Acworth, GA Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Single-family roof height cap
- 1 ft (2 ft if pitch ≤2:12)
- Non-residential roof height cap
- 2-8 ft, scaled by roof pitch
- Ground-mounted cap
- 5 feet, screened, side/rear only
- Street-facing roof
- Mounting prohibited
- Side mounting
- Not permitted on primary structure
Summary
Acworth's zoning code sets the site standards a solar installation must meet before the city will sign off: roof-only mounting on houses, a height cap tied to roof pitch, no street-facing placement, and a 5-foot cap with screening for any ground-mounted system.
Solar collection devices may not be mounted to the sides or any other portion of a primary structure other than its roof. ... Single-family and duplex dwellings:a.No taller than one (1) foot, as measured on a vertical axis to the roof below, to which it is installed, unless the roof pitch is 2:12 or less, in such case two (2) feet is permitted. ... May not be attached to a street facing roof face.E.If ground mounted, solar collection devices shall not exceed five (5) feet in height, must be placed to the side or rear of the primary structure and must be screened from view.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
4 (Solar Collection Devices) is the standard the Development Director checks against when a homeowner applies to install solar. Devices for producing electric power (the section excludes decorative accent or landscape lighting) may not be mounted to the sides of a primary structure, roof-only for single-family and duplex homes. The height limit then scales with the roof: no taller than one foot above the roof surface, measured on a vertical axis, unless the pitch is 2:12 or shallower, in which case two feet is allowed.
No portion of the array may project above the maximum projection line the ordinance illustrates in its accompanying figures. Non-residential and multi-family buildings get a different, taller scale: up to eight feet on roofs shallower than 2:12 pitch, four feet between 2:12 and 6:12, and two feet on anything steeper than 6:12. Regardless of use, a roof-mounted array can never extend beyond the roof overhang or beyond the horizontal plane drawn from the roof's highest point, and it may not be attached to a street-facing roof face at all.
Homeowners who instead want a ground-mounted system get a simpler rule: five feet maximum height, placed to the side or rear of the house, and screened from view. These are the site-plan standards that a building permit application for a solar installation has to satisfy before Acworth issues the permit.
Violations & Fines
Installing a solar array that violates the height, placement, or street-facing restrictions is a zoning violation under Section 73-10; the Development Director can order the noncompliant installation corrected, and failure to remedy it by the notice deadline exposes the property owner to civil penalties up to $1,000 per day or a municipal court citation carrying a fine up to $1,000, up to 60 days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can rooftop solar panels be on an Acworth house?
Can I mount solar panels on the front of my house facing the street?
Can I put solar panels on the ground instead of the roof in Acworth?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Acworth
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