InstaBidsHow much will solar panels cost in Montgomery County?
$23,000 was the median declared permit value for data years 2023-2026 in Montgomery County, MD. Residential solar permits issued in Montgomery County declared a typical range (middle half of 5,113 Montgomery County, MD permit data points, Montgomery County, MD, 2023-2026) of $16,000 to $33,000.
Updated 2026-10-28
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| What was measured | Median declared value | Declared value range (middle half) |
|---|---|---|
| Residential solar permits issued in Montgomery County declared | a median declared value on building permits of $23,000 | the typical range (middle half of 5,113 Montgomery County, MD permit data points, Montgomery County, MD, 2023-2026) was $16,000 to $33,000 |
Declared permit values are what applicants reported to the county; final contract prices can differ.
How measured: residential single-job permits; declared values below the low-value floor for the same job removed (100 rows). Source: Montgomery County, Maryland, 'Residential Permit' (m88u-pqki), data read 22 October 2026.
These figures are estimates from Montgomery County, Maryland, 'Residential Permit' (m88u-pqki), data years 2023-2026, read 22 October 2026, for Montgomery County, MD. They are not a quote, and they are not a promise of what any contractor on InstaBids will charge. Your price depends on your home, the materials and the contractor. Get written bids before you decide.
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What the job includes, the line items to ask for and how to compare bids: the national solar panel system cost guide.
What do Montgomery County solar permits declare?
Each Montgomery County figure above is a declared permit value: what the applicant told the permit office the solar job was worth when applying. It is not an invoice.
The count covers residential building permits whose description uses the word solar, PV or photovoltaic. Permits for a new home or for work not on an existing home, legalisation, as-built, revision, supplemental and renewal permits, and permits that also name another job were left out first.
Of the 5219 matched permits, 5213 carried a declared value. One hundred values fell below the low-value floor for this job and were removed, which leaves the 5113 permits behind the figures.
What solar plans does Montgomery County require?
Example rule, Montgomery County solar permits: “Building and Electrical permits are required for PV systems.”
Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Montgomery County solar application scope: “The following information must accompany all building permit applications.”
Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Montgomery County solar site diagram: “Basic site plan diagram identifying location of major components—not to scale.”
Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Montgomery County solar equipment locations: “This is a simple diagram to show where the equipment is located with the equipment clearly shown and identified on the plan.”
Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Montgomery County ground-mounted solar setbacks: “If PV array is ground-mounted, clearly show that system will be mounted within allowable zoned setbacks.”
Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Montgomery County solar electrical diagram: “Electric diagram showing all major field-installed electrical components, wire identification and sizing, and grounding.”
Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Montgomery County solar wiring detail: “This diagram needs to have sufficient detail to call out the electrical components, the wire types and sizes, number of conductors, and conduit type and size where needed.”
Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Montgomery County solar utility disconnect: “The utility disconnect type and location and the means of connection to the building electrical system should be clearly identified.”
Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, read 9 November 2026.
What solar drawings does Montgomery County request?
Montgomery County DPS states that photovoltaic systems need building and electrical permits. Read its solar permit guidelines before deciding which application documents to prepare.
Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, Permit Guidelines for Solar Photovoltaic Systems (dated December 9, 2025), read 31 October 2026.
The county asks for a basic site plan identifying the major components. Its guidance describes this as a simple diagram showing the equipment locations, rather than a requirement for a scaled site drawing.
Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, Permit Guidelines for Solar Photovoltaic Systems (dated December 9, 2025), read 31 October 2026.
DPS also asks for an electrical diagram covering major field-installed components, wire identification, sizing and grounding. Include that drawing when comparing the documents supplied with a solar installation proposal.
Source: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, Permit Guidelines for Solar Photovoltaic Systems (dated December 9, 2025), read 31 October 2026.
How does Montgomery County compare with New York State program records (NYSERDA)?
The Census Bureau's American Housing Survey, used for the national figures on other cost pages, has no solar item, so the second block comes from program records. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority publishes the project cost reported for each system in its programs, and the block keeps only homes that bought their system rather than leasing it or signing a power purchase agreement.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, AHS 2023 Value Labels Package, read 16 October 2026.
Source: NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA, read 16 October 2026.
| What was measured | Median | Typical range (middle half) |
|---|---|---|
| Home solar systems bought outright and completed under NYSERDA programs in New York State had | a median of $38,702 | the typical range (middle half of 12,001 NYSERDA program data points, New York State (NYSERDA program data), 2025-2026) was $28,520 to $51,000 |
| By system size | a median of $3.84 per watt | the typical range (middle half of 12,001 NYSERDA program data points, New York State (NYSERDA program data), 2025-2026) was $3.20 per watt to $5.09 per watt |
How measured: owned, completed home systems, untrimmed; project cost divided by system size in watts. Source: NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA: Beginning 2000, data read 16 October 2026.
These figures are estimates from NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA: Beginning 2000, data years 2025-2026, read 16 October 2026, for New York State (NYSERDA program data). They are not a quote, and they are not a promise of what any contractor on InstaBids will charge. Your price depends on your home, the materials and the contractor. Get written bids before you decide.
Full national guide: How much will solar panels cost?
The Montgomery County median declared value sits below the New York State program median for owned home systems.
The two are different kinds of record: a program figure is what was reported to a state program for a finished system, while a permit value is what an applicant wrote down before the work began. This page keeps them apart and never blends them into one number.
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Sources for the figures on this page
- Montgomery County, Maryland, 'Residential Permit' (m88u-pqki), https://data.montgomerycountymd.gov/Consumer-Housing/Residential-Permit/m88u-pqki, read 22 October 2026. InstaBids computed medians and middle-half ranges. The data made available here has been modified for use from its original source, which is Montgomery County, Maryland ("the County"). THE COUNTY MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES AS TO THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, OR TIMELINESS OF ANY DATA. THE COUNTY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE COUNTY MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY AS TO THE WEBISTE OR APPLICATION USING DATA DRAWN FROM DATA.MONTGOMERYCOUNTYMD.GOV OR FOR THE USEFULNESS OR INTEGRITY OF THE WEB SITE OR APPLICATION. The data is subject to change and possible deletion, temporarily or permanently. It is understood that the information contained in the web feed is being used at one's own risk.
- NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA: Beginning 2000, https://data.ny.gov/Energy-Environment/Solar-Electric-Programs-Reported-by-NYSERDA-Beginn/3x8r-34rs, read 16 October 2026. Used under the OPEN-NY Terms of Use; no endorsement by New York State or NYSERDA is implied.
- Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DPS/Resources/Files/RCI/ResidentialPermitGuidelinesPhotovoltaicSystems.pdf, read 9 November 2026.
- Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, Permit Guidelines for Solar Photovoltaic Systems (dated December 9, 2025), assets.montgomerycountymd.gov/files/2026-04/ResidentialPermitGuidelinesPhotovoltaicSystems.pdf, read 31 October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, AHS 2023 Value Labels Package, www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/2023/AHS 2023 Value Labels Package.zip, read 16 October 2026.