Panel Permits
Solar Energy
Permits required for installing rooftop or ground-mounted solar panels, including electrical inspections and interconnection approvals.
How Panel Permits Rules Differ by Place
Jefferson County, AL: Jefferson County Solar Farm Zoning Rules
Few RestrictionsUnincorporated Jefferson County allows solar panels, solar farms, and photovoltaic electricity production as a by-right use in the I-1 Light Industrial District. Section 1001.01 of the…
Coconino County, AZ: Coconino County Solar Panel Permit Rules
Few RestrictionsArizona law protects the right to install solar panels anywhere in Coconino County, including in a subdivision governed by a homeowners association. A.R.S. § 33-1816 bars an…
Maricopa County, AZ: Maricopa County Solar Panel Permits
Few RestrictionsIn unincorporated Maricopa County, solar panels are allowed as a by-right accessory use in every zoning district, no special use permit required, subject to development standards on…
Huntsville, AL: Huntsville Solar Panel Accessory Use Standards
Some RestrictionsHuntsville's zoning code lets homeowners install rooftop, pole, or ground-mounted solar panels as an accessory use in every district without a special exception, but panels must meet…
Montgomery, AL: Montgomery, Alabama Solar Panel Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsMontgomery, Alabama lets homeowners install small-scale rooftop or ground solar panels by right in every zoning district under City Code Appendix C, Article XI, Section 2, adopted May…
Anchorage, AK: Anchorage Solar Panel Roof Setback Rule
Some RestrictionsAnchorage requires rooftop solar panel arrays to keep a clear setback from the roof ridge, sized to how much of the roof the panels cover.
Panel Permits Rules by State
Statewide law governs this topic in many states. Each entry links to that state's full page.
Arizona
Few RestrictionsArizona requires expedited residential solar permitting under SolarAPP+ adoption laws and provides statewide property tax exemptions for residential solar energy devices under A.R.S…
Arkansas
Light RestrictionsEvery Arkansas electric utility must let a customer interconnect a solar net-metering facility through a two-channel bidirectional meter, with rates, terms, and excess-generation…
California
Few RestrictionsCalifornia's Solar Rights Act and the SolarAPP+ mandate (SB 379) require expedited permit review of small residential solar systems, preempting restrictive local processes.
Colorado
Few RestrictionsColorado caps solar permit fees and prohibits restrictions on solar access easements. The law preempts local efforts to block residential solar installations across all Colorado.
Delaware
Some RestrictionsDelaware guarantees net energy metering statewide for solar customers. Under 26 Del. C. § 1014 the Public Service Commission, municipal utilities, and cooperatives must run…
District of Columbia
Some RestrictionsRooftop solar in Washington, DC requires both a construction permit and a separate electrical permit from the Department of Buildings. One- and two-family homes installing systems up…
Florida
Some RestrictionsFlorida statute 163.04 prohibits any ordinance, deed restriction, or covenant from preventing installation of solar collectors. Local building permits are required but cannot…
Hawaii
Some RestrictionsHawaii bars county building departments from issuing a permit for any new single-family home unless it includes a solar water heater system meeting state standards. Only a licensed…
Idaho
Light RestrictionsIdaho Code § 55-3208 stops any homeowner's association from adopting or enforcing a covenant that prohibits rooftop solar panels or solar collectors, while letting associations set…
Illinois
Few RestrictionsIllinois protects residential solar energy installations through the Homeowners Energy Policy Statement Act and limits unreasonable association or municipal restrictions.
Indiana
Few RestrictionsIndiana Code 8-1-40 governs distributed generation interconnection statewide. While solar permitting remains primarily local, IC 36-7-2-8 limits municipal authority to unreasonably…
Iowa
Some RestrictionsIowa Code section 476.49 requires rate-regulated electric utilities to offer net metering to customer-owned solar up to one megawatt AC that produces no more than 110 percent of annual…
Kansas
Some RestrictionsKansas issues no statewide solar building permit: cities and counties handle that. But every grid-tied rooftop system must meet the Net Metering and Easy Connection Act's…
Kentucky
Some RestrictionsKentucky's net metering law guarantees rooftop solar owners a two-way meter and dollar-credit compensation for exported power. Eligible solar facilities are capped at 45 kilowatts, and…
Louisiana
Some RestrictionsLouisiana adopts the National Electrical Code via the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code, setting consistent permit and inspection standards for solar PV installations. Local…
Maine
Few RestrictionsMaine's net energy billing law (35-A MRS 3209-A) guarantees solar customers of an investor-owned utility credit for the power their system exports, netting exports against imports each…
Maryland
Few RestrictionsMaryland requires every electric company to offer eligible solar customer-generators net energy metering under Public Utilities §7-306, with a two-directional meter and a tariff…
Massachusetts
Few RestrictionsM.G.L. Chapter 40A Section 3 protects solar installations from unreasonable local zoning restrictions. State law mandates expedited permitting in many municipalities.
