A deadline that could shape your bills for 25 years
Maryland homeowners have a window to go solar under today’s best-in-class rules, and it’s closing. Under a new state law, Maryland’s current net metering program ends for new customers on July 1, 2027, or sooner if the program hits its capacity limit.
Homeowners already on net metering keep today’s terms for the life of their systems. Everyone who comes later moves to a new program that is expected to pay less for the power their panels send to the grid.
With about eight months to go, and utility approvals that can take weeks or months, this is the time to look at solar seriously. Here’s what’s changing and how to make sure you’re on the right side of the line.
What net metering is, and why it’s worth so much
Net metering is how your utility pays you for the extra electricity your solar panels send to the grid. In Maryland today, it’s one-for-one at the full retail rate: each kWh you export earns a credit worth the same as a kWh you buy.
That matters because solar production and household use don’t line up. Panels produce most on sunny afternoons, when many families are out. They produce little at night and in winter. Under full net metering, the grid works like a free bank: deposit your surplus in July and withdraw it in January at the same value. Maryland also lets unused credits roll over from year to year.
With Maryland residential power averaging about 22 cents per kWh as of March 2026, and rising, every exported kWh credited at full retail is real money. Over a system’s 25-year life, that adds up fast.
What’s changing under the Utility RELIEF Act
In 2026 the General Assembly passed the Utility RELIEF Act (House Bill 1532). Among many other changes, it closes today’s net metering program to new customers on July 1, 2027, or earlier if the program reaches its capacity limit. It also orders the Public Service Commission (PSC) to replace it with a successor program.
What we know about the successor program:
- It’s expected to pay less. The law’s direction is to credit exported solar based on its value to the grid, not the full retail rate.
- Details aren’t final. A PSC working group was due to file a draft framework by October 27, 2026. The PSC must approve a final framework by February 1, 2027.
- It starts July 1, 2027. Systems that qualify after that date fall under the new rules.
Until the PSC publishes its final rates, nobody can say exactly how much less the new program will pay. What’s certain is that today’s terms are the most generous Maryland homeowners will see.
Who keeps today’s rules, and how you could lose them
Homeowners on net metering by the cutoff keep current terms for the life of their system. One key question is still open: what exactly counts as being “in” by July 1, 2027. The PSC is weighing three options.
| Option under review | What must happen by July 1, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Application filed | Your interconnection application is submitted to the utility |
| Agreement signed | Your net metering interconnection agreement is executed |
| Permission to operate | The utility has approved your system to turn on |
Maryland’s major utilities, including BGE, Pepco’s parent company and Potomac Edison, have argued for the strictest version, permission to operate. The safe plan is to have your system installed and approved before the deadline.
Once you’re grandfathered, you can lose that status by:
- Decommissioning the system
- Adding panels or increasing its output
- Signing a new interconnection agreement
- Replacing more than 80% of the panels
If you might want a bigger system later, for an EV or heat pump, size it for that now.
Why starting now matters
Eight months sounds like plenty of time. Working backward from the deadline, it isn’t.
If permission to operate becomes the rule, every step below must be finished before July 1, 2027:
- Free consultation, site assessment and system design
- Financing and contract
- Permits from your county or city
- Interconnection application to your utility
- Installation
- Local inspection
- Utility approval and permission to operate
An experienced installer can move a project from contract to installation in less than eight weeks. Utility reviews are the wild card: they can take weeks to months, and demand will spike as the deadline approaches. Starting this winter leaves room for delays.
Frequently asked questions
I already have solar. Does this affect me? No, as long as you don’t expand or replace most of your system. Existing net metering customers keep their current terms for the life of the system.
Will solar still be worth it after July 2027? Very likely, given Maryland’s high electricity prices. But each exported kWh will probably earn less, so payback will take longer. Pairing solar with a battery to use more of your own power will matter more under the new rules.
What if the program fills up before July 2027? The law allows net metering to close earlier if it reaches its capacity limit. That’s another reason not to wait until spring.
Does this apply in DC? No. This is a Maryland law. DC has its own net metering rules, plus the country’s most valuable SREC market.
What about the federal tax credit? The 30% federal credit for homeowner-owned systems ended on December 31, 2025. Maryland’s net metering, SRECs and its sales tax exemption are now the main incentives, which makes locking in net metering even more important.
Lock in today’s rules with Revolution Solar
The homeowners who act this winter will enjoy full retail net metering for the next 25 years. Those who wait may not.
Revolution Solar serves Montgomery, Prince George’s, Howard and Baltimore counties, plus Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Hyattsville, Columbia, Ellicott City and more. We’ve completed hundreds of projects, we’re rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau, and we handle every permit and utility filing so your project keeps moving. Financing with no money down is available.
Don’t let the deadline pass you by. Call (202) 827-6527, email info@revolutionsolar.energy, or request your free quote online. We’ll tell you honestly whether your project can be finished in time.