ME
🦞 Maine✅ NEB = Full 1:1 Retail Rate — LD 1777 Did Not Change Rooftop Solar
Maine
Solar Permit Plans.
NEC 2023. Net Energy Billing.
CMP $0.27 · Versant $0.32/kWh.
Maine's solar compensation program is called "Net Energy Billing" — a name that suggests reduced-rate net billing, but in practice delivers full 1:1 retail-rate credits. CMP customers earn approximately $0.27 per kilowatt-hour exported; Versant customers earn approximately $0.32. LD 1777 changed community solar, not rooftop residential NEB. Maine is on NEC 2023 statewide since July 1, 2024. Northern Maine carries some of the highest ASCE 7 snow loads in the continental United States.
NEC 2023 — statewide, eff. July 1, 2024
NEB: 1:1 retail — CMP $0.27 · Versant $0.32/kWh
LD 1777 did NOT change rooftop NEB
Northern ME: highest snow loads in lower 48
16 Counties
NEC 2023Maine Board amendments — eff. July 1, 2024
MUBEC 2021IBC + IRC + IECC — updated Apr 7, 2025
NEB: 1:1 RetailCMP $0.27 · Versant $0.32/kWh
Snow LoadsAroostook: highest in lower 48
Maine Solar Permits — 2026
NEC 2023 Statewide. 1:1 Retail Net Energy Billing. LD 1777 Only Changed Community Solar.
Permit Design builds Maine solar permit plan sets for solar installers, EPCs, and roofing companies across all 16 counties. Maine adopted NEC 2023 through the Maine Electricians' Examining Board, effective July 1, 2024, with Maine-specific amendments. Unlike states with local code variation, Maine's NEC adoption is statewide — every Maine solar project filed from July 2024 onward references the same 2023 edition with Board amendments. Maine is now in rulemaking to adopt NEC 2026, but NEC 2023 remains the operative code for all 2026 permits. Structural codes under MUBEC (Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code) reference the 2021 IBC, 2021 IRC, and 2021 IECC, updated April 7, 2025.
Maine's solar compensation program is called "Net Energy Billing" — a name that often creates confusion because the solar industry typically uses "net billing" to describe reduced-rate export compensation programs. Maine's NEB is the opposite: it delivers full 1:1 retail-rate credits for every kilowatt-hour exported. Central Maine Power credits at approximately $0.27/kWh; Versant Power credits at approximately $0.32/kWh. Credits roll forward month-to-month on a rolling 12-month basis and are applied first-in, first-out. Credits that reach their 12-month expiration are forfeited — so oversizing a Maine system to generate significant annual surpluses is counterproductive. LD 1777 (2023) changed the compensation structure for community solar projects filed after January 1, 2024. It did not affect residential rooftop NEB.
Last updated: June 2026 · NEC 2023 Maine adoption (effective July 1, 2024), CMP and Versant NEB rates, and MUBEC April 2025 update confirmed as of June 2026.
Maine Net Energy Billing
"Net Energy Billing" Sounds Like Reduced-Rate Net Billing. It Isn't. Maine's NEB Is Full 1:1 Retail — Among the Best in the US.
The name "Net Energy Billing" has caused significant confusion in the Maine solar market since LD 1777 passed in 2023. Here is a precise breakdown of what Maine's NEB actually provides, what LD 1777 actually changed, and what the CMP vs Versant rate difference means for system payback.
Central Maine Power (CMP)
NEB at ~$0.27/kWh · ~670,000 Customers · Central + Southern Maine
CMP is Maine's largest utility, serving Portland, Augusta, Lewiston, Auburn, Waterville, Bath, Rockland, and the midcoast region. Under Maine's Net Energy Billing program, CMP credits every net kilowatt-hour exported at approximately $0.27 per kilowatt-hour — the full retail supply-and-delivery rate. Credits are applied to the customer's bill on a rolling 12-month basis (FIFO). Unused credits that reach their 12-month mark expire with no cash compensation. CMP charges a fixed monthly delivery fee of approximately $27 that NEB credits do not offset. The 2026 legislative discussions around NEB have focused on larger commercial and community-scale systems — residential rooftop NEB at CMP is unchanged. Typical payback for a well-sized system in CMP territory: 15 to 17 years.
