Data through September 2026 · updated 19 Oct 2026
482 solar permits were issued in Rochester, October 2024 through September 2026: about 241 a year and 2% of all permits. 172 solar permits in the last 12 months (Oct 2025–Sep 2026), 45% fewer than the 310 in the 12 months before. The busiest month is August. 55901 has the most, 192.
Permits issued each month, October 2024 through September 2026.
| Month | Permits |
|---|---|
| Oct 2024 | 22 |
| Nov 2024 | 9 |
| Dec 2024 | 13 |
| Jan 2025 | 14 |
| Feb 2025 | 6 |
| Mar 2025 | 14 |
| Apr 2025 | 6 |
| May 2025 | 16 |
| Jun 2025 | 7 |
| Jul 2025 | 24 |
| Aug 2025 | 135 |
| Sep 2025 | 44 |
| Oct 2025 | 21 |
| Nov 2025 | 18 |
| Dec 2025 | 9 |
| Jan 2026 | 8 |
| Feb 2026 | 7 |
| Mar 2026 | 12 |
| Apr 2026 | 53 |
| May 2026 | 10 |
| Jun 2026 | 13 |
| Jul 2026 | 9 |
| Aug 2026 | 8 |
| Sep 2026 | 4 |
By calendar month, 100 = an average month (the thin line). August is the busiest (356), February the quietest (32). A busy month at the permit counter usually means a longer wait for a contractor.
| Month | Index |
|---|---|
| January | 55 |
| February | 32 |
| March | 65 |
| April | 147 |
| May | 65 |
| June | 50 |
| July | 82 |
| August | 356 |
| September | 120 |
| October | 107 |
| November | 67 |
| December | 55 |
The value written on the permit at application, from 482 permits with one. Not a quote and not the final bill.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Usual declared value | $10,245 |
| Middle half | $4,914–$23,750 |
Counted at the property's ZIP code. Share is the part of the city's 482 solar permits.
How the city filed these permits. We group its types into kinds of work; this is the split.
| Permit type | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Trade: Electrical | 221 | 46% |
| Residential Bldg: Alteration | 202 | 42% |
| Commercial Trade: Electrical | 29 | 6% |
| Commercial Bldg: Alteration | 21 | 4% |
| Multi-Family Bldg: Alteration | 4 | under 1% |
| Multi-Family Trade: Electrical | 4 | under 1% |
| Residential Trade: Electrical (Temp. Service) | 1 | under 1% |
The contractors named on the most solar permits in the City of Rochester building permit report file, October 2024 through September 2026, with 5 or more each. Share is the part of all 482 solar permits; 99% of them name a contractor we can show. This is volume, not quality: more permits doesn't mean better work. Individuals' names, owner-builders and blanks are left out.
| Contractor | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Everlight Solar | 155 | 32% |
| Solar Connection Inc | 131 | 27% |
| All Energy Solar | 26 | 5% |
| Purelight Power Newco LLC | 22 | 5% |
| Innovative Renewable Energy dba Champion Solar | 17 | 4% |
| Wolf River (LTL Lec LLC) | 17 | 4% |
| Wolf River Electric (LTL Lec LLC) | 17 | 4% |
| Freedom Forever Minnesota LLC | 16 | 3% |
| Olson Solar Energy LLC | 12 | 2% |
| Cedar Creek Energy Corporation | 10 | 2% |
Electrical (9,912)HVAC (6,587)Plumbing (5,844)Remodels & repairs (3,026)Roofing (1,324)Garages, sheds & shade structures (549)New homes (518)
Source: City of Rochester, Building Permit Reports: monthly Detail Report spreadsheets (Laserfiche WebLink public repository), read 19 Oct 2026. We count permits issued October 2024 through September 2026; denied and withdrawn permits are left out. The city's reports list permits when they are issued and say nothing about what happened after, so no finished share is shown.
Building, trade, sign and demolition permits the City of Rochester Community Development department issues inside the city. Grading permits are not counted, and neither are permits Olmsted County issues for rural townships or the neighbouring cities such as Byron, Stewartville and Kasson.
Counts are permits, not jobs: one job can need several permits. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can. Sources and definitions →
Free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0). Please credit Contractor Records and link to this page. Suggested citation:
Contractor Records, "Solar permits in Rochester, MN", https://contractorrecords.com/rochester-mn/solar-permits, data through September 2026, from the City of Rochester Community Development department building-permit records.Link to a table: By month · Season · Declared value · By ZIP code · Permit types · Most active contractors by permits filed.
Download the tables (CSV): Solar permits by month · Solar permits by calendar month (index) · Solar permits: declared value · Solar permits by ZIP code · Solar permits by permit type · Most active contractors by permits filed.