Going Solar in Texas: Permits, HOA Approval & Connecting to the Grid
Installing rooftop solar in Texas means more than mounting panels — you’ll pull local permits, clear your HOA, and formally request to connect to the grid before you can legally switch the system on. Here’s the whole path in plain English, plus what the fees actually look like for each Texas utility.
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The four steps to legally build and switch on
1. Pull your local permits
Solar needs a building & electrical permit from your city or county building department — your “Authority Having Jurisdiction” (AHJ). Requirements vary by city, so search “[your city] solar permit” or call your local building office. As the homeowner you can often pull your own electrical permit as an owner-builder, though some jurisdictions require a licensed electrician for the interconnection wiring.
2. Check with your HOA (if you have one)
Texas’s Solar Rights Act means a homeowners association can’t ban rooftop solar. It can still require written architectural approval first and set basic appearance standards (panels conforming to the roofline; hardware in silver, bronze, or black), so submit your plans before you start. Texas Property Code §202.010
3. Request interconnection from your utility
You must apply to connect your system to the grid. In the deregulated market (Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, TNMP, Lubbock P&L), you file a distributed generation interconnection application with your wires company, which sets a bi-directional meter and issues Permission to Operate — and you separately pick a retail provider (REP) with a solar buyback plan to get paid for exported energy. With a municipal utility (Austin Energy, CPS Energy), one entity handles the application, the meter, and the buyback. See your utility below for specifics.
4. Pass inspection, then get switched on
After installation, your city inspects the work and your utility commissions the meter. Once you receive Permission to Operate (PTO), you can legally energize the system and start earning credits. Don’t turn it on before PTO.
Interconnection fees by Texas utility
For a typical residential rooftop system, the interconnection request itself is usually free or low-cost — the large “study fees” you may see quoted apply to bigger, non-certified systems. What you actually pay is a small meter or application fee, plus your local building permit. Figures below are approximate; always confirm against your utility’s current fee schedule.
| Utility | Typical interconnection fees |
|---|---|
| Oncor | No interconnection study fee for small, certified rooftop systems, and no application fee. You still pay your city or county building permit. |
| CenterPoint | Small certified residential systems generally avoid CenterPoint’s DER study fee, and they reprogram your existing meter. Note CenterPoint doesn’t pay for exported energy itself — your retail provider (REP) does, through a solar buyback plan. |
| AEP Central | Generally no study fee for small inverter-based systems. Your local building permit fee still applies. |
| AEP North | Generally no study fee for small inverter-based systems. Your local building permit fee still applies. |
| TNMP | Expect roughly a $227 distributed-generation meter change fee, plus your local permit. Generally no study fee for small certified systems. |
| Lubbock P&L | Requires an interconnection agreement plus a city electrical permit. Confirm current fees with LP&L, which recently joined the competitive ERCOT market. |
| Austin Energy | Budget roughly $348 for the additional solar meter, plus city permit fees. The ~$6,000 “interconnect study” fee applies only to larger systems that require a study — not a typical rooftop install. Austin Energy doesn’t even require DG approval for systems under 25 kW, which covers most rooftops. |
| CPS Energy | A $100 application fee per system, and CPS Energy owns and installs the meters. Your local permit fee still applies. |
Local permitting examples
Permits are issued locally, so the process differs by city. Two worked examples for Texas’s biggest metros — note the contrast: Houston offers same-day SolarAPP+ approval, while Dallas requires engineer-sealed plans:
- City of Houston solar permit guide
- City of Dallas solar permit guide
- City of Austin solar permit guide
- City of San Antonio solar permit guide
Per-utility solar guides
Each guide covers that utility’s rates, how you get paid for solar, the interconnection process, and the link to its official application:
- Oncor solar guide
- CenterPoint solar guide
- AEP Central solar guide
- AEP North solar guide
- TNMP solar guide
- Lubbock P&L solar guide
- Austin Energy solar guide
- CPS Energy solar guide
New to all this? The Texas Public Utility Commission’s official consumer guide walks through buyback, incentives, and what to ask installers. Thinking About Solar Panels for Your Home?
Permitting and interconnection rules vary by city and utility — always confirm details with your local building department and your utility.