Versant Power
NEB at ~$0.32/kWh · Northern + Eastern Maine · Faster Payback
Versant Power serves northern and eastern Maine — Bangor, Orono, Old Town, Ellsworth, Bar Harbor, Machias, Presque Isle, Caribou, and Fort Kent. Versant's higher electricity rates mean each kilowatt-hour of solar production is worth approximately $0.32 under the NEB program — $0.05 per kWh more than CMP territory. For a typical 9 kW system producing 10,800 kWh per year, the Versant rate advantage compounds to approximately $13,500 in additional NEB credits over 25 years compared to the same system in CMP territory. This rate difference is why Versant customers typically achieve payback in 12 to 14 years versus CMP's 15 to 17 — for identical system size and design. Versant territory also includes most of Aroostook County, which carries the highest ASCE 7 ground snow loads in the continental United States.
What LD 1777 actually changed — and what it didn't. LD 1777 (2023 Maine solar law) revised the compensation methodology for community solar projects filed after January 1, 2024. Community solar subscribers under new contracts now receive credits at a rate tied to the utility's avoided cost rather than the full retail rate. Residential rooftop solar customers under the NEB program were not affected. NEB credits for rooftop solar at CMP and Versant remain at the full 1:1 retail rate. The confusion stems from LD 1777 using the phrase "net energy billing" in the community solar context, leading some to assume all NEB was changed. It was not.
Don't oversize — credits expire at 12 months with no cash compensation. Maine NEB credits roll forward on a rolling 12-month window. Credits earned in a given month expire on the same date the following year and are forfeited to the utility with no payment. A system significantly oversized relative to annual household consumption will accumulate credits that cannot be used before they expire. Size Maine systems to produce approximately 100 to 105% of annual household electricity use — minimizing expiring credits while fully offsetting the annual bill.
Maine Code Structure
NEC 2023 Statewide Since July 2024 · MUBEC 2021 IBC + IRC + IECC · Heavy Snow Loads North and West
Maine's code structure is simpler than most New England states — NEC edition is statewide and MUBEC governs structurally for most jurisdictions. Snow loads are the dominant structural variable, with extreme variation from Aroostook County to the coast.
Electrical
NEC 2023 — Statewide
✓ Effective July 1, 2024
✓ Maine Board amendments apply
✓ §690.12: single RSD device
✓ NEC 2026 in rulemaking — not yet in effect
Structural — MUBEC
2021 IBC + 2021 IRC
✓ MUBEC updated April 7, 2025
✓ Applies: towns ≥4,000 residents (or opt-in)
✓ ASCE 7 snow + wind per county
✓ Aroostook: highest snow loads in lower 48
Energy Code
2021 IECC + Stretch Code
✓ Standard: 2021 IECC
✓ Stretch Code: 15% better envelope than IECC
✓ Maine climate zones 6–7
✓ Administered locally under MUBEC
Maine snow loads demand county-level precision. Aroostook County (Presque Isle, Fort Kent, Caribou) carries ASCE 7 ground snow loads among the highest in the continental United States — commonly 80 to 100+ psf. Western Maine mountain communities (Rangeley, Farmington, Bethel, Rumford) also carry very high design snow loads from orographic effect. Coastal communities — Portland, Rockland, Bar Harbor — carry dramatically lower snow values than the interior. A plan set using Portland-area snow loads for a Fort Kent installation is structurally insufficient. Every Maine plan set uses county-confirmed ASCE 7 ground snow figures.
What's Included
Maine Solar Permit Plan Set Contents
Every Maine plan set references NEC 2023 with Maine Board amendments, 2021 MUBEC structural codes, county-confirmed ASCE 7 snow and wind values, and CMP or Versant Net Energy Billing interconnection documentation.
