Bill Would Require Cities To Provide Instant Solar Permits

The proposal, backed by state and national solar installers, would mandate cities with populations over 5,000 install software allowing instant solar permits with limited inspections.

HF 2059, sponsored by Rep. Ned Carroll (DFL-Plymouth), and SF 1741, sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Port (DFL-Burnsville), would require all Minnesota cities with populations over 5,000 to install third-party software for issuing electronic, instant permits for the installation of residential solar energy systems. The legislation would also limit inspections to one or allow homeowners to submit photos or videos instead of an on-site inspection. Neither bill has received a committee hearing to date.

Proponents’ stance

The League has engaged in multiple meetings with bill advocates, including once this year, along with the bill sponsors. Advocates say that city solar permitting processes are taking too long, contributing to more than 20% of residential solar installations being canceled before receiving the necessary permits. They also claim that multiple inspections are unnecessary and the proposed system would streamline the process without compromising public health and safety.

Issue background

Many cities support renewable energy adoption on residential structures as part of broader goals to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote clean energy. However, cities face challenges in managing solar projects due to varying housing stock, differing electric utility providers, and limited building inspection capacity.

Public health and safety remain primary concerns. Electrical work must comply with state codes, and proper inspections ensure that installations are properly done. Additionally, solar systems require grid connections for utilities to accurately track excess power production credits, raising concerns for the utilities involved, as well as for safety.

League position

The League opposes the proposed mandate. Cities are already free to adopt instant permit systems if they find them beneficial for their community. During the 2024 legislative session, $2 million in new state grant funding was appropriated for local governments to install and implement a federally approved version of instant permitting software called SolarApp+. Cities could begin applying for these grants in March 2025. The impact of the new grant program on cities that opt-in should be evaluated before implementing a new statewide mandate.

Additionally, most cities do not report having long delays on permit issuance — permit processing times range from six to 14 days, with some issuing permits even faster. Cancellations can often be attributed to a wide range of other reasons, including financial considerations, changes in homeowner priorities, or issues unrelated to permit delays.  

Lastly, the League maintains that having appropriate inspections are essential for verifying roof load capacity and ensuring proper electrical installation, both of which are critical to public health and safety.

Current bill status

While the bills have yet been to be heard in the House or Senate, the House Energy Finance and Policy Committee briefly initially listed HF 2059 for a hearing before removing it from the agenda. Any future developments will be reported in the Cities Bulletin.

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