Hamilton, NJ Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Hamilton Township regulates solar and photovoltaic installations under § 550-142 of the Land Development chapter, which splits systems into accessory and principal uses. A roof-mounted array on a house is an accessory use: panels must be mounted parallel to the roof plane and may not project more than 12 inches above the roof surface, and the installation still cannot exceed the zone's maximum building height. A ground-mounted system stays accessory unless it exceeds a 1-to-5 ratio of panel area to the rest of the lot's use, covers 10 acres or more, or is the only use on the lot, in which case it becomes a principal use subject to the chapter's full site plan process.

Before the Planning or Zoning Board approves a site plan for a ground-mounted or principal-use facility, the applicant must submit the location of utility and transmission lines, any substation, inverter or transformer, a description of grid connection upgrades, a photographic simulation of the finished installation from public roads and neighboring homes, and a maintenance plan covering the panels and the property. Because PJM grid capacity is limited, an approved permit expires if the facility is not installed and operating within the Municipal Land Use Law's approval window.

A(20): $125 for the first 1 to 10 kilowatts, another $125 per additional 5 kilowatts, $75 per disconnect, $75 per inverter up to 50 kilowatts, $125 for inverters over 50 kilowatts, and $10 per microinverter. A solar facility idle for 18 straight months is deemed abandoned; the Township can order the owner to remove it within six months of notice or do the removal itself and place a lien on the property for the cost.