Maryland solar and wind ordinances by county
11 counties with figures quoted from their own ordinances. Plus the state law that applies.
Updated October 2026
Counties
Solar figures as each county's ordinance states them. Open a county for wind and battery storage rules, conditions, and the sentence each figure comes from.
| County | Rules read | Property line | Homes | Max height | Min lot | Moratorium or ban |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany County | Solar, Wind | 30 ftminimum all-around setback | n/a | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| Baltimore city | Solar, Wind | n/a | n/a | 15 ftcommercial alternative energy system | n/a | None on file |
| Caroline County | Solar | 100 ft | 150 ft | 15 ft | n/a | None on file |
| Harford County | Solar | 150 ftB1, B2, B3, CI, LI and MO Districts excluded | 250 ftB1, B2, B3, CI, LI and MO Districts excluded | 15 ftB1, B2, B3, CI, LI and MO Districts excluded | n/a | None on file |
| Howard County | Solar | 50 ft | n/a | 20 ft | 10 acres | None on file |
| Kent County | Solar | 200 ftutility-scale | n/a | 38 ftutility scale on farms | n/a | None on file |
| Queen Anne's County | Solar | 100 ftnot including property lines that bisect the interior of a project area | 150 ft | 15 ft | n/a | None on file |
| Somerset County | Solar, Battery storage | 75 ftutility scale solar energy facilities | n/a | n/a | n/a | None on file |
| St. Mary's County | Solar | 75 ftSomerset County, medium solar facility | n/a | 20 ftBaltimore County, R.C. Zone | 20 acresWorcester County, large solar system in A-1, A-2, I-1 and I-2 Districts | None on file |
| Washington County | Solar | n/a | n/a | n/a | 20 acres | None on file |
| Worcester County | Solar | 100 ftlarge solar in E-1, V-1, C-1, C-2 and C-3 districts | n/a | n/a | 20 acreslarge solar in A-1, A-2, I-1, and I-2 districts | None on file |
Every Maryland figure in one spreadsheet
79 figures from 11 counties and 1 town or township, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 1 of those places is not on this site. Plus Maryland state law.
Maryland state law
What state law says about local solar, wind and storage rules. Each statement links the law or official source it comes from.
State siting: Maryland Public Service Commission
Solar over 2 MW needs a Public Service Commission certificate or approval before construction.
Public Utilities Article 7-207, 7-207.1, 7-207.4, 7-218. Source
Limits on local rules
Counties and towns cannot ban solar of more than 1 MW or deny a site plan that meets the state standards, with some exceptions.
Public Utilities Article 7-218(h) (Renewable Energy Certainty Act, Ch. 624 of 2025). Source
Solar standards in state law
Applies to ground-mounted solar over 1 MW (AC) that sells wholesale, is community solar or is aggregate net metered; the owner must meet these figures, and a county or town may not ban such solar or deny a site plan that meets them. A siting agreement with the county may set looser terms; agrivoltaics are exempt from the figures.
| Homes (non-participating) | 150 ft |
| Property line (non-participating) | 100 ft |
| Fence height | 20 ft max, no barbed wire |
| Public roads | 50 ft (fence from road right-of-way) |
| Panel height (average) | 15 ft average |
| Screening buffer width | 35 ft max |
| Berms | County may not require |
| Decommissioning | Bond up to 125% of cost, with the PSC |
Md. Code, Public Utilities 7-218(b), (f), (g), (h) (Renewable Energy Certainty Act, Ch. 623 of 2025). Source
Battery storage standards in state law
Front-of-the-meter battery storage needs PSC approval; outside commercial or industrial sites the owner must meet these figures, and a county or town may not ban such storage or deny a site plan that meets them. The PSC may waive or modify the figures for good cause.
| Fence height | 20 ft max, no barbed wire |
| Screening buffer width | 25 ft max (only if the county requires a buffer) |
| Berms | County may not require |
Md. Code, Public Utilities 7-219 (Renewable Energy Certainty Act, Ch. 623 of 2025). Source
Screen sites across Maryland
Basepoint checks each parcel against these rules along with grid, land and environmental data, and keeps the source for every figure.