Solar Permit requirements across Michigan
By Mario Bailey Last checked
- Always required
- 4
- of 4 jurisdictions
- Conditional
- 0
- depends on size or scope
- Not required
- 0
- exempt outright
Requirements and size thresholds for solar permits vary by locality. The table below compares what each Michigan county or city requires. Always confirm with the local office before starting.
Comparing states? See solar permit rules across every locality we cover.
What to know about solar permits in Michigan
Solar permits in Virginia usually cover the rooftop PV system and its electrical interconnection. Costs depend on system size and your locality, and many homeowners weigh financing options such as solar loans against paying up front. Some Virginia localities use SolarAPP+ for faster automated approvals. Always use a licensed electrical or solar contractor, since the work must pass inspection.
The application steps and inspection sequence for solar permits come from the model code rather than from Michigan law, so they read the same wherever you build. We keep that walkthrough in one place: how a solar permit application and its inspections work, start to finish. What changes between Michigan jurisdictions is below: who requires a permit, what they charge, and which office you file with.
Swipe sideways to see thresholds and confidence.
| Locality | Permit required? | Typical threshold | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor | Yes | Not specified | Confirmed on official page |
| Detroit | Yes | Not specified | Confirmed on official page |
| Grand Rapids | Yes | Not specified | Confirmed on official page |
| Sterling Heights | Yes | Not specified | Confirmed on official page |
| No localities match your filter. | |||
What a solar permit costs in Michigan
4 Michigan jurisdictions we cover publish a fee figure for this work. Each line is quoted from that office's own schedule and linked to its citation. The figures are not comparable to one another: some are flat minimums, some a percentage of job value, some charged per fixture, so what you pay depends on which schedule applies and on your job's valuation.
For expedited residential solar the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System Permitting Checklist shows the electric permit basic application fee WAIVED, residential solar panels $0.00, and inspection $35.00 if applicable, with no building permit. Electrical Permit Fees (effective January 2020) confirm the residential line "Solar Panels per set of 3 panels ... $0". Non expedited residential and commercial solar also pays a building permit under the Building Permit Fees schedule (revised 7/15/2025) flat solar scale: estimated cost $0 to $10,000 is a $37.50 plan examination fee plus a $150 permit fee; $10,001 to $50,000 is $75 plus $200; over $50,000 is $100 plus $400. The building plan examination fee of 20% expressly excludes solar permits.
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BSEED Fee Schedule effective January 1, 2024, modified 7/18/2025, PART E, RENEWABLE ENERGY INSTALLATIONS: "E1. Solar Photovoltaic systems (per visit): Systems with NO connection to utility grid, Per visit $165; Systems with utility grid connection per inverter connection, Per visit $278." The electrical PART A Base fee of $66 applies as well.
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FY 2027 Planning, Design and Development Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2026, Electrical Permit Fees: "Alternative Power, first 10 KW $42.00" and "Alternative Power, ea. add'l 1 KW $4.00", charged on top of "Application (Includes 1 inspection) $52.00". The city's Application for Electrical Permit groups the same items under the heading "3. ALTERNATIVE POWER (Solar, Wind, etc.)" as "System and first 10 KW $42.00" and "Each Additional 1 KW $4.00".
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Building Permit Application 26-27 fee chart: 'Solar Panels' $153.00, plus the non-refundable $56.00 application fee. Electrical Permit Application 26-27 has its own SOLAR PANELS block: 'Up to 10 KVA' $34.00, '11 to 30 KVA' $44.00, '31 to 50 KVA' $57.00, '51 KVA or more' $69.00, plus the $55.00 non-refundable electrical application fee.
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Jurisdictions not listed publish no dollar figure we could quote. Absence does not mean a permit is free.
Ready to move on your solar permit?
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?