Charles County, MD Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

100 treats a small solar energy system as an accessory use permitted with conditions in every zone, whether the property is residential or commercial. Construction requires an approved building permit; if the system will interconnect to the utility grid, the applicant must submit a copy of the utility's conditional approval before or with the building permit application, and a signed certificate of completion from the utility is required before the county issues a use and occupancy permit. Ground-mounted systems must sit within the side and rear setback lines that apply to the zone, except off-grid units powering things like street lights or traffic signals, and the system's total height, including mounts, cannot exceed 10 feet above grade at maximum tilt.

Roof-mounted panels cannot project above the roof's peak on a sloped roof, or more than five feet above a flat roof, and the combined height of the system and the building cannot exceed the zone's maximum structure height. Glare must be mitigated away from neighboring property or roads, batteries must sit in a secure enclosure meeting the Maryland Building and Electrical Codes, and an obsolete or unused system must come out within 12 months of shutting down, at no cost to the County. 200.