At a glance
| Benefit | Value or rule | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| FY27 Solar Access rebate | $750 per kWDC; maximum $7,500. Final payment may be lower, not higher, than the reservation. | Use an FY27 participating contractor and obtain Step 1 approval before installing. |
| Household income | Gross annual limits depend on household size; see the table below. | Follow MEA’s income calculation guidance and required attestation. |
| Application deadline | May 31, 2027, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern; the portal may close earlier if funds are fully requested. | Apply through My MEA, not an installer’s unverified “grant” form. |
How much is the Maryland solar rebate?
The FY27 programme offers $750 per kWDC, capped at $7,500. An eligible 6 kWDC system therefore has an illustrative rebate of $4,500; a 10 kWDC system reaches the $7,500 cap. This is a state rebate, not a percentage federal tax credit. Approval and final documentation still determine the amount paid.
Who meets the FY27 income limit?
The benefiting household must own the residential property. MEA publishes these maximum gross yearly household incomes; meeting an income limit alone does not establish full programme eligibility.
| Household members | Maximum gross yearly income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $136,785 |
| 2 | $156,375 |
| 3 | $175,875 |
| 4 | $195,375 |
| 5 | $211,035 |
| 6 | $226,695 |
| 7 | $242,340 |
| 8 | $257,910 |
Step 1 document checklist · Step 2 payment evidence · Follow-up deadlines
Apply in the right order
- Select a contractor on the FY27 participating list. An older programme-year listing is not enough.
- Check the agreement timing: the FY27 announcement requires an agreement after April 17, 2026 and no earlier than 90 days before Step 1 submission.
- Submit the upfront reservation request through My MEA, yourself or through your authorised participating contractor.
- Wait for “Step 1 Approved” before installation. Installation before approval makes the system ineligible.
- Complete installation, obtain utility permission to operate and submit Step 2 within the 180-day reservation period. Request any extension at least 30 days before expiry; an extension is not automatic.
Which documents do I need for Step 1?
For FY27, applying is more than uploading an installer quote. MEA’s Funding Opportunity Announcement (issued July 29, 2026, §§12–15) requires the following documents and portal attestations. Use the current documents on the official programme page; this checklist is not an eligibility approval.
- Complete My MEA application and eligibility attestations. Identify who applies and who receives the rebate. A contractor applying for you requires your authorisation; a contractor receiving payment must pass the benefit through as a discounted project price.
- IRS Form W-9 for the designated rebate recipient, with recipient details matching the application; follow the FOA’s individual/organisation instructions. Submit required personal documents through the official application route, not to SolarStateData.
- Property ownership evidence: a Maryland Real Property Data Search printout, deed, property-tax bill or comparable documentation.
- The fully executed solar agreement, signed by homeowner and participating contractor. Its execution date must be after April 17, 2026 and no earlier than 90 days before Step 1 submission. A quote or unsigned proposal does not replace it.
- The correct signed Authorizations & Disclosures form: C1 for a cash/financed purchase, C2 for a lease, or C3 for a PPA. The homeowner, participating contractor and authorised seller (if different) sign. The form covers household-income affirmation, agreement disclosures, application/payment authorisations and acknowledgements.
- A completed current MEA Maximum Offer Calculator (Attachment D), demonstrating the programme’s minimum consumer-benefit requirements. Its inputs must match the disclosures. This is MEA’s application workbook—not our solar savings calculator and not a rebate award.
- DC SREC ineligibility check: follow FOA §12.8 using its linked Cross Jurisdictional Feeders Pepco map. Do not assume a Maryland address alone settles this condition.
Check the FY27 list for the prime contractor and any applicable authorised seller or installation subcontractor when Step 1 is submitted. The C1 form requires these participating parties to be listed; MEA does not endorse a listed contractor. Sources: FOA pp.16–20; C1 pp.1–6.
Official forms by agreement type
- C1: cash or financed purchase (FY27 PDF, issued July 29, 2026)
- C2: lease agreement (FY27 PDF, issued July 29, 2026)
- C3: power-purchase agreement (FY27 PDF; programme listing labels revision August 18, 2026)
- Attachment D: MEA Maximum Offer Calculator (Excel workbook) and Attachment E: workbook instructions (PDF)
Use the current MEA FY27 document list before submitting: linked filenames can retain an older issue date even when the listing identifies a revision.
