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Solar PV Permit (via Town Electrical Permit) in Darby, Montana

Darby is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Electrical permitting (effective September 16, 2021) and self-administers electrical permits directly rather than routing to the state. The Town's own Electrical Permit Application (2021) — the same form and valuation-based fee table used for all electrical work in Darby — does not contain a distinct solar/photovoltaic/alternative-energy line item or checkbox; a residential or commercial solar PV interconnection is therefore billed under the Town's general valuation-based Electrical Permit, with racking/structural attachment covered by the Town's Residential Building Permit (Darby also holds full B, P, M, E, SP certification).

Verified 2026-07-20 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Complete the Town of Darby Electrical Permit Application for the interconnection/wiring work, submitted in person at Town Hall or electronically
  • Complete the Town of Darby Residential Building Permit Application for the roof-mount racking/structural attachment portion of a rooftop installation
  • Contractor license number and master/journeyman license number required on the electrical application Contractor
  • Grid-tied systems require a licensed electrical contractor to perform the final utility interconnection, consistent with statewide Montana electrical-permitting practice

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Electrical Permit Fee — valuation $1.00 to $1,000Town of Darby Electrical Permit Application fee table — the same schedule applied to all electrical work in Darby, including a solar PV interconnection's declared valuation; no solar-specific line item exists on the Town's own application form, confirmed by direct review of the PDF
$45 for the first $500 plus 6.0% of the balance of construction value
Electrical Permit Fee — valuation $1,001 to $10,000Town of Darby Electrical Permit Application fee table
$75 for the first $1,000 plus 2.0% of the balance of construction value
Electrical Permit Fee — valuation $10,001 to $50,000Town of Darby Electrical Permit Application fee table
$255 for the first $10,000 plus 0.5% of the balance of construction value
Electrical Permit Fee — valuation $50,001 or moreTown of Darby Electrical Permit Application fee table
$455 for the first $50,000 plus 0.3% of the balance of construction value

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Solar PV Permit (via Town Electrical Permit) permit actually take in Darby?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough-In

    Conduit runs, wire sizing, disconnect placement before covering/energizing

  2. 2

    Final

    Panel mounting, roof penetration sealing, and electrical interconnection verified

Tips

  • Darby's own Electrical Permit Application form (2021) has no solar/photovoltaic-specific checkbox or fee line — a solar PV interconnection is filed and billed as standard electrical work under the same valuation-based fee table used for any other electrical project in town.
  • Because Darby holds full local Building certification (unlike most small Montana towns, which route electrical work to the state), both the Building Permit (for racking/structural attachment) and the Electrical Permit (for interconnection) are issued directly by the Town, not the state DLI Building Codes Bureau.
  • Confirm with Darby's contracted building inspector (Construct Montana, LLC, (406) 552-3238) whether a solar PV project needs both a Building Permit and an Electrical Permit, or whether the electrical permit alone suffices for a given project scope.
  • Re-chased 2026-07-20: the Town's own Electrical Permit Application (2021) publishes a complete, citable valuation-tiered fee table (e.g. $45 for the first $500 plus 6.0% of the balance) that directly governs a solar PV interconnection's declared valuation, since Darby self-administers DLI-certified electrical permitting. Upgraded to verified on that basis.

Frequently asked questions

Darby requires a solar pv permit (via town electrical permit) for: Complete the Town of Darby Electrical Permit Application for the interconnection/wiring work, submitted in person at Town Hall or electronically; Complete the Town of Darby Residential Building Permit Application for the roof-mount racking/structural attachment portion of a rooftop installation; Contractor license number and master/journeyman license number required on the electrical application; Grid-tied systems require a licensed electrical contractor to perform the final utility interconnection, consistent with statewide Montana electrical-permitting practice. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Town of Darby Building Department at (406) 821-3753 before starting work.

In Darby, the published Electrical Permit Fee — valuation $1.00 to $1,000 is: $45 for the first $500 plus 6.0% of the balance of construction value. Additional published fees: Electrical Permit Fee — valuation $1,001 to $10,000 — $75 for the first $1,000 plus 2.0% of the balance of construction value; Electrical Permit Fee — valuation $10,001 to $50,000 — $255 for the first $10,000 plus 0.5% of the balance of construction value; Electrical Permit Fee — valuation $50,001 or more — $455 for the first $50,000 plus 0.3% of the balance of construction value. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Darby does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Town of Darby Building Department at (406) 821-3753 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Electrical Permit Application. Depending on your project, Darby may also ask for: Residential Building Permit Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Darby requires 2 inspection(s) for a solar pv permit (via town electrical permit), in order: Rough-In, Final. Schedule each through Town of Darby Building Department ((406) 821-3753).

Apply through Town of Darby Building Department at 101 E Tanner Ave / PO Box 37, Darby, MT 59829. Phone: (406) 821-3753, email: darbymontana@usa.net. Office hours: Town Hall: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Source: Town of Darby Contact Us page (darbymt.net/a/contact-us/). Building permit applications and fee payment are handled in person at Town Hall; the current contracted building inspector is Construct Montana, LLC, (406) 552-3238, inspector@constructmt.com; the Montana DLI-certified program contact of record is Tim Netzley, (406) 961-2423 (also listed as (406) 880-5832 on the Town's own Building Permit Application form).. Official information: https://www.darbymt.net/a/building-related-code/.

No distinct solar-specific permit exists. Darby's own Electrical Permit Application (2021) has no solar/photovoltaic line item, so a solar PV interconnection is filed as standard electrical work billed on the Town's valuation-based fee table ($45 for the first $500 plus 6% of the balance for projects up to $1,000, scaling down at higher valuations). The roof-mount racking may separately need the Town's Residential Building Permit.

The Town of Darby issues its own electrical permits directly — Darby is a Montana DLI-certified jurisdiction for Electrical (effective September 16, 2021) and does not route this work to the state Building Codes Bureau, unlike most small Montana towns.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-20.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Darby building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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