VA
🏛️ Virginia
New Law — April 2026
Virginia Solar
Permit Plan Sets.
NEC 2020. HB590/SB382 Ready. UL 1741 SA.
Dominion & APCo Covered.
Governor Spanberger signed HB590/SB382 — Virginia's Smart Residential Solar Permitting law — on April 13, 2026, cutting up to $6,000 in permitting costs per system. Virginia also passed five additional solar and energy storage laws in the same session. Every Virginia plan set we build is formatted to qualify for the new automated permitting platform and covers Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power interconnection.
NEC 2020 — Virginia USBC
HB590/SB382 Smart Permitting Ready
Dominion Energy
Appalachian Power (APCo)
DPOR Class A/B
All 95 Counties
NEC 2020
Virginia USBC electrical code
Apr 13, 2026
HB590/SB382 signed — new law
$6,000
Red tape cut per system (SEIA)
47 Days
Median permit timeline (NREL)
Virginia Solar Permits
The Commonwealth Just Passed Six Solar Laws in April 2026 — And Still Runs on NEC 2020
Permit Design produces Virginia solar permit documentation for residential and commercial installers, engineering procurement contractors, and roofing companies operating across all 95 Virginia counties. April 2026 was the most significant month in Virginia solar policy history — Governor Spanberger signed six solar and energy storage bills into law in a single session. The flagship law, HB590/SB382, creates a statewide smart permitting platform for residential solar, cutting up to $6,000 in permitting costs per system. Electricity bills in Virginia have risen 30% since 2021 — creating strong demand for residential solar that these new laws are designed to accelerate.
Despite the legislative modernisation, Virginia's electrical code remains NEC 2020 — the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) references this older edition. Plan sets built to NEC 2023 can create code citation mismatches with Virginia building officials who compare the plan set's stated code to the USBC's referenced edition. Every Permit Design Virginia plan set references NEC 2020 as the governing electrical code.
Virginia has two investor-owned utilities: Dominion Energy serving Eastern Virginia, Northern Virginia, and Richmond, and Appalachian Power (APCo) serving Western Virginia and Roanoke. Both are regulated by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). Each requires distinct interconnection documentation. Your plan set must be formatted for the correct utility — we verify the serving utility by address for every Virginia project.
Last updated: May 2026 · Reading time: ~8 minutes · HB590/SB382, VCEA, and NEC 2020 Virginia USBC references current as of May 2026.
April 2026 New Laws
Virginia's 2026 Solar Legislation — Six Laws Signed in One Session
Governor Spanberger signed a comprehensive package of solar and energy legislation on April 13, 2026 — the most significant single-session solar legislative action in Virginia history. Here is every law and what it means for solar installers.
Signed April 13, 2026
HB590/SB382 — Smart Residential Solar Permitting Act
The flagship 2026 Virginia solar law. HB590/SB382 authorizes a statewide automated permitting platform for residential solar — similar to SolarAPP+, which Virginia localities can now implement for qualifying residential systems. The law standardizes residential solar permit requirements across Virginia municipalities, eliminating the patchwork of conflicting local requirements that was adding up to $6,000 per system in unnecessary permitting costs. Less than 3% of Virginia households had rooftop solar as of April 2026 — well below the national average — partly due to the permitting barriers this law directly addresses. Solar installers in Virginia should ensure plan sets qualify for automated platform review by meeting standardized documentation requirements — which every Permit Design Virginia plan set does.
HB895 / SB448
Virginia Energy Storage Policy
Adds Virginia to the list of states with formal energy storage policy, creating new frameworks for battery storage incentives and grid integration. Solar-plus-storage installations in Virginia benefit directly. Permit plan sets for battery storage projects must now include Virginia's new storage documentation requirements.
HB807 / SB254
Dominion Shared Solar Expansion — 525 MW
Requires Dominion Energy to release 525 MW of new shared solar capacity by July 1, 2026, including a dedicated portion for low-income subscribers. Virginia's original 200 MW shared solar program was fully awarded across 52 projects. Community solar developers will see significant new project opportunities in Dominion territory throughout 2026.
HB628 / SB175
Distributed Generation Expansion Act
Encourages development of distributed energy resources that generate power close to where it is consumed, reducing strain on the transmission grid and avoiding costly infrastructure upgrades. EPCs and commercial solar developers benefit from a clearer policy framework supporting distributed generation throughout Virginia.
HB711 / SB347
Local Solar Ordinance Standards
Creates consistent, transparent standards for local solar ordinances — protecting local decision-making authority while providing developers predictable permitting timelines. The inconsistency in local ordinances across Virginia's 95 counties was a significant barrier; this law establishes baseline standards that AHJs must follow for solar applications.
