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Kentucky / Local permit guide

Louisville Solar Permit Guide

Your local requirements. The official sources. A clearer next step.

Electric utility
Louisville Gas and Electric (LG&E)Source linked
Review time
0–3 daysSee source scope and conditions below.
See your permit path

Jefferson County ·

Louisville Solar Permit Checklist
Printed from mygridpermit.com/kentucky/louisville/solar-permit-guide/ · Last verified 2026-08-13 · Louisville Metro Government, Develop Louisville — Division of Construction Review / LG&E · Verify current requirements before relying on this checklist. Programs and fees change.
Source healthLast verified 2026-08-132 official sources6 of 6 core facts verified
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Informational only. This page is not legal, engineering, or permit advice. Every fact below links to the official source it came from and shows how confident we are in it. Verify current requirements with Louisville Metro Government, Develop Louisville — Division of Construction Review and LG&E before making a decision.

Research coverage

Your permit path,
at a glance.

This shows what GridPermit has verified for Louisville. It does not show the status of a specific project.

  1. 01Permit authorityLouisville Metro Government, Develop Louisville — Division of Construction ReviewAuthority sourced
  2. 02DocumentsChecklist includes conditional itemsConditions apply
  3. 03InspectionInspection guidance for LouisvilleSteps sourced
  4. 04Utility & PTOLouisville Gas and Electric (LG&E)Utility path sourced

01 / Know your path

Two approvals.
One project.

Local authority

Permit & inspection

Louisville Metro Government, Develop Louisville — Division of Construction Review

Local requirements
Electric utility

Interconnection & PTO

Louisville Gas and Electric (LG&E)

Utility requirements

A local permit and utility permission to operate are different approvals. Check the local sequence and requirements below.

How to read this guide

GridPermit collects Kentucky residential solar and permitting facts directly from official sources (city, county, and state government sites, utilities, and public utilities commissions) and shows only what we can verify, with a confidence score and a link to where it came from. Nothing here is estimated or inferred beyond what's stated below. See our methodology for the rules this page follows.

Permit timeline

0–3 days

Per the City's own page: electrical permits are issued the SAME DAY a complete application is submitted (online applications receive a permit immediately). Simplified building permits for streamlined-eligible residential rooftop/ground-mount projects are turned around within 3 days or less when a complete package (including the licensed engineer/architect roof-support documentation) is submitted; most simplified building permits can be obtained the same day, with 4-5 business days anticipated for full review if not fully streamlined. Non-streamlined-eligible projects (and all commercial projects) instead require a full qualified review without the 3-day guarantee. No specific automated-review platform is named in the source material, so none is recorded here.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): Installing Solar in Louisville

Battery/solar incentive program on record

No battery/storage incentive program is on record for this locality.

02 / Prepare your application

What you need.

0 of 5 markedSaved only on this device; not confirmation of permit readiness.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.95)

Source(s): Installing Solar in Louisville

Permit fees

  • Electrical permit: $50 (starting fee)

    Per the City's own page: 'Fees for electrical start at $50.'

  • Simplified building permit: $75 (starting fee, calculated based on the square footage area of the solar panel system)

    Per the City's own page: 'Fees for... simplified building permits start at $75. The building permit fee is calculated based on the square footage are of the solar panel system.' Exact cost is confirmed during review and due at permit issuance.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): Installing Solar in Louisville

Rebates on record

Rebates on record

Not yet verified.

Utility and generation supplier

Utility

Louisville Gas and Electric (LG&E)

LG&E is Louisville's well-established dominant electric utility, operated jointly with Kentucky Utilities (KU) under the shared LG&E and KU Energy company.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): Installing Solar in Louisville, Net metering for your home or business

Generation supplier

Louisville Gas and Electric (LG&E) (utility)

Some supporting official material could not be independently confirmed from the full source in GridPermit's latest review. Verify the current requirement with the authority before relying on it.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: Medium (0.55)

Source(s): Net metering for your home or business

Interconnection

https://lge-ku.com/net-metering

Per LG&E and KU's own page: net metering is capped at 45kW system capacity. Two credit structures apply depending on enrollment date: NMS-1 (enrolled before 2021-09-24) credits excess generation in kWh to offset future usage; NMS-2 (enrolled on/after 2021-09-24) credits excess generation in dollars at the Kentucky Public Service Commission's set rate (6.9 cents/kWh for LG&E, 7.4 cents/kWh for KU, effective 2021-09-24), carrying over as a bill credit but never paid out in cash. The 5-step application process (requirements review, application with 3 attachments via email or mail, review/approval, installation with inspections, utility meter installation/activation) is typically fee-free for nearly all applicants.

