New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has signed into law revised “smart solar” permitting legislation (S4100/A5264), following its unanimous passage by both the State Senate and Assembly earlier this month.
Under the bill, the approval process for residential solar and battery systems will be expedited, requiring the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to create an online, automated permitting platform for rooftop solar and storage installs. According to the bill, the platform must be available statewide within 18 months of its signing.
The effort will help homes with code-compliant projects avoid costly red tape with the ability to obtain the necessary permits needed to proceed almost immediately.
Hundreds of U.S. cities are already utilizing smart solar permitting to quickly and safely deliver energy independence and lower bills for residents. It is already widely accessible in California, Maryland, Texas, and Florida.
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), communities that used SolarApp+ saved 15,400 hours of local government staff time in 2023 and sped up the permitting process by an average of 14.5 days.
“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), in a statement. “Smart permitting 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, small businesses, and the entire New Jersey economy.”
Inefficient permitting also increases costs for consumers, adding anywhere from $3,800 to $4,500 to the cost of a typical rooftop solar system installation in the state. Nearly one out of every five residential solar projects are cancelled, with installers reporting permitting barriers as the top reason for the cancellations.
Assembly State and Local Government Chairman Robert Karabinchak (D-18), added, “Thank you to Gov. Murphy for signing the smart solar permitting bill into law — easing the solar permitting process is a three-peat win – saving time and money for families, solar installers, and local governments alike.”
Read more here.