Smart Solar Permitting Bill To Cut Red Tape, Accelerate Installations, & Deliver Affordable Electricity Sails Through NJ Senate 39-0

TRENTON, N.J. – The New Jersey State Senate unanimously passed “smart solar” permitting legislation (S4100) Monday by a 39-0 vote. The bill will expedite the approval process for residential solar and battery systems, delivering more solar installations and energy bill savings for families across the state. This legislation would require the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to make an online, automated permitting platform for rooftop solar and battery installs available statewide within a year of the bill’s signing. Households with code-compliant projects will be able to avoid costly and burdensome red tape and obtain the permits they need to proceed nearly instantly. 

“In the middle of summer heat and rising utility bills, this is a moment for solutions to provide more clean energy to our electric grid and provide more savings for ratepayers. Smart solar permitting can bring permitting into the 21st century, reduce costs and burdens on towns and cities and get more clean energy onto the electric grid and save ratepayers money,” said State Sen. John McKeon (D-27). “We should put people over paperwork so we can get more solar on our rooftops and more savings for ratepayers in our wallets –that’s a win for our environment, our electric grid and for all of us.” 

Hundreds of cities around the country are already using smart solar permitting to fast-track solar and battery applications, quickly and safely delivering energy independence and lower bills to their residents. Smart permitting is also widely accessible by state law in California, Maryland, Texas and Florida. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates that in the communities where SolarApp+, the smart permitting platform designed by the federal government, is used, the software saved 15,400 hours of local government staff time in 2023 and sped up the permitting process by an average of 14.5 days.

“Easing the solar permitting process is one of those rare wins for all involved – saving time and money for families, solar installers, and local governments alike,” said Assembly State and Local Government Chairman Robert Karabinchak (D-18). “Households are realizing that by going solar they can break free from utility companies and reduce their electricity bills and reduce climate and air pollutants. This is truly a win-win-win bill for New Jerseyans at the exact moment we need to provide ratepayers with ways to save money and get more clean energy on the grid,”

The Regional Plan Association released a report in February examining local barriers to home solar and battery installs across New Jersey. It found that our state has the third-slowest permitting timelines for residential solar projects in the country. Families that want to “go solar” typically have to navigate a confusing network of local government hurdles, including multi-departmental reviews, inconsistent or outdated requirements, and antiquated sign-off procedures. The process is so difficult in some municipalities that many installers avoid them, leaving consumers in those towns with limited options to choose from if they want to go solar.

“Speeding up solar permitting and bringing it into the 21st century makes sense for New Jersey – we should follow the lead of other states and cities that use smart solar permitting,” said Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey. “Thank you to State Sen. McKeon and State Asm. Karabinchak for shepherding this legislation to unanimous passage. This should be a solar slam dunk and we urge Governor Murphy to sign this bill into law as quickly as possible to allow more homeowners to go solar during the intense heat of this summer.”

Permitting inefficiencies aren’t just an administrative headache, they also increase costs for consumers. Permitting can add $3,800 to $4,500 to the cost of a typical rooftop solar system in New Jersey. Nearly one out of five residential solar projects are cancelled before installations, with installers citing permitting barriers as the number one reason for the cancellations. 

“New Jerseyans are embracing rooftop solar and battery storage as a smart way to cut costs and take control of their energy usage,” said Leah Meredith, Mid-Atlantic director of state affairs for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). “SolarAPP+ helps accelerate that transition by removing bureaucratic red tape, reducing delays, and lowering costs for families and local governments. This legislation is a practical step that will benefit homeowners, contractors and municipalities, and support the entire New Jersey economy.”

Smart solar permitting could unlock tremendous benefits for New Jerseyans and our electric grid. Brown University Climate Solutions Lab estimates that adopting smart permitting statewide could result in an additional 200,000 residential solar systems installed by 2040.

“This is a huge win for New Jersey families who want clean, affordable energy without unnecessary delays,” said Hannah Birnbaum, Chief of Advocacy at Permit Power. “By streamlining the permitting process, this bill will cut red tape, reduce costs, and get solar on rooftops faster. We’re grateful to Senator McKeon and Assemblyman Karabinchak for their leadership, and we urge Governor Murphy to sign this bill into law without delay.”

The bill also allows local communities to opt out of using the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) platform as long as they implement a comparable alternative. These jurisdictions must submit an annual report to the DCA that provides information on the number of permit applications submitted through their automated platform and shows documentation that their platform meets the needed requirements.

“With energy bills on the rise, one of the most direct ways we can protect communities is by making it easier, faster and more affordable to generate clean energy at home,” said Elowyn Corby, Mid-Atlantic Regional Director for Vote Solar Action Fund. “No one should be locked out of the clean energy transition, but an unwieldy permitting process can do just that. Along with the other members of the statewide NJ Shines Coalition, we’re excited for this bill to accelerate progress toward a resilient and equitable New Jersey that works for everyone.”

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