How long does solar installation take in Florida?

1. 1

   Design and contract

   The installer sizes the system from your bills and roof, and you sign. Florida requires a separate solar disclosure form with the contract.

2. 2

   HOA review, if you have one

   Florida's solar rights law lets an HOA set the location within limits, but not ban panels.

3. 3

   Utility application

   FPL requires pre-approval of your net metering application before the system is installed.

4. 4

   Building permit

   The installer applies to your city or county. Florida law sets deadlines for permit review.

5. 5

   Installation

   Mounting the panels and wiring usually takes the least time of any step.

6. 6

   Final inspection

   The local building department inspects the finished system.

7. 7

   New meter and permission to operate

   The utility installs a bi-directional meter. You can't run the system until it does.

Florida law (s. 553.792) gives local governments 30 business days to act on a complete permit application for a single-family home under 7,500 square feet. If they're late, the permit fee drops 10% for each business day past the deadline.

Since July 1, 2025, Florida law (HB 683) treats a solar and battery installation as a single-trade permit and sets a 5-business-day review for applications checked by a private provider, a licensed third-party plan reviewer and inspector the owner or contractor can hire instead of waiting on the local building department. Ask your installer whether it uses one.

After big storms, building departments can fall far behind. Tampa, for example, was still closing out Hurricane Helene repair permits two years later.

It can add time but can't stop the project. Under s. 163.04, an HOA can't ban solar panels, though it can choose where they go as long as that spot doesn't hurt performance much. See Florida solar incentives.

A 2026 Florida law (HB 803) changed HOA architectural review so an association can't require a building permit before it reviews an application, which lets HOA review and permitting run side by side.

• Under Florida's net metering rule, the utility has 10 business days to confirm your application is complete and must sign the interconnection agreement within 30 calendar days of a complete application.
• FPL requires approval before installation. After the final inspection, the installer uploads the signed-off local permit and FPL installs a bi-directional meter. FPL says running the system before the new meter is in place is strictly prohibited.
• Tampa Electric says approval can take up to 30 calendar days from a complete application.

See Florida net metering.

For jobs over $5,000, Florida law requires a recorded Notice of Commencement to be posted at the job site before the first inspection. Your installer usually prepares it; you sign it, and it's recorded with the county.

You'll also sign the utility's interconnection agreement. Keep copies of the permit, final inspection and utility approval with your home records; you'll want them when you sell. See does solar increase home value in Florida.

• Before installation: FPL pre-approves the system using your FPL account number, a taxpayer ID (SSN or EIN) matching the name on the account, and the equipment details.
• After the final inspection: your installer uploads the approved permit, showing the electrical and mechanical inspections signed off, with the permit number and building department.
• Then two emails: one confirming FPL has ordered your bi-directional meter, and a second, after the meter is installed, giving permission to operate.

FPL doesn't publish a set number of days for the meter swap. Watch for that second email: FPL says running the system before the new meter is in can cause an inaccurate reading and a higher bill.

• Size: FPL approves systems estimated to produce less than 115% of your yearly use, and systems above 90% of your service capacity may need costly upgrades at your expense.
• Systems over 10 kW: FPL won't review a Tier 2 application until the $400 fee is paid, and it needs proof of $1 million in liability insurance. See solar over 10 kW.
• Tampa Electric's disconnect switch: TECO's approval, which can take up to 30 calendar days from a complete application, depends on its own inspection, including a labeled disconnect switch next to the meter installed before that inspection.

Note the order is different: FPL pre-approves before installation, while Tampa Electric takes the application once the system is installed.

Industry estimates vary. EnergySage puts utility interconnection at roughly two to three weeks after installation, and full projects commonly run a few months from contract to power-on. A busy permit office, an HOA that meets monthly or a post-storm backlog can stretch that.

To keep things moving, have your last 12 months of bills ready, send HOA paperwork early, and ask the installer for a written schedule. Compare quotes with the solar quote checker, and see how to choose a solar company in Florida.