Solar Permit in Fort Worth, Texas
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before installing rooftop or ground-mounted solar panels. The city's residential remodel submittal requirements for solar panels call for an engineered structural letter, a site plan showing the solar panel location, and an issued Electrical Standalone Permit.
Issued byCity of Fort Worth Development Services Department
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Fort Worth treats solar panels as an accessory structure that requires a building permit, listing them by name alongside gazebos, wind turbines, and radio towers on its residential permitting page. The permit is not a single filing: the Residential Remodel checklist requires an engineered structural letter and a site plan showing panel location for the building side, plus a separately issued Electrical Standalone Permit for the electrical work. There is no size or capacity threshold below which a solar installation is exempt.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
Texas's owner-builder rule (Tex. Occupations Code 1305.003(a)(6), 1301.051; Tex. Local Government Code 233.157(c)) sets what you may do on your own home without hiring anyone. Read the statute.
When a permit is usually needed
Before installing rooftop or ground-mounted solar panels. The city's residential remodel submittal requirements for solar panels call for an engineered structural letter, a site plan showing the solar panel location, and an issued Electrical Standalone Permit.
What a solar permit costs in Fort Worth
How Fort Worth compares in Texas
No Texas jurisdiction we have verified sets a size threshold for this permit, so what actually differs between them is the fee.
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|
| Arlington | Permit required | ...Resolution No. 26 - 151, Residential Construction: "Solar Panel*... |
| Austin | Permit required | Solar permits carry a $32.47 intake fee plus a $111.66 auxiliary power... |
| Corpus Christi | Permit required | ...rooftop array is billed through the residential building permit at $0.461... |
| Dallas | Permit required | ...schedule (Table B-I), value of work times 0.009652 times 1.33 with a $175... |
| El Paso | Permit required | ...four trades: Building Permits "Solar Shingle per 100 sq. ft." is "$14 per... |
| Fort Worththis page | Permit required | ...of Mechanical Fees, Table 1-H, carries a "Solar energy system: $59.18"... |
| Houston | Permit required | Solar panel permit fee is $91.06 plus the $33.56 administrative fee, with plan... |
How to apply in Fort Worth
In Fort Worth, a rooftop solar PV permit application is a combined structural and electrical plan set: a site plan and roof framing details proving the array's mounting can carry its added loads, plus a one line electrical diagram covering listed modules and inverters, disconnects, and the rapid shutdown design. Utility interconnection is a separate approval that runs in parallel with the permit.
What most solar permit applications include:
- Both a building permit and a separate electrical permit are required, since the array must be designed and installed to the residential code's solar provisions and to the National Electrical Code (IRC R324.3).
- For Fort Worth, the plan set identifies listed equipment: PV modules listed to UL 1703 (or both UL 61730-1 and UL 61730-2), and inverters listed to UL 1741, with grid-tied inverters listed for utility interaction (IRC R324.3.1).
- Structural drawings show that the roof framing is designed to structurally support the array and withstand the gravity loads it adds (IRC R324.4.1).
- For Fort Worth, the site plan lays out roof access pathways at least 36 inches wide, plus a ridge setback sized to how much of the roof the array covers, so firefighters retain pathways and ventilation access (IRC R324.6.1, IRC R324.6.2).
- For Fort Worth, the one line electrical diagram shows the rapid shutdown method and the location of its single initiation device, since one control point must bring all system conductors down to safe levels (NEC 690.12, NEC 690.56(C)).
- Interconnecting the array to the utility grid at a defined point of connection is a separate application process from the local building or electrical permit and must be approved before the system can operate (NEC 705.12).
- Some permitting offices route applications through SolarAPP+, an automated review platform that checks the plan set against code requirements and issues eligible permits instantly (DOE SolarAPP+).
General submittal guidance from IRC 2021 R324 (Solar Energy Systems) and NEC 2020 Article 690 (Solar Photovoltaic Systems) and Article 705 (Interconnected Power Production Sources). Source. City of Fort Worth Development Services Department sets the exact checklist for Fort Worth.