Sheet 01
Cover Sheet
NEC 2023 with Maine Electricians' Examining Board amendments, effective July 1, 2024. 2021 IRC (residential) or 2021 IBC (commercial) under MUBEC, updated April 7, 2025. Utility confirmed — CMP (~$0.27/kWh NEB) or Versant Power (~$0.32/kWh NEB). County identified for ASCE 7 snow and wind lookup. NEB program noted with applicable utility credit rate.
Sheet 02
Site Plan
Scaled property plan with parcel boundaries, utility meter and interconnection location, fire access routes, and conductor path from array through inverter to panel. County noted for ASCE 7 ground snow lookup — northern Maine (Aroostook, Piscataquis, Somerset) carries the state's highest design snow loads; coastal Cumberland and Knox counties carry significantly lower values. Snow design values confirmed before structural work begins.
Sheet 03
Roof Layout
Array diagram with module layout, roof pitch, azimuth, setbacks, and attachment spacing per 2021 IRC framing chapters. Fire access setbacks per local AHJ. Ground-to-roof snow load conversion applied per the county's ASCE 7 design ground snow figure — northern Maine rooftops carry structural snow requirements that can be several times the values seen in Portland or the midcoast. Typical Maine system sized to approximately 100 to 105% of annual consumption to avoid accumulating expiring NEB credits.
Sheet 04
Single-Line Diagram
NEC 2023 Article 690 electrical diagram — single rapid shutdown initiator per §690.12, §690.12(D) label format, UL 3741 PVHCS alternate compliance path documented where applicable. CMP or Versant NEB interconnection shown with bidirectional net meter per the applicable Customer Net Energy Billing agreement. Maine Electricians' Examining Board license number of the installing electrician noted on the diagram per Maine permit requirements.
Sheet 05
Structural Calculations
Maine-licensed PE engineering stamp on roof structure or racking adequacy. 2021 IRC for residential; 2021 IBC for commercial under MUBEC. ASCE 7 ground snow and wind values confirmed per project county — Aroostook and Piscataquis counties require engineered solutions for snow loading that would be over-designed in coastal Maine. Western mountain communities (Rangeley, Bethel) carry elevated design values due to orographic snow accumulation. County-specific values, not statewide averages.
Sheet 06
Rapid Shutdown
NEC 2023 §690.12 — single initiation device, one-foot array boundary, §690.12(D) label format. UL 3741 PVHCS alternate path noted where used. Maine adopted NEC 2023 statewide effective July 1, 2024 — plan sets referencing prior NEC editions are outdated for all Maine installations commenced after that date. Maine Board amendments do not alter the §690.12 rapid shutdown requirements.
Sheet 07
Equipment Datasheets
Manufacturer documentation for modules, inverter, racking hardware, and MLPE — UL-listed, organized for the CMP or Versant interconnection application. CMP or Versant Customer Net Energy Billing agreement reference noted. Maine property tax exemption under the Renewable Energy Investment Exemption noted — homeowner must apply with the town assessor for the exemption to take effect. Maine Electricians' Examining Board master or limited license documentation reference included per Maine permit requirements. Federal Section 25D residential tax credit ended December 31, 2025 — noted in the documentation for any cash or loan-financed system.
🏗️ Commercial Solar in Maine
Also doing commercial rooftop or ground-mount in Maine?
Maine commercial solar packages reference 2021 IBC under MUBEC, NEC 2023 Article 690, and CMP or Versant interconnection documentation. ASCE 7 county-specific snow and wind values applied — northern Maine commercial rooftop projects have some of the most demanding structural snow requirements in the continental US. The MUBEC Stretch Code commercial energy provisions may apply to larger commercial projects in adopting municipalities. Scope and turnaround quoted per project.
Commercial Quote →
Scope + turnaround quoted per project
Process
How Maine Solar Permit Plan Sets Work
01
Submit Your Maine Project
Give us the county and address. We confirm whether CMP or Versant serves the project, identify the local AHJ, and pull ASCE 7 ground snow and wind values for the county — Aroostook and western Maine mountain counties carry design snow figures that require specific structural engineering.