HB683 / SB659
Solar Interconnection Grant Program
Creates the Solar Interconnection Grant Program to provide additional assistance for schools and city buildings pursuing solar projects to offset operating costs. Commercial solar EPCs targeting Virginia public sector projects — school systems, municipal buildings, community colleges — should factor grant eligibility into project financial models.
HB1467
APCo Virtual Power Plant Pilot
Directs Appalachian Power (APCo) to create a virtual power plant pilot program by July 1, 2027. APCo customers in Western Virginia who install solar-plus-storage may be eligible to participate in the VPP program — earning additional revenue from battery dispatch while maintaining backup power capability. Western Virginia solar installers should track APCo's program development.
Utility Interconnection
Virginia Solar Utilities — Dominion Energy vs Appalachian Power
Virginia has two investor-owned utilities handling solar interconnection, both regulated by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). Plan sets must be formatted for the correct utility. Using the wrong utility's documentation results in rejection at the interconnection review stage.
Dominion Energy
formerly Dominion Virginia Power
Territory
Eastern VA · Northern VA · Richmond · Hampton Roads · Virginia Beach
Customers
~2.7 million — majority of Virginia population
Net metering
Up to 150% of annual consumption · SCC regulated
ISA timeline
6–10 weeks residential · Longer for commercial
Shared solar
525 MW new capacity (HB807/SB254 · July 1, 2026)
Grid note
Northern VA data center load straining PJM grid — extended timelines in congested areas
VCEA target
100% carbon-free by 2045
Appalachian Power
AEP Virginia · APCo
Territory
Western VA · Roanoke · Lynchburg · Shenandoah Valley · Southwest VA
Customers
~500,000 — western and southwest Virginia
Net metering
Up to 150% of annual consumption · SCC regulated
ISA timeline
8–12 weeks residential · HB628 supports expansion
VPP pilot
Virtual Power Plant by July 1, 2027 (HB1467)
Grid note
Border areas (Shenandoah Valley) — verify address vs Dominion territory before submitting
VCEA target
100% carbon-free by 2050
Northern Virginia data center alert. Northern Virginia is the world's largest data center market, and its load growth is straining the PJM transmission grid. Dominion Energy is working with PJM Interconnection — the operator of the largest electric grid in the US — to address Northern Virginia grid congestion. Solar interconnection applications in congested Northern Virginia grid areas (Ashburn, Loudoun County, Prince William County) may face extended review timelines beyond the standard 6–10 weeks. Submit interconnection applications as early as possible for Northern Virginia commercial projects.
Virginia Clean Economy Act
VCEA — The Law Driving Virginia's Solar Market Long-Term
The Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), signed in 2020, mandates 100% carbon-free electricity from Dominion Energy by 2045 and Appalachian Power by 2050. Understanding the VCEA helps solar EPCs position Virginia market opportunities correctly for commercial clients.
Dominion Energy Target
100% by 2045
Carbon-free electricity. Requires massive solar and offshore wind buildout. Creates sustained interconnection queue activity throughout Virginia.
APCo Target
100% by 2050
APCo's carbon-free target under VCEA. Western Virginia solar and storage development benefits from APCo's clean energy compliance requirements.
Distributed Solar Target
Thousands of MW
VCEA mandates specific distributed solar installation targets for Dominion — driving continued residential and commercial solar growth throughout Virginia.
What VCEA means for solar installers in Virginia. The VCEA creates a regulatory mandate for Dominion Energy and APCo to install solar at scale — meaning both utilities have regulatory incentives to approve residential and commercial solar interconnections efficiently. The SCC enforces VCEA compliance. Combined with the April 2026 HB590/SB382 smart permitting law, Virginia is structurally positioned to grow its residential solar market significantly from the current 3% household penetration rate.
What's Included
Virginia Solar Permit Plan Set Contents
Every Virginia solar permit plan set from Permit Design is NEC 2020 compliant, formatted for HB590/SB382 automated platform review, and includes Dominion Energy or Appalachian Power interconnection documentation.
01
Cover Sheet
Project address, Virginia county, AHJ details, NEC 2020 code reference (Virginia USBC), system specifications, contractor license information, and utility interconnection application reference number field. Formatted to meet HB590/SB382 standardized residential solar permitting requirements for automated platform eligibility.
02
Site Plan
Scaled site plan with property boundaries, Dominion Energy or APCo utility meter location, Virginia fire code access pathways, and interconnection point. HOA community notation included for applicable Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads subdivisions. Historic district notation for Old Town Alexandria, Colonial Williamsburg area, and other designated communities.
