Two permits, two offices
The City's Residential Solar Energy Systems checklist (Construction Code Services, updated February 2026, read 26 October 2026) says building permits are required for "Roof-top mounted photovoltaic systems", "Building-integrated photovoltaic systems" and "Ground-mounted photovoltaic systems", and "In addition to the building permit, an electrical permit will be required. Electrical permits are issued by the State of Minnesota, Department of Labor and Industry's Electrical Division."
| Permit | Issued by | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Building | City of Minneapolis | Structure, roof attachment, fire access pathways, setbacks |
| Electrical | Minnesota DLI, Electrical Division ((651) 284-5026) | Wiring, inverter, interconnection to the service |
| Heritage review | City staff or Heritage Preservation Commission | Landmark properties and historic districts, before any permit |
That split explains why the usual value on City solar permits is $6,450: it is the value the applicant put on the building permit, not the whole system.
What the City wants on the plans
For a roof-top system the checklist asks for scaled, dimensioned drawings:
| Drawing | Must show |
|---|---|
| Site plan | Property lines, structures, setbacks, array locations, main service, any solar easement |
| Elevation | Finished height of the system above the roof |
| Cross section | Rafter size, spacing and span; roof slope; bolt style, diameter and embedment |
| Roof plan | Every panel, obstructions, total roof and panel area, and at least two access pathways on separate roof planes from the lowest edge to the ridge, with ridge setbacks |
The state code behind the pathways (Minnesota Residential Code R324, per DLI's solar fact sheet): pathways at least 36 inches wide; ridge setbacks of 18 inches on each side when the array is under 33% of the plan-view roof area, 36 inches above that; no panels below an emergency escape opening. Roofs of 2/12 pitch or flatter, and detached non-habitable structures such as garages, are exempt from the pathway rule. The checklist also asks how many roof layers will be under the panels (no more than two layers of shingles) and whether the owner has been told about the lifespans of the existing roof and the new array.
When an engineer must stamp. If any of the checklist's roof answers is No, a Minnesota licensed structural engineer must provide a stamped study or letter for the property. The triggers include:
- 2x4 rafters spanning 7.75 feet or more, or 2x6 rafters spanning 11.5 feet or more;
- a flush mount on rafters smaller than 2x4 or more than 24 inches apart;
- a tilted (non-flush) array steeper than 12/12;
- racking fastened within one foot of the peak, or not fastened to each rafter it crosses;
- not mounted to the panel and rack makers' instructions;
- visible sag, cracking or splintering in the roof structure.
Batteries add a floor plan with their location and the maker's instructions (Minnesota Residential Code R327).
Who can pull it
The checklist asks for both a "Contractor company" and an "Installation company" with license numbers. The City's Permit Applicants page lists the DLI licenses a contractor shows for a building permit, and an owner who lives in a one- to four-unit building may pull one for their own work with a valid photo ID. The electrical permit and inspection are DLI's; ask its Electrical Division on (651) 284-5026 who may pull one for your job. Check any license on DLI's license lookup; in our file 57.1% of Minneapolis solar firms matched an active DLI license and 8 matched one with a problem.
What it costs
From the City's building permit fee schedule (read 23 October 2026):
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Job value $2,001 to $25,000 | $104.20 for the first $2,000, plus $20.60 per added $1,000 |
| Plan review fee | 65% of the building permit fee |
| Minnesota state surcharge | job value × 0.0005 |
| Minimum fee | $84.20 |
By our arithmetic, a building permit valued at the usual $6,450 is $186.60 to $207.20 depending on how the City counts the part-thousand, plus 65% plan review and a $3.23 surcharge: roughly $310 to $345. The state electrical permit fee is on top and is set by DLI.
How to apply
- Check heritage status with the City's Property information search; a landmark or historic district needs review first.
- City building permit: complete the checklist's Permit Applicant pages and submit them with the Building Permit application and plans.
- State electrical permit from DLI, by the installer's electrical contractor.
- Inspections: the City building inspector for the building permit and a State electrical inspector for the electrical permit.