Confidence: High (0.9)

Permit authority

Louisville Metro Government, Develop Louisville — Division of Construction Review

The Kentucky Building Code is adopted at the state level by the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC), but enforcement is local — in counties/cities that maintain their own building department (like consolidated Louisville Metro), that local department is the AHJ; in smaller counties without a local building department, DHBC may enforce directly. Louisville's own Division of Construction Review is a genuinely consolidated authority for the whole Louisville Metro (city-county) government.

Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.95)

Source(s): Installing Solar in Louisville

Permit page: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/sustainability/installing-solar-louisville

Inspection steps

  • After installation, an inspection is required and requested through Develop Louisville's Division of Construction Review 'Request an Inspection' webpage
  • Applicants must pass an electrical inspection (roof- and ground-mounted systems) and, for roof-mounted systems, a building inspection as well
  • Expect a wait of 3-4 business days for an inspection; times vary by staff workload and application complexity
  • Inspections are not guaranteed within the 3-day streamlined permitting turnaround window
Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): Installing Solar in Louisville

Eligibility constraints

  • Property types: residential
  • Max system size (AC): 45 kW
  • Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
  • Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
  • Program/pathway: Streamlined 3-day permitting path for residential rooftop and ground-mount systems meeting completeness/engineering criteria
  • Other conditions:
    • In residential districts, roof-mounted systems may not exceed 10 feet above the maximum height allowed by the underlying form district, and no system may be attached to a building's wall or side (per Land Development Code Section 4.3.16)
    • Freestanding (ground-mount) systems may not exceed the maximum building height of the underlying form district, and alternative-energy systems/equipment may cover no more than 25% of the lot area
    • Properties in a historic preservation district or Architectural Review Committee jurisdiction require a Certificate of Appropriateness; most ARCs discourage panels visible from a building's primary/street-facing elevation but will work with owners on placement
    • The 45kW figure recorded here reflects the statewide LG&E/KU net-metering capacity cap, not a separate City permit-eligibility limit
Sources & confidence

Confidence: High (0.9)

Source(s): Installing Solar in Louisville, Net metering for your home or business

Official contacts

Official contacts
  • Develop Louisville, Division of Construction Review — Permits, official website

Confidence: Medium (0.6)

Need a solar installer who handles permits in Louisville?

EnergySage is an independent solar marketplace where you can request property-specific pricing from installers familiar with local permitting.

Compare quotes from solar installers →

You'll continue on EnergySage's website. GridPermit links to EnergySage as an independent third-party resource. This link is not currently tracked for compensation.

Official sources

Official sources

Frequently Asked Questions

What utility serves solar customers in Louisville, Kentucky?

Louisville Gas and Electric (LG&E) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Louisville. The same utility is also listed as the default electricity generation supplier.

How long does a residential solar permit take in Louisville?

Per the City's own page: electrical permits are issued the SAME DAY a complete application is submitted (online applications receive a permit immediately). Simplified building permits for streamlined-eligible residential rooftop/ground-mount projects are turned around within 3 days or less when a complete package (including the licensed engineer/architect roof-support documentation) is submitted; most simplified building permits can be obtained the same day, with 4-5 business days anticipated for full review if not fully streamlined. Non-streamlined-eligible projects (and all commercial projects) instead require a full qualified review without the 3-day guarantee. No specific automated-review platform is named in the source material, so none is recorded here.

What documents are required for a solar permit in Louisville?

Commonly required documents include: Electrical permit application; Simplified Building Permit application, a scaled roof diagram showing panel location/number and roof framing (e.g., 2x8s at 16in with 12ft spans), and manufacturer specifications (system weight and attachment method); Structural engineer analysis; Certificate of Appropriateness; Documentation of existing roof specification's ability to support the installation, signed and stamped by a licensed KY Professional Engineer or licensed Architect.

Who do I contact about solar permits in Louisville?

Develop Louisville, Division of Construction Review — Permits.

Disclaimers: This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal, engineering, financial, tax, or permit advice. GridPermit is not a solar installer, contractor, engineering firm, public utility, or government agency. Requirements, fees, and program terms change. Verify current requirements with Louisville Metro Government, Develop Louisville — Division of Construction Review and LG&E before starting a project. Last verified 2026-08-13.

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