Solar panels: Do I need a building permit?
Solar panels on or at roof and facade, or free-standing. The table shows for every checked German state when the project is exempt from the permit procedure under the state building code. Each row leads to a detail page with provision and wording.
- exemptThe building code lists the project as exempt without an open question of interpretation. The numbers are upper limits.
- not clear-cutMatter of interpretation: it is not clear whether the provision applies to this project in this way. The calculator also shows “not clear-cut” here. The reason opens in the row.
- not listed as exemptThe law does not list the project as exempt: a building permit is usually needed.
| State | Rule | Height (m) | Length (m) | Provision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | exempt | – | – | Anhang 1 (zu § 50 Absatz 1) LBO, Nr. 3 Buchst. c |
| Bavaria | exempt + 1 variant | – | – | Art. 57 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 Buchst. a BayBO |
| Berlin | exempt + 1 variant | – | – | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 Buchst. a und b BauO Bln |
| Brandenburg | exempt + 2 variants | – | – | § 61 Abs. 2 Nr. 3 Buchst. a und b BbgBO (Buchst. c: Satzung, als Variante) |
| Bremen | exempt + 2 variants | 3 | 9 | § 61 Abs. 1 BremLBO, Nr. 3 Buchst. a und b |
| Hamburg | exempt + 2 variants | 3 | 9 | Anlage zu § 61 HBauO, Abschnitt I Nr. 3 Buchst. a und b |
| Hesse | exempt + 2 variants | – | – | Anlage zu § 63 HBO, Abschnitt I Nr. 3.9.1 bis 3.9.3 |
| Lower Saxony | exempt + 3 variants | – | – | Anhang (zu § 60 Abs. 1) NBauO, Nr. 2.3 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | exempt + 3 variants | 3 | 9 | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 Buchst. a bis c LBauO M-V |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | exempt + 2 variants | – | – | § 62 Absatz 1 Nummer 3 Buchstabe a und b BauO NRW 2018 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | exempt + 3 variants | – | – | § 62 Abs. 1 Nr. 2 Buchst. e und f LBauO |
| Saarland | exempt + 2 variants | 3 | 12 | § 61 Absatz 1 LBO, Nr. 3 Buchst. a und b |
| Saxony | exempt + 1 variant | – | – | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 Buchst. a SächsBO |
| Saxony-Anhalt | exempt + 2 variants | – | – | § 60 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 Buchst. a BauO LSA |
| Schleswig-Holstein | exempt + 2 variants | – | – | § 61 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 Buchst. a und b LBO |
| Thuringia | exempt + 2 variants | – | – | § 63 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 Buchst. a ThürBO |
- Height: 3 m
- exempt, no number
- not clear-cut (interpretation)
- not listed as exempt
- not checked yet
At a glance
How to read the table
The numbers are upper limits from the general rule of each building code. Variants, location, further conditions and the wording are on the detail page. Exempt does not mean free of rules: setback areas, the development plan, heritage protection and neighbour law still apply.
Check your own plot
Choose the state, enter the dimensions, get an answer with provision and wording.
Frequently asked questions
Which state allows the largest solar panels without a permit?
According to the checked data, the highest value for height is in Bremen: 3 m. The lowest is in Saarland: 3 m. Variants, location and further conditions are on the detail pages.
Is a solar panels exempt in every German state?
No, each state regulates it on its own. Of 16 checked states, 16 list the project as exempt and 0 do not. The conditions of the respective state building code are decisive.
Do setback areas and the development plan still apply to an exempt project?
Yes. Exempt only means that no permit procedure is needed. The substantive requirements, for example setback areas, the development plan, heritage protection and neighbour law, still apply.