Loudoun County, Virginia solar and battery storage ordinance
Solar: 25 ft (general standards) from property lines, 75 ft (general standards) from roads, 20 ft (general standards) maximum height. Battery storage: 100 ft (utility scale) from property lines, 100 ft (utility scale) from roads, 5 acres (utility scale) minimum lot. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 29, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar rules
9 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackgeneral standardsand at least 25 feet from property lines, or the applicable yards and setbacks of the underlying Zoning District, Section 7.04, or Section 5.08, whichever is greatest. | 25 ft |
Road setbackgeneral standards2. Setbacks. All components of the solar facility must be set back a distance of at least 75 feet from all public roads and buildings | 75 ft |
Setback from airportpermitted use in GI district3. Distance from Airports . The solar facility must not be located within 1 mile of an airport unless the applicant submits, as part of its application, written certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the location of the solar facility poses no hazard for, and will not | 1 mile |
Setback from historic resourcegeneral standards3. Distance From Historic Resources. The solar facility must not be located within 1 mile of a Historic Resource. | 1 mile |
Maximum heightgeneral standards1. Height. Ground-mounted solar panels must not exceed 20 feet in height as measured from the highest natural grade below each such solar panel to the top of the solar panel or its support structure, whichever is higher. | 20 ft |
Minimum lot sizeGI zoning district, permitted use1. The solar facility must be located on a parcel with a minimum size of 500 acres. | 500 acres |
Minimum lot sizeGI zoning district, abutting lotsAbutting Lots . The solar facility also may be located on lots that abut the minimum 500-acre parcel if such abutting lots have a minimum size of 250 acres. | 250 acres |
Minimum lot sizegeneral standards2. Size of Use . The minimum lot size must be 20 acres. | 20 acres |
Maximum project sizegeneral standards1. Capacity . The nameplate capacity rating must exceed 5,000 kilowatts of alternating current. | 5,000 kW |
Source: Loudoun County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Battery storage rules
4 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackutility scalea distance of at least 100 feet from adjoining property lines of the project area. | 100 ft |
Road setbackutility scaleall components of the energy storage facility must be set back a distance of at least 100 feet from all public roads and principal buildings | 100 ft |
Setback from historic resourceutility scale4. Distance From Historic Resources. The facility must not be located within 1 mile of a historic resource as defined by this Zoning Ordinance. | 1 mile |
Minimum lot sizeutility scale1. Minimum Area. a. The minimum project area must be 5 acres. | 5 acres |
Source: Loudoun County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Virginia state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Virginia rules and counties.
State siting: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality; State Corporation Commission
Projects up to 150 MW can use a permit by rule from the Department of Environmental Quality. Larger ones may need a certificate from the State Corporation Commission. Local approval is also needed.
Va. Code Ann. 10.1-1197.5, 56-265.2 (DOE and Berkeley Lab inventory, June 2024). Source
Limits on local rules
For ground-mounted solar of 1 MW or more serving other property, counties must use a special exception or siting agreement whose setbacks, screening and height stay within state ranges; a county can still deny the application, and can depart from the ranges only by written agreement with the landowner and applicant.
Va. Code 15.2-2288.8(A) (2026 Acts cc. 1005, 1068). Source
Solar standards in state law
Applies to ground-mounted solar of 1 MW or more that serves other property; each county must write its special-exception rules within these ranges (picking any number inside a range), may still deny a project, and may agree looser terms in a siting agreement.
| Homes (non-participating) | 150 to 200 ft |
| Schools, churches, community buildings | 150 to 200 ft |
| Public roads | 50 to 100 ft from roadbed edge |
| Property line (non-participating) | 50 to 75 ft |
| Wetlands and perennial streams | 50 ft (25 MW or less), 100 ft (over 25 MW) |
| Wetlands and streams in Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas | 100 to 125 ft |
| Panel height at full tilt | 25 ft |
| Screening buffer width | 25 to 50 ft wide; plants need not exceed 3 ft at planting |
| Vegetative ground cover | Up to 75% may be required |
| Decommissioning | Agreement plus financial assurance; estimate updated every 5 years |
Va. Code 15.2-2288.8(A) (2026 Acts cc. 1005, 1068); 15.2-2241.2. Source
Battery storage standards in state law
Batteries added inside the parcel of a solar project that already has a special exception are a permitted accessory use in every zoning district, with no further local land use approval, if storage capacity does not exceed the solar nameplate.
| Size allowed by right at an approved solar site | Up to 100% of solar nameplate |
Va. Code 15.2-2316.10 (2026 Acts cc. 1011, 1076). Source
Every Virginia figure in one spreadsheet
238 figures from 32 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 5 of those places are not on this site. Plus the moratorium or ban on file and Virginia state law.
How these figures were read
We found Loudoun County's own ordinance and had two AI models read it separately. A figure is shown only when both read the same number and the sentence it comes from was found in the document. Moratoria and bans are checked against the adopting document. Ordinances change and many figures apply only in some cases, so check the cited section with the county before relying on one.
Common questions
What are the solar setbacks in Loudoun County, VA?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 75 ft (general standards) from roads and 25 ft (general standards) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Loudoun County, VA?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 20 ft (general standards). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What is the minimum lot size for a solar farm in Loudoun County, VA?
The ordinance sets a minimum lot size of 500 acres (GI zoning district, permitted use), 250 acres (GI zoning district, abutting lots) and 20 acres (general standards). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the battery storage setbacks in Loudoun County, VA?
The county's ordinance sets battery storage back 100 ft (utility scale) from roads and 100 ft (utility scale) from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.