How long does it take to install solar panels?

You've made the decision, you've signed the contract: You're getting solar panels for your house! Now what? How soon until those rooftop panels are soaking up the sunshine, feeding clean energy to your home, and slashing your power bills? 

The good news is that installing the panels on your roof only takes a day or two. It's just every other part of the process–designing the system, securing permits, connecting to the grid, and final inspections—will take some time.

“Typically we say it's a 60-to-90-day timeframe,” said Bryce Bruncati, of Raleigh, N.C.-based 8MSolar. 

How soon a solar company can schedule your installation after receiving a signed contract varies from company to company; some solar companies have more crews and install much higher volumes than others. However, even companies with several installation crews may have a busy calendar. If you're in a time crunch and need to be installed as soon as possible because of expiring incentives or tax credits, this could be a very important factor in determining who you give your business to.

Here's some background on all the steps that happen after you say “Yes”, how they impact the timeframe, and what you can do as the homeowner to help avoid any delays.

Once you make the decision to go solar and choose an installer, you'll sign a contract that usually requires either a down payment if you're paying cash, or a financing approval letter if taking out a loan. 

But even if your installer has an open calendar, they still can't show up the next day and start installing your new panels. There's a number of steps that need to happen before that.  

They first need to create a final design plan for the panels and inverters, as well as the battery if you're doing solar-plus-storage. Although your installer likely has already visited your home, most come back and take additional measurements and snap some photos to aid in the design process. 

They'll also review the local building codes to make sure the design will meet all permitting rules. Depending on where you live, there may be specific regulations around setbacks or where hardware can be placed.

“Some jurisdictions will allow you to put battery panels within three inches of doors and windows, and in other areas it has to be three feet,” said Jeremy Nicholson, the CEO of Sunergy, an installer based in Orange County, California.

This brings up the first place where you, as the homeowner, can help keep the project on track.  The installer can’t submit plans for permitting until you’ve approved the design. If you don't like the design or want to make changes, the installer has to go back and make revisions. Installers are actually OK with that part; it's your house, you're making the 25-year commitment, so you should feel satisfied with how everything looks. They just ask that you are ready to review and provide design feedback right away. 

“Sometimes the customer is the biggest holdup,” said Bruncati. “If we send over the design on Monday, and they say, ‘I’ll review it this weekend,’ that’s a significant delay.”

Once you approve the design, the installer will start the local permitting process. How this step works, and how much time it could add to your project timeline, may vary depending on where you live. Some local permitting boards can take up to 30 days to process, review, and vote on applications, which can significantly push out project timelines. 

“In North Carolina, you could have two neighborhoods, and one has an HOA and the other doesn’t. It can really vary from neighborhood to neighborhood,” said Bruncati. 

Nicholson said California recently enabled same-day permitting using an online portal, a change that has had a “big impact” on speeding up permit processing. 

The permitting process could be longer for ground-mounted arrays. Local permitting boards could require soil studies, surveys, and other steps that will add time. Be sure to talk with your installer about what permitting steps will be needed before you decide on the type of system you want so you’re not caught off-guard. 

While most of the permitting process is hands-off for homeowners, there are some key things you can do to keep the process running smoothly. For example, if your permitting authority requires the homeowner to file the application, not the installer, do so quickly. Some boards have deadlines to be included on the agenda; if you miss the filing deadline you may have to wait another month for approval. 

The permitting process can be tricky sometimes, which is one reason reputable installers don’t guarantee installation dates in contracts. For instance, if the local permitting authority discovers during the application review process that your property had unpermitted work performed–maybe it's a deck, garage, or even a new breaker panel–they might make you fix the problem first. This doesn’t happen often, but if it does, it could add weeks or months to the timeline.

You approved the design. You have permits in hand. Now what?

Fortunately, supply chain snarls are in the past so your installer should be able to pick up your panels and equipment from the supplier as needed. It's the installer's schedule that may be the tricky part here. 

Many installers, especially those with strong reputations, have multiple projects lined up. Nicholson, for example, said his company typically has a two-week queue for installations. 

The other factor that may push out the timeline is whether you need any additional work done to support the array. For example, if you're installing rooftop solar, you'll need to complete any roof upgrades before installation day. For ground-mounted solar panels, you may need to first complete some site prep, such as clearing the area and trenching a conduit line to the house. 

But once installation day arrives, things move fast. The crew will install the brackets, hoist up and secure the panels, and make the needed power connections pretty quickly. 

“If it's panels only, it takes a day,” said Bruncati. “If it's panels and a battery, it's one to two days. If it's a large system, two to three days max.”

If your project includes installing a battery, the utility company may need to come out for a “power drop,” where they temporarily cut power to the home, allowing the installer to connect the battery, or batteries.  

“These power drops are entirely dependent on the utility's schedule and not in the installer's control,” Bruncati said.

Your panels are on your roof and looking great. But there are still two steps before you can start tapping the power of the sun to run your home. 

The local permitting authority needs to complete any final inspections, and the utility company has to issue what’s known as “permission to operate,” which means it's OK to turn on the panels officially. 

Unfortunately, the timeline for both of these steps can range from days to weeks, depending on where you are and if any problems are found.  

Inspectors from the local permitting authority will come to your house within a few days of the installation. They’ll make sure the system was installed securely to the roof, that all the electrical connections are proper, and all safety codes are met. 

Bruncati said one tip for homeowners who are considering quotes and interested in a smooth process is to check online reviews for complaints about installations failing inspections. 

“This is a place where a lot of installers struggle if they’re not on top of things,” he said. “And then it might be weeks later before the installer can come back out, and fix stuff. That’s when the two-month delays can build up.”

Utility companies also need to process your interconnection permit before allowing your solar array to connect to the larger grid. Most installers will file the permit request on your behalf. At some point, the utility company will send someone to your property to verify that the installation meets all its safety standards and issue permission to operate (that’s when the switch can be thrown, and the juice starts flowing). 

However, getting someone from the utility company to your property for the inspection could take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on where you live and who your utility company is. 

According to Bruncati, Duke Energy has 14 days to inspect an installation, swap out the meters, and give the green light. Nicholson said it can take more than a month for utility companies in California to approve an interconnection. He said he files for the permit during the installation process to shave off a few days. 

As exciting as it is to go solar, some patience is required. Unlike buying a fridge, the delivery van and installation crew doesn’t pull up the next day–no matter what was promised. But that’s actually a good thing. It means you’re working with a company focused on doing the project correctly, and making sure all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed. 

“Where we really run into problems is when an aggressive salesperson from another company, or someone else, tells them, ‘We’ll have it installed in two weeks,’” said Bruncati. 

If you're in a rush to go solar, the best time to start the process is now. Because between design, permitting, scheduling, installation, and final inspections, property owners can expect to wait 60-90 days, on average, before the panels can be switched on and their meters start spinning backward. 

Just make sure you’re ready to review the plans and help secure the permits as needed. Your solar system will provide your home with clean energy for 25 years. Waiting a couple months to have the system installed will be worth it, especially if it’s done right the first time.   

“This is a major addition to your property,” Nicholson said. “There’s a lot of things that go into it.”