02
Built to NEC 2023 + MUBEC
NEC 2023 with Maine Board amendments (effective July 1, 2024) — single rapid shutdown device, §690.12(D) labeling. 2021 IRC or IBC under MUBEC with county snow and wind values. Maine-licensed PE stamp. CMP or Versant Customer Net Energy Billing interconnection documentation. Maine master electrician license reference on the electrical sheets.
03
Delivered in 24–48 Hours
The complete 7-sheet Maine package ships in 24–48 hours. NEB program and utility credit rate noted throughout. Property tax exemption application reminder included. Free revisions until the Maine AHJ approves.
First-Time Maine Clients
Try Us on Your First Maine Project. Free.
New to Permit Design? Submit your first Maine residential project and we will build the complete 7-sheet package at no charge — NEC 2023 with Maine Board amendments, 2021 MUBEC structural with county-confirmed ASCE 7 snow and wind values, and CMP or Versant Customer Net Energy Billing interconnection documentation.
⚠️ For licensed solar installers, EPCs, and roofing companies only. Individual homeowners and residential end customers are not eligible. One free residential plan set per company.
Claim Your Free ME Plan Set →
NEC 2023 — Maine Board amendments
MUBEC 2021 structural + PE stamp
County ASCE 7 snow + wind confirmed
CMP or Versant NEB documented
Free revisions until AHJ approval
FAQ
Maine Solar Permit Design — Frequently Asked Questions
NEC 2023. Maine's Electricians' Examining Board adopted NEC 2023 with Maine-specific amendments, effective July 1, 2024. All electrical installations in Maine commencing on or after that date must comply with the 2023 NEC as adopted by the Board. Unlike states with local code variation, Maine's NEC is a statewide standard — every project in every county references the same edition. Maine is currently in rulemaking to adopt NEC 2026, but that process has not concluded and NEC 2023 remains the operative code for all 2026 permits.
Maine's Net Energy Billing (NEB) program provides full 1:1 retail-rate credits for every kilowatt-hour of solar energy exported to the grid — despite the name suggesting otherwise. CMP credits at approximately $0.27/kWh; Versant at approximately $0.32/kWh. Credits roll forward month to month on a rolling 12-month FIFO basis. Credits that reach their 12-month expiration are forfeited with no cash compensation. The program is among the most favorable residential solar compensation structures in the northeastern United States.
No. LD 1777 (2023) changed the compensation structure for community solar projects — specifically, new community solar subscriptions filed after January 1, 2024 receive credits at a rate tied to avoided cost rather than the full retail rate. Residential rooftop Net Energy Billing was not modified by LD 1777. CMP and Versant customers with rooftop solar continue to receive full 1:1 retail-rate NEB credits. The confusion is widespread — but rooftop NEB is intact and unchanged.
Both utilities offer 1:1 retail-rate NEB, but Versant's higher electricity rate means each NEB credit is worth approximately $0.05 per kWh more. For a 9 kW system producing 10,800 kWh annually, that difference adds up to approximately $13,500 in additional 25-year NEB value for a Versant customer. Versant serves northern and eastern Maine (Bangor, Orono, Presque Isle, Fort Kent, Bar Harbor); CMP serves central and southern Maine (Portland, Augusta, Lewiston, Waterville, midcoast).
MUBEC (Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code) governs structural requirements in Maine, referencing the 2021 IBC, 2021 IRC, and 2021 IECC as updated April 7, 2025. MUBEC applies to all towns with 4,000 or more residents and to smaller towns that have opted in. Structural calculations reference ASCE 7 county-specific ground snow and wind loads — Maine's northern counties carry some of the highest design snow figures in the continental United States.
Yes. Maine's Renewable Energy Investment Exemption excludes the added property value from qualifying solar installations from local property tax assessment. The homeowner must apply for the exemption with the local town assessor — it is not automatic. Efficiency Maine Trust does not offer a solar rebate; its programs focus on heat pumps, weatherization, and EVs. The federal Section 25D residential solar credit ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. Third-party ownership structures (PPAs, leases) may allow the system owner to claim the commercial Section 48E ITC.