03
Roof Layout
Panel array layout with roof pitch, orientation, structural attachment points, Virginia fire code setbacks, and rafter/truss documentation. Virginia wind loads vary from coastal Hampton Roads (hurricane zone — 130+ mph design wind speed) to inland Shenandoah Valley (90–100 mph). Appropriate ASCE 7-22 wind zone applied per project county.
04
Single-Line Diagram
Complete NEC 2020 Article 690 compliant electrical schematic. UL 1741 SA certified inverter documentation included for Dominion Energy IEEE 1547-2018 compliance. — from PV source circuits through inverter to utility interconnection disconnect. Formatted for Dominion Energy's Distributed Energy Resources interconnection review, or Appalachian Power's interconnection documentation standards. Rapid shutdown per NEC 2020 Section 690.12 documented.
05
Wind & Snow Load Engineering
PE-stamped structural analysis per ASCE 7-22 — dead load, wind load, and snow load specific to the project county. Virginia coastal counties (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton): hurricane-zone wind engineering at 130–140 mph. Northern Virginia: standard eastern US wind loads. Shenandoah Valley and Appalachians: moderate snow loads (20–30 psf) and elevated wind exposure.
06
Rapid Shutdown Documentation
NEC 2020 Section 690.12 rapid shutdown compliance — system boundary, initiating device, array dimensions, and labeling per NEC 690.56. Virginia building officials specifically check rapid shutdown documentation for code-compliant labeling specifications. All documentation formatted for both building department review and Dominion/APCo interconnection review.
07
Utility Interconnection Package
Dominion Energy DER interconnection application package, or Appalachian Power interconnection documentation — formatted to the specific utility's requirements. Interconnection application reference number field on cover sheet. Submit to Dominion or APCo the same day as the local building permit. HB590/SB382 standardised documentation also included for automated platform submission.
08
Component Documentation Package
UL-listed manufacturer spec sheets for all components — modules, inverters, optimizers, racking. Battery storage projects include NEC Article 706 documentation for HB895/SB448 energy storage compliance. Dominion Energy and APCo verify equipment documentation during interconnection review — outdated datasheets restart the review queue.
Process
How Virginia Solar Permit Plan Sets Work
01
Submit Your Virginia Project
Send us the county and city, roof photos or satellite image, equipment model numbers, and serving utility (Dominion or APCo). We verify the utility by address, check historic district status for applicable Virginia communities, and confirm HB590/SB382 automated platform eligibility before building.
02
We Build to NEC 2020 — Virginia USBC
Our Virginia specialists prepare your plan set to NEC 2020 as referenced in the Virginia USBC — formatted to meet HB590/SB382 standardized documentation requirements and Dominion Energy or APCo interconnection standards. Virginia county-specific wind load engineering applied automatically.
03
Complete Virginia Package Delivered in 24–48 Hours
Your complete Virginia solar permit plan set — NEC 2020 compliant, formatted for HB590/SB382 automated review, and with Dominion Energy or APCo interconnection package — delivered in 24–48 hours. Submit to your AHJ and utility on the same day. Free revisions until your Virginia AHJ approves.
First-Time Virginia Clients
Try Us on Your First Virginia Project. Free.
New to Permit Design? Send us your first Virginia residential solar project and we'll deliver the complete plan set free — NEC 2020 compliant, HB590/SB382 ready, and Dominion Energy or APCo interconnection included.
Available for first-time clients only. One free residential plan set per company.
Claim Your Free VA Plan Set →
NEC 2020 compliant (Virginia USBC)
HB590/SB382 smart permitting ready
Dominion Energy or APCo ISA
All 95 Virginia counties
Free revisions until AHJ approval
Virginia Solar Market
Virginia Solar Market — 2026 Data
3%
Virginia Household Solar Penetration (April 2026)
Less than 3% of Virginia households had rooftop solar as of April 2026 — well below the national average. This is partly attributable to the permitting barriers that HB590/SB382 directly addresses. Virginia's low solar penetration rate represents a significant market opportunity for residential installers as the new smart permitting law removes cost barriers.
+30%
Virginia Electricity Price Increase Since 2021
Virginia electricity bills have risen approximately 30% since 2021 — the primary driver of residential solar interest across the Commonwealth. Motivated by these rising costs, the Virginia General Assembly passed the most comprehensive solar legislative package in state history in 2026. Net metering at up to 150% of annual consumption provides meaningful bill reduction for Virginia solar owners.