Where to apply in Fort Worth:
City of Fort Worth Development Services Department
- New City Hall, 100 Fort Worth Trail, Fort Worth, TX 76102
- Phone: 817-392-2222
- Email: DevCustomerService@fortworthtexas.gov
Solar Permit in Fort Worth compared with nearby Texas localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each Texas schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Worth | Permit required | Any size | The Schedule of Mechanical Fees, Table 1-H, carries a "Solar energy system: $59.18"... | |
| Arlington | Permit required | Any size | ...1, 2026, Resolution No. 26 - 151, Residential Construction: "Solar Panel* $325.00"... | |
| Austin | Permit required | Any size | Solar permits carry a $32.47 intake fee plus a $111.66 auxiliary power electrical permit... | |
| Corpus Christi | Permit required | No size or capacity threshold is published; adding solar panels is listed outright as work that needs a permit. | A rooftop array is billed through the residential building permit at $0.461 per square... | |
| Dallas | Permit required | Any size | ...Repairs schedule (Table B-I), value of work times 0.009652 times 1.33 with a $175... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Fort Worth, inspectors verify the installed array against the approved plans, and some agencies run a rough check of roof attachments and penetrations while they are still exposed before the wiring and roofing close them in. The final inspection confirms rapid shutdown, disconnects, grounding, and required labels are installed correctly, and the system cannot be energized until the utility separately approves interconnection.
- In Fort Worth: where an agency runs a rough or pre-inspection, it checks the array's roof penetrations while they are still exposed, confirming they are flashed and sealed (IRC R324.4.3).
- In Fort Worth: the inspector confirms whether rapid shutdown is required, how it is accomplished, and that it is properly identified (NEC 690.12, NEC 690.56(C)).
- In Fort Worth: pV disconnecting means must be permanently marked and installed where they are readily accessible, which the inspector confirms in the field (NEC 690.13).
- In Fort Worth: bonding and grounding of the array, including every exposed non current carrying metal part and the grounding electrode system, is checked before sign off (NEC 690.43, NEC 690.47).
- In Fort Worth: at the service equipment, the inspector looks for the required rapid shutdown placard, a labeled diagram showing the initiation device's location in the specified colors and letter sizes (NEC 690.56(C)).
- In Fort Worth: utility interconnection is inspected and approved separately from the local building department's sign off, and the system cannot be energized until both approvals are in hand (NEC 705.12).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Fort Worth permit portal or by phone at 817-392-2222.
Inspection sequence from NEC 2020 Article 690 (690.12 rapid shutdown, 690.13 disconnects, 690.43/690.47 grounding, 690.56 labeling) and IRC 2021 R324.4.3 (roof penetrations). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Solar Permit checklist for Fort Worth
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before installing rooftop or ground-mounted solar panels. The city's residential remodel submittal requirements for solar panels call for an engineered structural letter, a site plan showing the solar panel location, and an issued Electrical Standalone Permit.
- Budget the fee. The Schedule of Mechanical Fees, Table 1-H, carries a "Solar energy system: $59.18" line, which is the thermal/mechanical side. A photovoltaic array also requires an Electrical Standalone Permit billed on the Schedule of Electrical Fees, Table 1-J. Add the $31.50 permit application fee and the $16.87 technology fee. Per Ordinance No. 27191-09-2024, effective October 1, 2024. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Fort Worth, a rooftop solar PV permit application is a combined structural and electrical plan set: a site plan and roof framing details proving the array's mounting can carry its added loads, plus a one line electrical diagram covering listed modules and inverters, disconnects, and the rapid shutdown design. Utility interconnection is a separate approval that runs in parallel with the permit. Start at the Fort Worth permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City of Fort Worth Development Services Department. Phone: 817-392-2222. Address: New City Hall, 100 Fort Worth Trail, Fort Worth, TX 76102.