Central Maine Power (CMP) serves approximately 670,000 customers across central and southern Maine — Portland, Augusta, Lewiston, Auburn, Waterville, Bath, the midcoast, and western Maine. Versant Power serves northern and eastern Maine — Bangor, Orono, Ellsworth, Bar Harbor, Machias, Presque Isle, Caribou, and Fort Kent. Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative serves parts of Washington County. Both CMP and Versant participate in Maine's NEB program. See DSIRE Maine for the current statewide incentive and policy listing.
Maine carries some of the highest ASCE 7 ground snow loads in the continental United States. Aroostook County — the largest county east of the Mississippi, serving Presque Isle, Fort Kent, and Caribou — regularly posts design ground snow loads of 80 to 100+ psf. Western mountain communities including Rangeley and Bethel carry similarly high values from orographic snow accumulation. Coastal Maine (Portland, Rockland, Camden) carries significantly lower snow loads. A plan set built with Portland snow values applied to a northern Maine address is structurally inadequate — every Maine plan set uses county-confirmed ASCE 7 ground snow figures.
Permit Design delivers Maine solar permit plan sets within 24-48 hours. Every plan set references NEC 2023 with Maine Board amendments (effective July 1, 2024), 2021 MUBEC structural codes with county-confirmed ASCE 7 snow and wind values, and CMP or Versant Customer Net Energy Billing interconnection documentation. Free revisions until the Maine AHJ approves.
Maine Solar Market — 2026
Maine Solar by the Numbers
$0.27–$0.32
NEB Credit Rate — CMP to Versant
Maine's Net Energy Billing delivers 1:1 retail-rate credits — $0.27/kWh at CMP and $0.32/kWh at Versant. Maine electricity rates rank among the highest in the northeastern US, making each kilowatt-hour of self-generated solar worth more than the national average. The $0.05/kWh Versant advantage compounds to roughly $13,500 over 25 years for a typical system compared to CMP territory.
NEC 2023
Statewide — Effective July 1, 2024
Maine's NEC 2023 adoption is statewide through the Maine Electricians' Examining Board, with Maine-specific amendments. Unlike neighboring states where local jurisdictions set their own NEC edition, every Maine solar permit filed from July 2024 onward uses the same 2023 edition. NEC 2026 is in rulemaking but not yet effective. The Board's existing 2023 code cycle includes violation guidance documents that provide AHJ clarity on solar-related provisions.
80–100+ psf
Aroostook County Design Snow Load
Northern Maine carries some of the highest ASCE 7 ground snow design loads in the lower 48 states. Aroostook County — Maine's largest, covering the entire northern tier — regularly sees design ground snow loads of 80 to 100+ pounds per square foot. Western Maine mountain towns are similarly demanding. These loads drive structural attachment engineering requirements that are materially different from coastal Maine or most other northeastern states.
12–17 Yrs
Payback — Versant to CMP
Maine solar payback periods run 12 to 14 years in Versant territory (northern and eastern Maine) and 15 to 17 years in CMP territory, for typical well-sized systems — without the federal 25D tax credit. Both ranges represent strong returns given system lifespans of 25 to 30 years. The payback gap between Versant and CMP territory is driven entirely by the $0.05/kWh rate difference, not by solar resource — Maine's solar irradiance is relatively uniform statewide.
LD 1777
Community Solar Only — Not Rooftop
LD 1777 (2023) is the most widely misunderstood Maine solar policy change. It revised compensation for new community solar subscriptions to an avoided-cost methodology rather than full retail. Residential rooftop NEB was untouched. The confusion has caused some Maine homeowners to believe their rooftop NEB is degraded — it isn't. Rooftop solar at CMP and Versant continues to receive full 1:1 retail credits unchanged from prior to LD 1777's passage.
No 25D ITC
Federal Residential Credit — Ended Dec 31, 2025
The federal Section 25D residential clean energy credit ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Maine homeowners who purchase solar with cash or a loan in 2026 receive no federal residential tax credit. The commercial Section 48E ITC remains available to third-party system owners (PPA and lease providers) and can be passed through in the form of lower customer payments for TPO-structured systems.
