St. Louis County, MN Solar Energy: Expedited Solar Permitting (2026)
Key Facts
- No-permit ground-mount size cap
- 160 sq ft or less
- Height limit
- District's principal structure height
- Screening required
- No
- Must be
- Accessory to the principal use
- Governing section
- Ordinance 62, § 6.8.A
Summary
St. Louis County skips the permit process entirely for small residential solar installations. A ground-mount system of 160 square feet or less needs no land use permit at all under Zoning Ordinance 62 Section 6.8.A, provided it stays within the district's height limit and serves the property it sits on.
Section 6.8 Solar Energy System Administrative Standards “V”
A. No Permit Required: No permit shall be required for residential solar energy systems if the following standards are met:
1. Ground-mount solar energy systems occupying 160 square feet or less of ground area.
2. Height limit: Any ground-mount or roof-mounted solar energy system shall not exceed the maximum principal structure height allowed in the zone district in which it is located.
3. Screening: Solar energy systems shall not be required to be screened. Rooftop solar energy systems: Rooftop solar energy systems shall be accessory to the principal land use and designed to supply energy for the principal use.
4. Ground-mount solar energy systems: Ground-mount solar energy systems shall be accessory to the principal land use and designed to supply energy for the principal use.
Full Breakdown
A exempts residential solar energy systems from any permit if four conditions are met. First, a ground-mount system must occupy 160 square feet or less of ground area. Second, whether ground-mount or roof-mounted, the system cannot exceed the maximum principal structure height allowed in its zone district, the same height ceiling that applies to houses and garages there. ' Fourth, the installation must be accessory to the principal use of the property, meaning a roof-mounted system must be designed to supply the building it sits on, and a small ground-mount system must likewise serve the principal use, not operate as a freestanding commercial generation array.
Because no application, review or waiting period attaches to a system meeting these four conditions, this is functionally the county's expedited path for rooftop and small residential ground-mount solar: a homeowner who stays inside the 160-square-foot and height limits can install without ever filing a land use permit application with the Director. B, with its accessory-structure setback, height and impervious-coverage review.
Violations & Fines
A ground-mount system built larger than 160 square feet, or a roof/ground system exceeding the district's principal-structure height limit, loses the no-permit exemption and becomes an unpermitted structure. Under Section 8.2, the Director can require the owner to apply for the missing land use permit or bring the system into compliance, with continued non-compliance treated as a misdemeanor under Section 8.2.B.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do rooftop solar panels need a permit in St. Louis County?
How big can a ground-mount solar array be without a permit?
Does the county require screening for a home solar installation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
Compare St. Louis County to another location·View the Minnesota solar energy overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.