What 1,321 Minneapolis solar permits show
| Measure | Minneapolis solar |
|---|---|
| Building permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 1,321 |
| Installers / with a permit in the last 12 months | 35 / 20 |
| Usual building permit value | $6,450 |
| Middle half of installers' usual value (23 with 3+ permits) | $5,740 to $7,740 |
| Closed (permits a year or more old) | 93.6% |
| Usual days from issue to close | 76 |
| Share held by the busiest / five busiest | 46.8% / 76.5% |
| Busiest / quietest month | October (153) / April (57) |
Minneapolis solar is concentrated and tidy: one installer, All Energy Solar Inc, holds 46.8% of permits, five hold 76.5%, and 93.6% of year-old permits closed, and 0 of the 12 installers with 10 or more permits closed under 70%. Firms with license problems are the thing to check: 8 of 35 matched a DLI license that is not active. Prices by home value: Minneapolis solar cost; national: solar panel installation cost.
See every Minneapolis solar installer by permits closed →
Related
Re-roofing first: Minneapolis roofing permit. Other cities: do I need a permit for solar panels. Licenses: Minneapolis contractor license lookup. Counts by year: Minneapolis permit statistics. Choosing one: hiring a solar installer.
What this does not tell you
The City's permit file has no electrical permits, so the State electrical permit and its inspection are not in our data; "closed" is the City building permit. The City files rooftop solar under remodel and we identify it from the work description, so a few may be missed. Our license match is by company name.
How we know this
The two-permit rule, plan requirements and engineer triggers are quoted from the City of Minneapolis Residential Solar Energy Systems checklist (updated February 2026) and pathway rules from Minnesota DLI's solar fact sheet (February 2022), read 26 October 2026; fees and applicant rules from the City's fee schedule and Permit Applicants page, read 23 October 2026. The fee example is our arithmetic. Our figures are City of Minneapolis building permits on homes whose work description names solar, October 2023 to September 2026.
Numbers come from City of Minneapolis construction permits (CCS), data through October 16, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit for solar panels in Minneapolis?
Yes, two. The City's solar checklist says building permits are required for roof-top, building-integrated and ground-mounted PV, and 'In addition to the building permit, an electrical permit will be required', issued by the State of Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, not the City.
- How much is a solar permit in Minneapolis?
The City building permit is priced on the value of the building work: $104.20 for the first $2,000 plus $20.60 per added $1,000, a plan review fee of 65% of that and a state surcharge of 0.05% of value. By our arithmetic a building permit valued at the usual $6,450 is roughly $310 to $345. The state electrical permit is separate.
- When does Minneapolis require a structural engineer for solar?
When any answer on the roof part of the checklist is No: for example rafters spanning 7.75 feet or more for 2x4s or 11.5 feet or more for 2x6s, a non-flush mount steeper than 12/12, racking not fastened to each rafter or within a foot of the peak, or a roof with sag or damage. Then a Minnesota licensed structural engineer must stamp a study or letter.
- How long does a solar permit take in Minneapolis?
In our file the usual Minneapolis solar building permit closed 76 days after issue, and 93.6% of permits a year or more old were closed. The state electrical permit and the utility interconnection run alongside it.
- Can I put solar on a house in a Minneapolis historic district?
Possibly, but not without review. The City's checklist says exterior work including solar on heritage preservation sites and districts needs approval from staff or the Heritage Preservation Commission before the City issues permits.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Albuquerque building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need a solar permit in Albuquerque? Building and electrical permits, the engineer triggers and the fee
- Do I need a solar permit in Anaheim? The online small-rooftop permit, the 10 kW line and the City utility
- Do I need a solar permit in Bend, OR? The prescriptive checklist, the 2026-27 fees and how fast permits final
- Do I need a solar permit in Pittsburgh? The electrical permit's PV scopes, the $130 minimum fee and who can pull it
- Do I need a solar permit in Sacramento County? SolarAPP+, the EC-23 plan set, and how fast installers close
For one city
- Residential Solar Energy Systems checklist (updated 02/2026) — City of Minneapolis Construction Code Services (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Solar Photovoltaic Systems and the 2020 MN Residential Code (revised February 2022) — Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Building permit fee schedule — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Permit Applicants — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Building Permit application — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Property information search — City of Minneapolis (2026-10-23)
- License and registration lookup — Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (2026-10-22)