parts of Dundalk and Rosedale, must obtain an airport zoning permit from the Maryland Aviation Administration before PAI will release a solar building permit.

The MTN cone is broader than most installers expect, and the airport permit runs on its own timeline outside of PAI’s review queue. Confirm coverage during scoping, not during plan check.

Battery Storage (ESS) Requirements

Baltimore County treats energy storage as a separate scope. Per PAI’s residential alteration permitting rules, any ESS installed inside a residential dwelling, whether paired with new PV or retrofitted to an existing system, needs the following:

• A residential alteration building permit in addition to the electrical permit.
• Construction plans showing compliance with IRC 2021 Section R328 and the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
• For ESS that produce hydrogen or other flammable gases during charging: signed and sealed construction drawings demonstrating compliance with IRC R328.9 (ventilation).

Exterior ESS installations — including those in detached accessory structures — do not require a building permit. A photograph showing the proposed exterior location is required with the application. A separate electrical permit is still required in either case.

Baltimore County Permit Fees and Property Tax Credit

Baltimore County calculates residential solar permit fees based on system valuation, and fees are invoiced after the application is reviewed and accepted. Additional cost items typically include:

• Electrical permit, filed separately by the master electrician (see the PAI electrical permit fee schedule).
• Residential alteration permit for ESS installed inside the dwelling.
• Airport Zoning Permit through MAA for properties within the Martin State Airport overlay.
• PE stamp on the structural letter — typically $150 to $400 for residential structural review.
• Plan revisions after the first resubmittal cycle.

HB 1532 (2026) — Future $500 Fee Cap

Maryland’s Utility RELIEF Act (HB 1532), signed in May 2026, caps residential solar permit fees at $500. The cap applies only to projects that use the state-mandated automated permitting software. Baltimore County has not yet adopted that software, so the cap is not yet operative in the county; once PAI brings automated permitting online (the statewide deadline is August 1, 2027), the cap will take effect for in-scope projects. The cap does not apply to residential energy storage systems, main electrical panel upgrades, or main electrical panel derates, those remain at standard fee schedules.

Baltimore County Energy Conservation Devices Tax Credit

The local solar incentive is the Energy Conservation Devices Tax Credit, defined in Section 11-2-203.3 of the Baltimore County Code and administered by the Office of Budget and Finance. The credit is 50% of the eligible installation cost, capped at $5,000 (or $1,500 for a hot-water supply system), applied against the property’s real property tax obligation.

Three caveats matter materially:

• Annual program funding is capped at $1.5 million. Approved applications go onto a waiting list in the order received. Per Baltimore County’s official notice, an application approved in March 2018 was awarded credit on the July 2023 property tax bill — roughly a five-year cycle.
• The credit does not transfer with the property. A change of ownership terminates the unused portion.
• Applications must be submitted by June 1 of the year before the first taxable year for which the credit is sought. Receipts and the Baltimore County electrical inspection permit number are required.

Apply through the Office of Budget and Finance, 400 Washington Avenue, Room 150, Towson, MD 21204, or online via the county’s tax credit portal. Phone: 410-887-2404.

BGE Interconnection for Baltimore County Solar

Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) serves nearly every property in Baltimore County. Residential interconnection is filed through BGE’s My Green Power Connection portal. Almost all residential applications fall under Level 1 of the four-level Maryland interconnection framework. The BGE application runs in parallel with the county permit application, not after.

Step	What Happens
1. Application	The installer submits the BGE interconnection application online with system specs, a single-line diagram, and equipment listings.
2. Interconnection Agreement	BGE returns an Interconnection Agreement once the application is approved; the customer signs and returns it.
3. Install	With the signed agreement on file and county permits issued, the system can be installed.
4. County inspection	A Baltimore County inspector verifies the installed system. The Master Electrician’s signed PAI EL 16W certification must be on site.
5. Certificate of Completion	The customer returns the signed BGE Certificate of Completion after a passed county inspection.
6. Net meter & PTO	BGE installs the net meter and issues permission to operate.

BGE Net Metering: Full Retail Monthly, Avoided Cost at Annual True-Up

Maryland’s net metering law (Public Utilities § 7-306) requires BGE to credit excess monthly generation at the full retail electricity rate, roughly $0.16/kWh on BGE residential in 2026. Credits roll forward month to month. At the annual true-up, any remaining surplus is settled at BGE’s avoided-cost rate (roughly $0.03 to $0.05/kWh), which is far lower than retail.

Practical consequence for system sizing: targeting 100% of annual usage maximizes the value of net metering, but sizing above 100% pushes surplus generation into the low avoided-cost settlement rather than the full retail credit. Most BGE residential systems are right-sized at 90 to 100% of historical annual consumption.

HB 1532 and SolarAPP+: What’s Coming to Baltimore County

Maryland’s Utility RELIEF Act (HB 1532) was passed by the General Assembly on April 13, 2026, and signed by Governor Wes Moore as Chapter 353 of the 2026 Acts. For Baltimore County solar permitting, three provisions matter most:

• Automated permitting mandate: Every Maryland county that requires a permit for rooftop solar must adopt SolarAPP+ or equivalent software by August 1, 2027. Baltimore County is not yet a SolarAPP+ jurisdiction; the law makes adoption mandatory, with attorney general enforcement authority if a county misses the deadline.
• Conditional $500 fee cap: Once a county is using the mandated software, residential solar permit fees are capped at $500. ESS, main panel upgrades, and panel derates are explicitly excluded from the cap.
• Plug-in solar legalization: UL-listed plug-in PV systems up to a defined wattage threshold are now permitted in Maryland under a streamlined pathway.

Until Baltimore County deploys SolarAPP+ or an equivalent platform, plan sets continue to route through manual review at PAI. Building permit-ready plans designed against the current PAI checklist remain the fastest way through the queue.