Massachusetts is on the verge of adopting automated permitting for residential solar and battery systems, adding to a broader New England push to shorten local approval timelines and reduce rooftop solar soft costs.
The Massachusetts Senate passed its energy omnibus bill, S.3143, on July 1 as an amendment to the House’s energy affordability package. The bill, titled “An Act to save people money, repair the climate and grow the economy,” includes provisions for the adoption of statewide automated permitting.
Smart permitting comes to Massachusetts
The Commonwealth Smart Solar Permitting Platform, part of the Senate’s energy package, will require every Massachusetts municipality to accept permit applications for home solar and batteries through a free, automated online system within 18 months of the bill becoming law. More than 125 Massachusetts jurisdictions still require in-person paperwork, and the proposed smart permitting system will remove that hurdle, smoothing the process for municipalities, contractors, and homeowners.
In addition to accelerating deployment, smart permitting can significantly reduce the cost of residential solar and storage installations. According to Permit Power, adopting smart permitting statewide could save the average Massachusetts family $2,400 on the cost of installing home solar by 2030 and $5,540 by 2040.
“Massachusetts families are getting squeezed by some of the highest electricity rates in the country, and home solar and batteries are one of the only tools they have to fight back,” said Nicole Gentile, Advocacy Director at Permit Power. “This bill cuts through the red tape and puts real savings back where they belong: in families’ pockets.”
The Senate language closely mirrors automated permitting provisions included in the Massachusetts House energy omnibus bill, H.5175, which passed the House in February by a 128-27 vote. With similar language now appearing in both chambers’ energy bills, lawmakers must now reconcile the House and Senate proposals.
Automated permitting momentum throughout New England
The Massachusetts proposal follows a similar move in Connecticut, where Governor Ned Lamont recently signed H.B. 5340, an omnibus renewable energy bill that includes automated permitting for residential solar and storage. The law requires Connecticut to implement a smart solar permitting platform by July 1, 2028, for residential solar photovoltaic systems and systems paired with residential energy storage.
Connecticut municipalities must allow applications through the state platform or an equivalent automated platform by Jan. 1, 2029. The law also prevents municipalities that use an alternative platform from requiring more documentation than the state platform does.
Automated permitting targets local plan review, one of the most fragmented parts of the residential solar process. SolarAPP+, the platform referenced in Connecticut’s law and often used as the model for automated permitting programs, automates permitting for eligible residential solar and storage projects.
Rhode Island lawmakers also advanced automated permitting legislation this session. H.7726A, the Solar Cost Reduction Act, passed the Rhode Island House on June 2 by a 68-4 vote and was referred to the Senate Environment and Agriculture Committee on June 9.
The Rhode Island bill would require automated plan review and instant permit issuance for code-compliant residential and eligible small-scale solar systems. The House-passed language covers photovoltaic systems, energy storage systems, main electrical panel upgrades, and breaker derates.
Residential solar projects increasingly include storage or require electrical work to accommodate backup power, electrification and higher household loads. By including associated equipment, the New England bills target a broader set of project steps that can slow solar-plus-storage installations.