Maine AHJ Rejections
Top 3 Reasons Maine Solar Permits Get Rejected
Three plan set issues generate most Maine permit corrections at municipal and town building departments statewide.
01
Pre-July 2024 NEC Edition on Permit
Maine adopted NEC 2023 statewide effective July 1, 2024. Plan sets referencing NEC 2020 or earlier rapid shutdown conventions — multi-device §690.56(C) formatting — are outdated for all Maine installations commenced after that date. Multi-state installers who don't maintain a separate Maine NEC 2023 template, or who didn't update their Maine template in mid-2024, consistently generate this correction from Maine building officials and the Maine Electricians' Examining Board permit reviewers.
NEC 2023 · Maine Electricians' Board · eff. July 1, 2024How we prevent it: All Maine plan sets reference NEC 2023 with Maine Board amendments for installations commenced after July 1, 2024. Prior edition formatting is never carried into Maine documentation from other-state templates.
02
Northern Maine Snow Loads Underspecified
Using coastal Maine or southern Maine ASCE 7 snow values for a northern Maine project — or using a generic "Maine average" snow load — generates structural rejections in Aroostook, Piscataquis, and Somerset counties. Aroostook County design ground snow loads of 80 to 100+ psf require roof framing and racking attachment engineering that is fundamentally different from what works in Portland or Brunswick. Western Maine mountain towns carry similarly elevated values due to orographic snowfall patterns.
ASCE 7 · 2021 IRC Ch. 3 · Northern Maine snow loadsHow we prevent it: ASCE 7 ground snow load is confirmed from the county-specific table for every Maine project — Aroostook and Piscataquis projects receive their own verified design values, never approximated from southern Maine coastal figures.
03
Missing Maine Electrician License Reference
Maine requires that electrical permit applications be filed by a Maine-licensed master or limited electrician, and the electrician's license number must appear on the permit application and associated documentation. Plan sets or interconnection packages submitted without the installing electrician's Maine license reference — or with an out-of-state electrical contractor who is not licensed in Maine — are returned by the building official or the Maine PFR. Maine does not recognize out-of-state electrical licenses without reciprocity or separate Maine licensing.
10 M.R.S. §8003 · Maine PFR Electricians' LicensingHow we prevent it: Plan set cover documentation includes a placeholder for the Maine-licensed master or limited electrician's name and license number, with a reminder that the permit must be pulled by a Maine-licensed electrician. Out-of-state license holders are flagged for Maine reciprocity verification.
More on permit plan requirements → Residential Solar Permit Design →
The Permit Design Commitment
What every Maine installer, EPC, and roofing partner gets from Permit Design on every project.
✅ 24–48 Hour Turnaround on Standard Residential Solar Projects
✅ No-Cost Revisions for AHJ Corrections Related to Our Design
✅ Code-Compliant Plans Built to Current NEC, Utility & Local Requirements
✅ Support Through Permit Approval — We Don't Disappear After Delivery
⚡
Reviewed & Verified By
Permit Design Engineering Team
PE-stamped plan sets across all 50 states · NEC 2023 Maine adoption (eff. July 1, 2024) confirmed via Maine Electricians' Examining Board · CMP and Versant NEB rates and LD 1777 scope confirmed via Maine PUC filings · MUBEC April 2025 update confirmed via Maine Office of Community Affairs
AHJ-ReadyNEC 2023 confirmed
150+Installer partners
50US states covered
16 CountiesAll ME covered
Permit SupportThrough AHJ approval
Neighbouring States
Solar Permit Plan Sets — New England States
Maine Solar Permits —
NEC 2023. 1:1 NEB. Snow Loads Confirmed.
NEC 2023 · MUBEC 2021 · CMP $0.27 · Versant $0.32/kWh NEB
LD 1777 Didn't Change Rooftop · 16 Counties · 24–48 Hours
First-time Maine client? Your first residential plan set is on us. Mention "free trial" in your order notes.