Minnesota
Few RestrictionsMinnesota protects solar access: Minn. Stat. 462.357 subd. 1 lets cities regulate access to direct sunlight, 500.216 bars HOA prohibitions on roof-mounted solar, and 500.30 authorizes…
Mississippi
Some RestrictionsMississippi's Renewable Energy Net Metering Rule requires Entergy Mississippi and Mississippi Power to offer net metering to any customer self-generating with renewables. Residential…
Missouri
Some RestrictionsMissouri's Net Metering and Easy Connection Act (RSMo 386.890) gives every utility customer the right to connect a solar system up to one hundred kilowatts, using a standardized simple…
Montana
Some RestrictionsMontana requires regulated electric utilities to offer net metering to customers whose solar systems generate no more than 50 kilowatts. The Montana Public Service Commission oversees…
Nebraska
Some RestrictionsNebraska's net metering law guarantees interconnection for customer-generators whose solar systems are rated at or below 25 kilowatts. The local distribution utility must sign an…
Nevada
Few RestrictionsNevada protects residential solar but has no statewide SolarAPP+ or one-day permit mandate. NRS 278.0208 bars prohibiting or unreasonably restricting solar systems, and NRS 278.580…
New Hampshire
Some RestrictionsNew Hampshire RSA 155-A adopts the State Building Code requiring solar installations to meet uniform structural and electrical standards. While municipalities issue permits, the…
New Mexico
Few RestrictionsThe New Mexico Solar Rights Act (NMSA 47-3) declares solar access a property right and limits how counties and municipalities can restrict solar collector installation. NMSA 3-18-32…
New York
Few RestrictionsNew York's Unified Solar Permit and Real Property Law section 342 limit how municipalities and HOAs may restrict residential solar installations, ensuring permit access statewide.
North Carolina
Some RestrictionsNorth Carolina requires building and electrical permits for solar panel installations under the State Building Code, with uniform statewide technical standards and licensed contractor…
North Dakota
Some RestrictionsNorth Dakota requires electrical permits for solar photovoltaic installations under NDCC Chapter 43-09 and building permits under the state-adopted IRC and IBC. The State Electrical…
Utah
Few RestrictionsUtah's State Construction Code adopts uniform electrical and structural standards for rooftop solar installations. The Utah Solar Access Act limits unreasonable local restrictions, and…
Vermont
Few RestrictionsVermont's Public Utility Commission preempts municipal review of grid-connected solar generation through a state Certificate of Public Good process. Net metered solar projects under 15…
Virginia
Some RestrictionsSolar panel installations in Virginia require permits issued locally but governed by the statewide Uniform Statewide Building Code and electrical code.
Washington
Few RestrictionsWashington RCW 64.38.055 and RCW 64.90.510 bar HOAs and condominium associations from prohibiting solar panels. State policy under RCW 64.04.140 encourages solar energy and authorizes…
West Virginia
Some RestrictionsWest Virginia has no statewide rooftop-solar permit, but W. Va. Code §24-2F-8 requires every electric utility to offer net metering to solar customer-generators and routes grid…
Wisconsin
Few RestrictionsWisconsin Statute 66.0401 broadly preempts municipalities and counties from restricting solar and wind energy systems unless restrictions serve specific public health, safety, or…
Wyoming
Some RestrictionsWyoming has no statewide solar building-permit law, but the Net Metering Act lets customer-generators interconnect solar systems up to 25 kilowatts and bank excess generation as…
Cities & Counties with Panel Permits Rules
433 locations
Alabama
Arizona
Other Solar Energy Topics
HOA Restrictions
State and local laws that limit what HOAs can restrict when it comes to solar panel installation, placement, and appearance.
Expedited Solar Permitting
California SB-379 (and equivalent laws) requiring cities to offer same-day or near-same-day automated solar permits, plus SolarAPP+ adoption.
Agricultural Solar
Rules for installing solar on agricultural land, including agrivoltaic exemptions, lot-coverage rules, and prime-farmland protection.
Community Solar
Programs allowing renters and apartment dwellers to subscribe to off-site solar projects, including LADWP's Community Solar program eligibility rules.