- Plan for inspections. In Fort Worth, inspectors verify the installed array against the approved plans, and some agencies run a rough check of roof attachments and penetrations while they are still exposed before the wiring and roofing close them in. The final inspection confirms rapid shutdown, disconnects, grounding, and required labels are installed correctly, and the system cannot be energized until the utility separately approves interconnection.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a solar permit in Fort Worth?
- Fort Worth treats solar panels as an accessory structure that requires a building permit, listing them by name alongside gazebos, wind turbines, and radio towers on its residential permitting page. The permit is not a single filing: the Residential Remodel checklist requires an engineered structural letter and a site plan showing panel location for the building side, plus a separately issued Electrical Standalone Permit for the electrical work. There is no size or capacity threshold below which a solar installation is exempt. Always confirm with the City of Fort Worth Development Services Department before starting.
- How much does a solar permit cost in Fort Worth?
- The Schedule of Mechanical Fees, Table 1-H, carries a "Solar energy system: $59.18" line, which is the thermal/mechanical side. A photovoltaic array also requires an Electrical Standalone Permit billed on the Schedule of Electrical Fees, Table 1-J. Add the $31.50 permit application fee and the $16.87 technology fee. Per Ordinance No. 27191-09-2024, effective October 1, 2024. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- How long does a solar permit take in Fort Worth?
- In Fort Worth, a solar permit typically takes 7 business days for first review comments on a residential building permit. Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.
- Where do you apply for a solar permit in Fort Worth?
- You can apply through the Fort Worth permit portal or contact the City of Fort Worth Development Services Department directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a solar permit themselves in Fort Worth?
- Under Texas law (Tex. Occupations Code 1305.003(a)(6), 1301.051; Tex. Local Government Code 233.157(c)): Texas licenses individual construction trades rather than general contractors, so no state statute requires a license to act as your own general contractor on your own house. For electrical work, the state licensing law does not apply to work performed in or on a dwelling by a person who owns and resides in it, but only where no municipal ordinance specifically regulates that work, so city electrical licensing and permit rules still control inside city limits (Occupations Code 1305.003(a)(6)). For plumbing, a property owner does not need a state license to perform plumbing in the owner's homestead (Occupations Code 1301.051). In opt-in counties' unincorporated areas, an individual who builds their own house or acts as their own contractor is exempt from the Class C misdemeanor penalty for inspection notice failures if they intend to use the home as their primary residence (Local Government Code 233.157(c)). None of these exemptions waive local permit or inspection requirements where they apply. Confirm how Fort Worth applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Fort Worth
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | height of the platform, walk or deck above grade, and whether it sits over a basement or story below | ...work billed under Table 1-A-1 by number of trades, minimum permit fee $112.50 for 1... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...of Electrical Fees, Table 1-J: services and subpanels 60 amps to 100 amps $18.81... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | height of a solid fence, with open wire fences without slats exempt up to 8 feet | ..."Permit Application Fee, Applicable to All Permit Types, Excluding Signs: $31.50"... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...ducts and vents, capacity to and including 100,000 BTU input or 20 KW... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | height of the patio platform or walk above grade; a patio cover is a separate accessory structure regardless of the slab height | ...Group U accessory structure billed on new square footage under Table 1-C-4 ($96.84... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...on the Schedule of Plumbing Fees, Table 1-I: first fixture or appliance $9.85... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | capacity of a prefabricated pool accessory to a single-family dwelling and installed entirely above ground | The Schedule of Electrical Fees, Table 1-J, carries a flat "Swimming pools: $53.79" line |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | whether any decking, sheathing, lathing boards, rafters, or ridge boards are replaced | ...work billed under Table 1-A-1 by number of trades, minimum permit fee $112.50 for 1... |
| Shed Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Group U accessory structure billed on new square footage under Table 1-C-4: $96.84... |
Solar Permit in other Texas localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Fort Worth documents; the office above sets the local rules.
How this solar permit page for Fort Worth was verified. 1 official source: fortworthtexas.gov; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with City of Fort Worth Development Services Department. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page