Step 2: reservation is not payment
After installation and interconnection, submit Step 2 through the same My MEA account used for Step 1. The FOA requires the completed payment request/attestations and:
- Utility permission to operate (PTO) dated after the rebate reservation. Installing before reservation makes the system ineligible.
- Proof that obligations due at installation/interconnection were met: for example, paid invoices for amounts then due and financing/solar agreements for future payments not yet due. A financed system does not have to be described as fully paid in cash.
- Maryland SREC evidence: either the state Letter Order with certification number or the successful-submission confirmation email with application number for a pending certification. A merely intended application is not this evidence.
Sources: FOA pp.22–23 and 26. MEA reviews the request; “Step 2 Approved” is preliminary payment eligibility, while “Sent for Payment/Completed” means it has been sent to the Comptroller for processing. Neither a sales quote nor a Step 1 reservation is money already paid.
Three deadlines to track after applying
- 180 calendar days from Step 1 approval notification: install, obtain PTO and submit Step 2 before the reservation expires.
- At least 30 days before reservation expiry: request any extension through My MEA with written justification. Approval is not automatic.
- 14 calendar days after MEA’s missing-information notice: provide the requested information, documents or revisions through My MEA. Missing this deadline may result in rejection.
If agreement terms change, request a reservation modification before installation. Changes including the participating contractor, agreement type, project location or funding recipient require a new application rather than an approved modification under the FOA. Do not assume the original reservation transfers. Sources: FOA pp.14, 20–21 and 23–24. Applications and these follow-ups use My MEA; emailed applications are not accepted.
Ownership, other rebates and exclusions
FY27 permits qualifying cash/financed purchases as well as third-party leases or power-purchase agreements benefiting the homeowner. These contract types have different documentation and payment conditions. A contractor can receive the rebate only under the programme’s authorised arrangement and pass the benefit through to the homeowner.
Do not stack MSAP with an earlier MEA solar award at the same property without checking the rules. The announcement excludes properties with funds secured or reserved under the named earlier MEA solar programmes, including FY25/FY26 MSAP. It also requires Maryland SREC certification or a pending application and excludes DC-SREC-eligible systems. SREC value is not the same as this rebate and is not guaranteed here.
Portable, mobile, plug-in and balcony systems are excluded. The installation must be permanent. This is not a subsidy for buying a portable power station.
FY27 funding and application status
Homeowner rebate applications: open on the MEA programme page when checked September 23, 2026. The published deadline is May 31, 2027 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, subject to earlier closure if requests exceed funding.
MEA’s funding table, last updated September 21, 2026, lists a $10 million programme budget, with 4.57% requested and 1.07% reserved. These are dated programme totals, not a live available balance or a guarantee that your application will receive funding. MEA says the anticipated budget may increase or decrease at its discretion.
Contractor enrolment: closed. The separate participating-contractor application deadline was August 28, 2026. MEA says it will review submissions and update the list through September 30; the list displayed when checked was dated September 21. This contractor-enrolment closure does not mean the homeowner rebate portal is closed. Choose an already listed FY27 participating contractor to submit a new Step 1 request.
FY26: closed to new Step 1 applications. MEA accepted those applications July 21, 2025–April 17, 2026. Existing FY25/FY26 applicants should use their existing portal record for payment requests, missing documents or extensions; the FY27 contractor list does not change their existing application’s eligibility.
What if the portal closes?
The published deadline is not a funding guarantee. Check the programme page immediately before applying. Do not install on the assumption that an application, waitlist entry or sales quote reserves funds.
Official sources and application routes
Reviewed September 23, 2026. Programme administrators make eligibility decisions; live budgets, tariffs and filing instructions can change.
- MEA FY27 programme status, income table and contractor list
- FY27 Funding Opportunity Announcement (PDF): amount p.6; exclusions pp.8–9; eligibility pp.10–15; deadlines pp.14, 17, 20
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