Apr 30
SCC Net Metering Ruling — 2026
Virginia's statewide median solar permit timeline is 47 days per NREL SolarTRACE data. Most Virginia counties process residential permits in 2–5 weeks. Northern Virginia jurisdictions (Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington) can run 3–6 weeks due to permitting volume. The new HB590/SB382 automated platform will reduce timelines for qualifying residential systems once fully deployed across Virginia localities.
§58.1-3661
Virginia 100% Property Tax Exemption
Virginia Code Section 58.1-3661 provides a 100% property tax exemption for solar energy equipment installed for residential use. The exemption covers the full assessed value of the solar installation — homeowners pay zero property taxes on solar-added home value. Commercial solar is eligible for a partial exemption. Combined with federal ITC, the property tax exemption is Virginia's most valuable state solar incentive.
525 MW
New Dominion Shared Solar (HB807/SB254)
HB807/SB254 requires Dominion Energy to release 525 MW of new shared solar capacity by July 1, 2026. Virginia's original 200 MW shared solar program was fully subscribed across 52 projects. The new capacity — with a dedicated portion for low-income subscribers — opens significant community solar development opportunities in Dominion territory throughout 2026 and beyond.
July 4
ITC Construction Deadline — 2026
Commercial and C&I projects in Virginia must break ground by July 4, 2026 to preserve the ITC four-year safe harbor window. Dominion interconnection queues run 6–10 weeks; APCo takes 8–12 weeks. Virginia building departments add 2–5 weeks on top. Taken together, Virginia commercial EPCs that have not yet submitted applications by May 2026 are dangerously close to missing the ITC safe harbor. No state production incentive equivalent to SMART or SREC-II exists in Virginia — the federal tax credit is the cornerstone of every Virginia commercial solar financial model.
Virginia AHJ Rejections
Top 3 Reasons Virginia Solar Permits Get Rejected
Virginia's NEC 2020 code and the Dominion/APCo territory boundary create rejection risks specific to this Commonwealth. These are the three most common triggers across Northern Virginia, Richmond, Roanoke, Hampton Roads, and rural Virginia counties.
01
Wrong NEC Edition — NEC 2023 Cited Instead of Virginia's NEC 2020
Virginia's Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) references NEC 2020 as the mandatory electrical code. Plan sets that cite NEC 2023 — common when template plan sets from newer-code states like Texas or Georgia are reused for Virginia — create code citation mismatches. Virginia building officials compare the plan set's stated code to the USBC's referenced edition. A mismatch triggers a correction request requiring resubmission. This is especially common with out-of-state design firms who apply California or Texas NEC editions to Virginia projects.
NEC 2020 · Virginia USBCHow we prevent it: Every Permit Design Virginia plan set explicitly references "NEC 2020 (Virginia USBC)" as the governing electrical code — never NEC 2023.
02
Wrong Utility Interconnection Documentation
Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power territory boundaries cross each other in several Virginia regions — notably the Shenandoah Valley, Lynchburg area, and parts of Northern Virginia. Installers who assume utility territory by county or city name — rather than verifying by address — routinely submit Dominion interconnection documentation for an APCo address or vice versa. This results in rejection at the utility review stage, with the interconnection application needing to be re-filed from scratch at the correct utility.
Dominion DER / APCo interconnectionHow we prevent it: We verify the serving utility (Dominion or APCo) for every Virginia project by address — never by county or city name. The correct utility's interconnection format is applied before building begins.
03
Historic District Documentation Missing
Virginia has dozens of historic districts where solar installations on primary structures require additional historic review. Old Town Alexandria, Colonial Williamsburg area, Fredericksburg Historic District, and several Richmond historic neighborhoods require a Certificate of Appropriateness or equivalent historic review before building permit issuance. Installers who do not verify historic designation status before permitting lose 4–8 weeks when the building department flags the address at intake. Northern Virginia and Richmond have the highest density of historic district properties in the state.
Virginia Historic Districts ActHow we prevent it: Every Virginia plan set includes a historic designation check for the project address. Visibility study documentation included for designated district projects on request.
See all 8 common plan set rejection reasons and fixes → Residential Solar Permit Design →
FAQ
Virginia Solar Permit Design — Frequently Asked Questions
Specific answers for Virginia solar installers — covering NEC 2020, HB590/SB382, Dominion Energy, Appalachian Power, VCEA, and the 2026 legislation suite.
Virginia solar permits are governed by NEC 2020 — referenced in the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC). Virginia is one of the few remaining states not yet updated to NEC 2020 or 2023. Plan sets citing NEC 2020 or 2023 can create code citation mismatches with Virginia building officials. Every Permit Design Virginia plan set references NEC 2020 as the governing electrical code. Always verify with your specific Virginia AHJ.
