Data / Solar Panel Permit Cost
How much does a solar panel permit cost? (2026)
Across 35 U.S. cities in 23 states, the average solar panel permit fee is $248 (median $193), ranging from $26 in Baltimore, MD to $920 in Minneapolis, MN. These are government permit fees only, not total project cost, each verified from the city's published fee schedule.
$248
Average fee
$193
Median fee
$26
Lowest (MD)
$920
Highest (MN)
35
Cities tracked
Solar Panel Permit Cost by state
Average solar panel permit fee per state, ranked highest to lowest. Click a state for its tracked cities.
| State | Cities | Avg. Permit Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 1 | $920 |
| Washington | 1 | $466 |
| Arizona | 2 | $424 |
| California | 4 | $353 |
| Oregon | 1 | $317 |
| Michigan | 1 | $278 |
| Idaho | 1 | $275 |
| Utah | 1 | $264 |
| North Carolina | 1 | $258 |
| Missouri | 4 | $229 |
| Illinois | 1 | $225 |
| New York | 1 | $194 |
| Florida | 3 | $176 |
| Georgia | 1 | $175 |
| Texas | 4 | $172 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | $170 |
| Virginia | 1 | $145 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | $142 |
| Ohio | 1 | $140 |
| Nevada | 1 | $138 |
| Tennessee | 1 | $108 |
| Colorado | 1 | $50 |
| Maryland | 1 | $26 |
Solar Panel Permit Cost by city
Every fee links to its source city page.
| City | Permit Fee |
|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | $920 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $706 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $498 |
| Seattle, WA | $466 |
| San Jose, CA | $429 |
| City of St. Louis, MO | $360 |
| San Francisco, CA | $320 |
| Portland, OR | $317 |
| Springfield, MO | $311 |
| Detroit, MI | $278 |
| Boise, ID | $275 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $264 |
| Raleigh, NC | $258 |
| Orlando, FL | $245 |
| Chicago, IL | $225 |
| Austin, TX | $219 |
| New York, NY | $194 |
| Dallas, TX | $193 |
| Atlanta, GA | $175 |
| Boston, MA | $170 |
| San Diego, CA | $165 |
| Miami, FL | $158 |
| San Antonio, TX | $150 |
| Richmond, VA | $145 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $142 |
| Tucson, AZ | $141 |
| Columbus, OH | $140 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $138 |
| St. Louis County, MO | $129 |
| Houston, TX | $128 |
| Tampa, FL | $124 |
| Kansas City, MO | $114 |
| Nashville, TN | $108 |
| Denver, CO | $50 |
| Baltimore, MD | $26 |
Cite This Data
Olson, D. (2026). Solar Panel Permit Cost by state. PermitCalculator. https://permitcalculator.com/data/solar-permit-cost/
APA format
Olson, David. "Solar Panel Permit Cost by State." PermitCalculator, 2026, permitcalculator.com/data/solar-permit-cost.
MLA format
Olson, David. "Solar Panel Permit Cost by State." PermitCalculator. Accessed July 25, 2026. https://permitcalculator.com/data/solar-permit-cost/.
Chicago format
Link credit for blogs (HTML)
Method: fees verified from each city's published fee schedule. See our methodology and press & data page. Permit fees are set by local government and change periodically.
Dataset compiled by David Olson, Creator of the Cost Index & Permit Dataset. Download the full dataset (CSV).
Solar Panel Permit Cost FAQ
How much does a solar panel permit cost?
Across 35 U.S. cities, the average solar panel permit fee is $248 (median $193), from $26 in Baltimore, MD to $920 in Minneapolis, MN. These are government permit fees only, each verified from the city's published fee schedule.
Which cities have the cheapest and most expensive solar panel permit?
Baltimore, MD is the lowest at $26 and Minneapolis, MN is the highest at $920 among the 35 cities tracked.
Is the solar panel permit fee the same as the total project cost?
No. This is the government permit fee only. It does not include contractor labor, materials, or design, which are usually far larger than the permit itself.
Where does this solar panel permit data come from?
Every fee is verified from the city's published permit fee schedule, not estimated or scraped. Each city in the table links to its official source.