Local Option - Building Permit Fee Waivers for Renewable Energy Projects

May 15, 2024

Summary

As of July 2011, Connecticut authorizes municipalities to pass a local ordinance to exempt "Class I" renewable energy projects from paying building permit fees. Class I renewable energy projects include energy derived from solar power, wind power, fuel cells (using renewable or non-renewable fuels), methane gas from landfills, ocean thermal power, wave or tidal power, low-emission advanced renewable energy conversion technologies, certain newer run-of-the-river hydropower facilities not exceeding five megawatts (MW) in capacity, and sustainable biomass facilities. (Emissions limits apply to electricity generated by sustainable biomass facilities.)

Public Act 15-194, effective October 1st 2015, requires each municipality to incorporate residential solar photovoltaic systems on its building permit application process. The municipalities are allowed to waive the permit application fee for such systems.

Program Overview

Implementing Sector:	State
Category:	Regulatory Policy
State:	Connecticut
Incentive Type:	Solar/Wind Permitting Standards
Web Site:
Administrator:
Start Date:
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:	Solar Photovoltaics Wind (All) Biomass Hydroelectric Fuel Cells using Non-Renewable Fuels Landfill Gas Tidal Wave Ocean Thermal Wind (Small) Hydroelectric (Small) Fuel Cells using Renewable Fuels

Authorities

Name:	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-263
Date Enacted:	07/01/2011
Effective Date:	07/01/2011

Name:	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-245nn
Date Enacted:	06/16/2015
Effective Date:	10/01/2015

This information is sourced from DSIRE; the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University.