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

2, Solar utility, added by Bill No. 2023-03, sets the permitting path for solar in unincorporated Wicomico County. It defines three tiers: solar accessory (incidental to a home, farm or business use), solar minor (up to two megawatts, tied to the grid) and solar utility (over two megawatts, requiring a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Maryland Public Service Commission). Under Subsection D(6), an accessory-use solar energy system is allowed by right in the district but must still apply for a county building permit before installation.

Solar minor systems need a special exception from the Board of Appeals in the A-1, V-C, TT, C-1, C-2, C-3, LB-1, I-1 and I-2 districts. For solar facilities subject to the full standards, all structures must sit back at least 75 feet from every property line, though perimeter fencing, rights-of-way, ingress/egress access points and privately owned overhead service lines are exempted from that setback. Before construction, a site plan must go to the Board of Appeals for review when a special exception is required, and it must show a vegetative buffer of at least three staggered rows of plantings on 10-foot centers, with the row farthest from the array made up of evergreen trees, plus native, non-invasive ground cover such as echinacea or coreopsis within the array itself.

Once the Board approves the site plan, the applicant must still separately obtain a county building permit and meet the county's building and electrical codes before installation begins.