Solar Energy in New York (2026)
29 rules on the books across New York, 20 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Panel Permits
Permits required for installing rooftop or ground-mounted solar panels, including electrical inspections and interconnection approvals.
New York: statewide
StatewideFew RestrictionsNew York's Unified Solar Permit and Real Property Law section 342 limit how municipalities and HOAs may restrict…
Read full rule →Oneida
Significant RestrictionsThe City of Oneida, Madison County, New York, requires a conditional use permit for solar installation projects…
Read full rule →Albany
Some RestrictionsAlbany allows rooftop and ground-mounted solar as an accessory use in every zoning district, but historic-district…
Read full rule →Amherst
Some RestrictionsEvery solar energy system in Amherst, rooftop or ground-mounted, needs a building permit before installation. A…
Read full rule →Babylon
Some RestrictionsTo qualify for the Town of Babylon's fast-track solar permit, a residential installation must be flush-mounted…
Read full rule →Clarkstown
Some RestrictionsClarkstown allows rooftop, BIPV and ground-mounted solar in every zoning district, but each type needs a permit under…
Read full rule →Colonie
Some RestrictionsTown of Colonie Code § 190-51 permits roof-mounted solar panels that primarily serve the home as an accessory use in…
Read full rule →Greece
Some RestrictionsGreece bars installing any solar energy system without a Building Inspector permit, sorts systems into Tier 1…
Read full rule →Greenburgh
Some RestrictionsGreenburgh treats solar energy work as regulated plumbing work: Town Code § 120-2 lists "all installations powered by…
Read full rule →Hempstead
Some RestrictionsA residential solar photovoltaic system or power wall in Hempstead needs a building permit, and the application must…
Read full rule →Huntington
Some RestrictionsHuntington expedites solar panel permits through the Department of Engineering Services under a Solar Energy System…
Read full rule →Islip
Some RestrictionsBefore a residential solar system in Islip can operate, § 68-24G(4) requires a final Building Division inspection and…
Read full rule →Mount Vernon
Some RestrictionsEvery solar installation in Mount Vernon needs a building permit before work starts, City Code § 224A-5. Larger…
Read full rule →New Rochelle
Some RestrictionsNew Rochelle requires a building permit for every rooftop or building-mounted solar installation under City Code §…
Read full rule →New York
Some RestrictionsInstalling rooftop solar panels in New York City requires a Department of Buildings permit before work starts…
Read full rule →North Hempstead
Some RestrictionsInstalling solar panels in North Hempstead requires a standard building permit under § 2-9, since panels are not on the…
Read full rule →Oyster Bay
Some RestrictionsInstalling rooftop solar in the Town of Oyster Bay requires a building permit from the Division of Building of the…
Read full rule →Rochester
Some RestrictionsRochester requires an approval application before installing a solar energy system: the application must include a…
Read full rule →Smithtown
Some RestrictionsSmithtown treats solar panels as standard permitted construction rather than fast-tracked work: the Town repealed its…
Read full rule →Yonkers
Some RestrictionsRooftop solar in Yonkers needs both a building permit and an electrical permit before installation at a one- or…
Read full rule →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.
Brookhaven
Some RestrictionsBrookhaven fast-tracks residential solar permits under Town Code § 85-13B: a flush-mounted rooftop PV or hot-water…
Read full rule →Clarkstown
Some RestrictionsClarkstown runs a Solar Panel Fast-Track Program under Town Code § 247-9 that issues a combined building and electrical…
Read full rule →Hempstead
Some RestrictionsHempstead participates in the Long Island Power Authority's standardized 'solar energy system fast track permit…
Read full rule →Islip
Some RestrictionsIslip participates in the New York State Unified Solar Permit program under Town Code § 68-24G. For residential solar…
Read full rule →Mount Vernon
Some RestrictionsMount Vernon fast-tracks small solar arrays. Under City Code § 224A-6, any Tier 1 system, roof-mounted…
Read full rule →North Hempstead
Some RestrictionsNorth Hempstead's Building Department must expedite every building permit application for residential solar panels…
Read full rule →Babylon
Light RestrictionsThe Town of Babylon's Building Inspector must expedite building permit applications for residential solar panels…
Read full rule →Huntington
Few RestrictionsHuntington fast-tracks building permits for standard residential solar installations, requiring a decision within 14…
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