The solar permitting process can be incredibly complex.
Don’t believe us? Then you must not have read last week’s blog!
A complicated permitting process can mean higher costs and more time for your panels to be installed. And even though a truly great solar provider is going to handle solar permitting for you, it doesn’t hurt to be armed with the information you need to understand the process and ask good questions. Ultimately, this helps you make a solid choice when it comes to selecting a solar provider.
Read on and be ready to ask the right questions of your potential solar providers and solar panel installers about the permitting process.
What Does the Solar Permitting Process Entail?
You are required to “pull permits” (or get approval) from governing authorities when you have solar panels installed at your home or business, or on your land. As if that didn’t sound fun enough, there are often multiple layers of permits required from different entities, including local, city, state, and federal levels.
How to Know Where to Obtain Solar Permits
So, how do you know who to get permits from? A good rule of thumb is this: you’ll probably need permits from whichever government entities you pay taxes to.
For example, if you live in St. Louis or Kansas City, this likely includes the city as well as state and federal taxes. If you live in a rural area, odds are that this will include the specific county that you live in. Either way, you’d likely have to pull permits from all the entities that collect taxes from you.
If you pay taxes to them, they are usually a relevant “governing authority”.
Again, good solar providers will know this, and they’ll handle all the permitting applications for you. If they ask you which entities you pay taxes to, and this is probably why. Here’s a closer look at the solar permitting process.
The Solar Permitting Process
A basic solar permitting process looks like this:
- Your solar provider fills out all necessary applications and submits to each governing authority
- Authorities review applications and grant permits prior to solar panel installation
- Solar provider installs solar panels on your property
- Governing authorities conduct a visual inspection of the final install prior to approval
Read more about the process in last week’s blog, How the Solar Permitting Process Can Save (or Cost) $$$.
One Last Note
Finally, if you live inside a homeowners’ association (HOA), be sure to ask your HOA if there are any restrictions or requirements for solar panels. You probably won’t need a permit from your HOA, but there may be other factors that play in. Read more about going solar in an HOA here.
Solar Sam: Your Partner in the Solar Permitting Process
We proudly serve our neighbors for Missouri solar, Illinois solar, Kansas solar, and beyond! We professionally install solar panel projects of any size, from large commercial or agricultural to small residential, anywhere in the continental United States. And we will always take care of the solar permitting process for you!
If you’re thinking about going solar in Kansas City or St. Louis, Solar Sam can support all your Kansas City solar or St. Louis solar needs.
Visit our website for deals that are out of this world. When you’re ready to take advantage of the federal solar tax credit, give us a call at 833-RU-SOLAR (833-787-6527) to get a free quote.
Solar Sam helps power your life with green energy run by the sun.
