House Bill 25-1096, introduced in the Colorado General Assembly on January 27, 2025, aims to streamline the permitting process for residential solar panel installations. The bill mandates that counties with over 5,000 residents in unincorporated areas and municipalities with populations exceeding 5,000 adopt an automated residential solar permitting platform. This platform is designed to automatically review applications and issue permits for code-compliant residential solar projects that meet specified criteria.
Key provisions of the bill include:
Scope of the Platform: The automated system must handle at least 75% of residential solar panel installation permit applications submitted to the local jurisdiction. It is applicable exclusively to installations on existing single-family or two-family residential properties with a maximum capacity of a 200-ampere main service disconnect.
Reporting Requirements: Counties and municipalities are required to notify the Colorado Energy Office upon compliance and submit annual reports detailing platform usage and the software implemented.
Support and Assistance: The Colorado Energy Office will offer funding and technical assistance to eligible counties and municipalities to facilitate the implementation of these platforms.
State Electrical Board's Role: The State Electrical Board is also tasked with adopting an automated platform for issuing and reviewing electrical permits related to residential solar panel installations. They must report their compliance and provide annual updates to the Colorado Energy Office.
Additionally, by July 1, 2026, the Colorado Energy Office is required to submit a report to the General Assembly evaluating the use of automated permitting software for other residential electrification projects, such as electric vehicle charging stations and heat pump space heaters, including an analysis of the associated costs and benefits.
This legislative effort builds upon previous initiatives, notably House Bill 23-1234, enacted in 2023, which established the Streamlined Solar Permitting and Inspection Grant Program. That program allocated nearly $1 million to assist local governments in adopting automated permitting and inspection software, such as SolarAPP+, to expedite residential solar projects.
Summary
The bill requires counties with a population of more than 5,000
residents in unincorporated areas and municipalities with a population of more than 5,000 residents to adopt an ordinance or resolution that would implement an automated residential solar permitting platform (platform). The platform would automatically review an application for a residential solar panel installation and issue a permit for the residential solar panel installation project if the project is code-compliant and meets certain criteria.
The platform utilized by a county or municipality must be used for
at least 75% of the residential solar panel installation permit applications submitted to the local jurisdiction. The platform will only be used for solar panel installations that will be installed on existing residential buildings, have a maximum capacity of 200 amperes main service disconnect, and provide electrical power to single-family or 2-family residential property.
A county or municipality required to implement the platform must
notify the Colorado energy office (office) of its compliance with the requirements of the bill and submit an annual report to the office related to the use of the platform and the type of software used.
Counties and municipalities are also eligible to receive funding
and technical assistance from the office to implement platforms.
The office is required to submit a report to the general assembly
related to the use of automated permitting software for other residential electrification projects, such as electric vehicle charging stations and heat pump space heaters, and the costs and benefits of implementing the automated software. The office must submit the report by July 1, 2026.
The state electrical board in the department of regulatory agencies
is also required to implement a platform for use in its issuance and review of electrical permits related to residential solar panel installations. The board must also notify the office of its compliance with adopting the platform and submit an annual report to the office related to the board's use of the platform.
