Madison Solar Permit Guide
Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) territory · Dane County
Overview
GridPermit collects Wisconsin 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
Same-day review for eligible expedited-permit projects
No verified standard-path permit timeline is available.
Per the City's own page, standard residential applications with no zoning complications can receive a permit immediately once documents are complete. Properties in a historic district or Planned Development require additional approval steps that may extend the timeline by two weeks or more — this record's same-day figure applies only to the standard, non-complicated path.
Battery/solar incentive program on record
No battery/storage incentive program is on record for this locality.
Permit fees
Not yet verified.
Rebates
Not yet verified.
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
Madison Gas and Electric (MGE)
Generation supplier
Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) (utility)
No Community Choice Aggregator was found serving Madison's residential solar customers this session; MGE is recorded as both the distribution and default generation utility. MGE also separately offers a 'Shared Solar' community-solar program, distinct from a customer-owned rooftop system.
Interconnection
https://www.mge.com/smart-energy/clean-energy/solar-energy/customer-owned-generation
MGE's own page confirms a traditional retail-rate net metering structure (bill credit for excess power delivered to the grid), structurally different from We Energies' buy-back-rate approach elsewhere in Wisconsin (see the utility-comparison note on the We Energies-territory locality researched separately, if published). No specific system-size cap or interconnection fee was stated on the page fetched this session; Wisconsin's statewide interconnection process for utilities is governed by Public Service Commission rule PSC 119.
Required documents
- Zoning information from the Assessor's property lookup (required when: always)
- Electrical documentation showing the photovoltaic device is UL listed (required when: always)
- Plumbing documentation proving non-toxic transfer fluid or a double-walled heat exchanger (required when: solar thermal/water-heating systems only)
- Structural calculations and drawings showing roof attachment and the existing structure's capacity (required when: roof-mounted systems)
- Solar device catalog sheets with weight specifications (required when: always)
- Site plan and placement plan indicating solar system location and adjoining improvements (required when: always)
Inspection steps
- Inspections are scheduled during construction and must be completed before proceeding to the next construction phase
- A final inspection is requested upon completion
- The homeowner is responsible for coordinating all inspections with assigned inspectors
Eligibility constraints
- Property types: residential
- Max system size (AC): Not yet verified.
- Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
- Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
- Program/pathway: Not yet verified.
- Other conditions:
- Properties in a historic district or subject to a Planned Development require additional approval steps beyond the standard permit path
Official contacts
- MGE customer service, phone: 608-252-7000, email: AskExperts@mge.com, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Madison?
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 has a partner relationship with EnergySage; this link is not currently tracked, and whether the partnership results in compensation to GridPermit has not yet been confirmed.
Sources
- How to Go Solar, City of Madison, Sustainability & Resilience (government). Accessed 2026-08-13.
- Customer-Owned Generation, Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) (utility). Accessed 2026-08-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
What utility serves solar customers in Madison, Wisconsin?
Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Madison. The default electricity generation supplier is Madison Gas and Electric (MGE), a utility, separate from Madison Gas and Electric (MGE).
How long does an expedited-eligible residential solar permit take in Madison?
Per the City's own page, standard residential applications with no zoning complications can receive a permit immediately once documents are complete. Properties in a historic district or Planned Development require additional approval steps that may extend the timeline by two weeks or more — this record's same-day figure applies only to the standard, non-complicated path. No verified standard-path permit timeline is available.
What documents are required for a solar permit in Madison?
Commonly required documents include: Zoning information from the Assessor's property lookup; Electrical documentation showing the photovoltaic device is UL listed; Plumbing documentation proving non-toxic transfer fluid or a double-walled heat exchanger; Structural calculations and drawings showing roof attachment and the existing structure's capacity; Solar device catalog sheets with weight specifications; Site plan and placement plan indicating solar system location and adjoining improvements.
Who do I contact about solar permits in Madison?
MGE customer service, phone 608-252-7000, email AskExperts@mge.com.