HB590/SB382 — the Smart Residential Solar Permitting Act — was signed by Governor Spanberger on April 13, 2026. The law authorizes a statewide automated permitting platform for residential solar (like SolarAPP+), standardizes residential solar permit requirements across Virginia localities, and cuts permitting red tape that was adding up to $6,000 per system. Less than 3% of Virginia households had rooftop solar as of April 2026. The law aims to accelerate residential adoption by removing cost and timeline barriers from the permitting process.
Virginia's 2026 session produced six solar laws: HB895/SB448 (energy storage policy), HB807/SB254 (525 MW new Dominion shared solar by July 1, 2026), HB628/SB175 (Distributed Generation Expansion Act), HB711/SB347 (consistent local solar ordinance standards), HB683/SB659 (Solar Interconnection Grant Program for schools/city buildings), and HB1467 (APCo virtual power plant pilot by July 1, 2027).
Dominion Energy serves Eastern Virginia, Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads — approximately 2.7 million customers. Appalachian Power (APCo) serves Western Virginia including Roanoke, Lynchburg, the Shenandoah Valley, and Southwest Virginia. Both are regulated by the Virginia SCC. Border areas — particularly in the Shenandoah Valley — require utility verification by address, not by county name. Using the wrong utility's interconnection documentation results in rejection at the utility review stage.
Virginia statewide median: 47 days per NREL. Most counties: 2–5 weeks. Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington): 3–6 weeks. Dominion Energy interconnection: 6–10 weeks. APCo interconnection: 8–12 weeks. Northern Virginia data center grid congestion can extend Dominion timelines further. Submit utility interconnection application in parallel with the local building permit — never wait for permit approval first.
The VCEA (signed 2020) mandates Dominion Energy achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045 and APCo by 2050. It requires significant solar and offshore wind buildout, eliminates coal on a defined timeline, and creates distributed solar installation mandates for both utilities. The VCEA gives both utilities regulatory incentives to approve solar interconnections and is the foundational framework for Virginia's clean energy expansion. Combined with the 2026 legislative package, Virginia has one of the strongest policy environments for solar in the Southeast.
Following the SCC's April 30, 2026 ruling protecting Virginia net metering, Virginia mandates net metering for residential and commercial solar customers of Dominion Energy and APCo, regulated by the Virginia SCC. Net metering is available for systems sized up to 150% of the customer's previous 12-month annual consumption. Excess credits roll over month-to-month and are reconciled annually at the utility's avoided cost rate. Virginia electricity bills have risen 30% since 2021 — making net metering credits increasingly valuable to Virginia solar owners.
Virginia Code §58.1-3661 provides a 100% property tax exemption for solar energy equipment installed for residential use. The exemption covers the full assessed value of the solar system — homeowners pay zero additional property taxes on solar-added home value. Automatic — no separate application required. Commercial solar receives a partial exemption. Virginia also exempts certain solar equipment from state sales tax. There is no Virginia state production incentive equivalent to Massachusetts SMART or New Jersey SREC-II — the federal ITC is the primary financial driver.
Virginia law significantly limits HOA authority to restrict solar. HOAs cannot impose unreasonable restrictions that effectively prohibit solar on owner-occupied properties. Reasonable restrictions on placement — requiring panels not visible from the street if alternatives exist — are permitted, but outright bans are not. Historic district rules in Old Town Alexandria, Colonial Williamsburg area, and Fredericksburg operate separately and may restrict visible solar on historically designated structures.
Permit Design delivers Virginia solar permit plan sets within 24–48 hours. Every plan set is NEC 2020 compliant (Virginia USBC), formatted for HB590/SB382 automated platform review, and includes Dominion Energy or Appalachian Power interconnection documentation. The utility interconnection application number field is on every cover sheet. Submit to your AHJ and utility on the same day. Free revisions until your Virginia AHJ approves.
⚡
Reviewed & Verified By
Permit Design Engineering Team
Licensed Professional Engineers (PE) across all 50 US states · 2,500+ AHJ-ready plan sets delivered monthly · 150+ solar installer partners worldwide
Neighboring States
Solar Permit Plan Sets — Neighboring & Mid-Atlantic States
Ready for Virginia's New Era of Solar Permitting?
NEC 2020 · HB590/SB382 Smart Permitting Ready · VCEA Compliant
Dominion Energy · Appalachian Power · All 95 Counties · 24–48 hours
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