Strong
States with recognized solar access or HOA protection worth researching first.
Mixed
States where protection exists but may depend on property type, HOA facts, or limits.
Limited
States where easements, local-option rules, or narrow protections may matter.
Weak
States where direct statewide solar access protection may be absent or unclear.
Jump to key states
Search this state index
Type a state name, “HOA,” “easement,” “weak,” “strong,” “local,” or “utility” to narrow the table.
Source note:
This index is a research map, not a legal opinion. Verify every entry against the current
state code, HOA documents, local ordinances, DSIRE, public utility commission materials,
utility tariffs, and official agency guidance before relying on it.
State-by-state quick index
| State | Status | Main solar-rights issue | What to verify first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Weak / verify | Often treated as lacking strong statewide solar access protection. | HOA covenants, local ordinances, utility interconnection rules. |
| Alaska | Research | Not commonly listed among strong HOA solar-rights states. | Municipal rules, utility rules, private covenants. |
| Arizona | Strong research state | Recognized solar access protections affecting HOA/private restrictions. | Whether the restriction effectively prohibits solar or imposes unreasonable placement limits. |
| Arkansas | Weak / verify | Direct statewide solar access protection may be limited or unclear. | Current statute, HOA documents, local rules. |
| California | Strong | California Solar Rights Act; cost/performance limits; HOA restrictions; solar easements; permitting. | Civil Code § 714, § 714.1, § 4746, solar easements, local permitting law. |
| Colorado | Strong research state | Renewable energy and association restrictions are commonly addressed in solar-rights resources. | HOA rule limits, state statute, local building and zoning rules. |
| Connecticut | Mixed / verify | Solar rights may be less direct than in strong HOA anti-ban states. | State statute, local zoning, HOA documents, utility rules. |
| Delaware | Research | Protection requires state-specific verification. | Current code, HOA documents, permit rules. |
| Florida | Strong | Solar collectors protected against many deed and association restrictions. | Florida Statutes § 163.04 and association placement authority. |
| Georgia | Limited / easement | Solar easement concepts may matter more than broad HOA protection. | Written easement requirements, HOA documents, local rules. |
| Hawaii | Strong research state | Solar access and association issues are important, especially for multi-family property. | Condo/HOA statute, rooftop ownership, common-area rules. |
| Idaho | Research | Direct statewide HOA solar protection may require careful verification. | Private covenants, local permits, utility rules. |
| Illinois | Strong research state | Solar access protections affecting community associations. | Association approval timelines, allowed restrictions, current statute. |
| Indiana | Mixed / process-based | Approval path for homeowners in some restrictive HOA situations. | Required homeowner procedure, HOA response, approval threshold. |
| Iowa | Limited / verify | Solar access/easement discussions exist, but project-specific protection must be checked. | Local rules, easements, covenants, utility requirements. |
| Kansas | Changing / verify | HOA solar restrictions have been a legislative issue. | Latest state legislation and HOA statute before relying on older summaries. |
| Kentucky | Research | Not commonly listed among strong statewide HOA solar-access states. | HOA covenants, local permits, utility rules. |
| Louisiana | Mixed / verify | Solar access and property restriction issues require current statute review. | HOA documents, utility rules, local permits, resilience needs. |
| Maine | Easement / verify | Appears in national solar rights/easement resources. | Whether protection applies to HOAs, easements, or local rules. |
| Maryland | Strong research state | Solar easement and restrictive covenant protections. | State solar rights/easement statutes and association restrictions. |
| Massachusetts | Strong research state | Solar access protections commonly cited in law surveys. | Current statutory scope, HOA authority, local government rules. |
| Michigan | Changing / verify | Solar HOA legislation has been evolving; current law must be checked. | Latest statute, HOA documents, local rules. |
| Minnesota | Local / verify | Solar access and local-option concepts may matter. | Whether the city or county adopted solar access rules. |
| Mississippi | Weak / verify | Often listed as lacking strong direct solar access protection. | HOA covenants, local rules, utility interconnection requirements. |
| Missouri | Mixed / verify | Community association solar restrictions require exact statutory review. | Reasonable restriction language, common-area exclusions, HOA process. |
| Montana | Easement / verify | Solar easement provisions may be more relevant than HOA anti-ban law. | Written easement rules, local zoning, private covenants. |
| Nebraska | Local-option / verify | Local authority may matter more than direct statewide protection. | City/county solar ordinances and subdivision rules. |
| Nevada | Strong research state | Solar rights/easement protections are commonly cited. | HOA approval limits, common areas, application process. |
| New Hampshire | Research | Statewide protection needs current verification. | Solar easements, local rules, private restrictions. |
| New Jersey | Strong research state | Solar access/easement protections; association regulation may still exist. | Distinguish reasonable regulation from prohibition. |
| New Mexico | Easement / verify | Solar rights/easement protections appear in national resources. | Whether the law protects against HOA restrictions or only supports easements. |
| New York | Strong research state | Solar access protections; cost and performance impacts often matter. | Association restriction reasonableness and cost/performance thresholds. |
| North Carolina | Strong research state | Solar access and HOA rules can be fact-specific. | Roof location, visibility, HOA documents, statutory limits. |
| North Dakota | Research | Not commonly listed among strong HOA solar-rights states. | Private restrictions, utility rules, local permits. |
| Ohio | Strong research state | Modern community-association solar protections. | Association authority, procedural deadlines, current statutory language. |
| Oklahoma | Weak / verify | Often listed as lacking strong statewide solar access protection. | HOA restrictions, local rules, utility interconnection requirements. |
| Oregon | Strong research state | Private solar bans may be limited or void. | Current statutory language and whether the HOA demand is reasonable. |
| Pennsylvania | Weak / verify | HOA control may depend heavily on private covenants and local rules. | Current state legislation, HOA documents, local ordinances. |
| Rhode Island | Research | Solar access protection requires current verification. | State statute, HOA rules, local permit rules. |
| South Carolina | Weak / verify | Often listed as lacking strong direct statewide solar access protection. | Association documents, local rules, utility requirements. |
| South Dakota | Weak / verify | Direct statewide solar access protection may be limited or unclear. | Current law, local rules, private restrictions. |
| Tennessee | Easement / verify | Solar easement law may be relevant; direct HOA protection may be narrower. | Current statute, easement law, HOA documents. |
| Texas | Strong | Property owners association limits on solar energy devices. | Texas Property Code § 202.010, statutory exceptions, common property issues. |
| Utah | Strong research state | Reasonable restrictions analysis for solar access. | Whether the HOA restriction affects cost, safety, or performance. |
| Vermont | Easement / verify | Solar rights/easement resources identify Vermont as worth researching. | Whether the issue is HOA, easement, or local permitting. |
| Virginia | Strong research state | Association solar restrictions and solar rights protections. | HOA review authority, design restrictions, current statutory limits. |
| Washington | Strong research state | Solar rights and easement protections appear in national resources. | HOA review, rooftop placement, community rules, local permits. |
| West Virginia | Easement / verify | Solar rights/easement protections require exact statutory review. | Whether protection applies to the specific private restriction. |
| Wisconsin | Strong research state | Solar and wind installation protections. | State energy system protections, local review, utility rules. |
| Wyoming | Weak / verify | Often listed as lacking strong direct statewide solar access protection. | Covenants, local rules, utility requirements. |
State law strength categories
| Category | What it usually means | Practical strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Strong solar access law | The state directly limits HOA or private restrictions that prohibit or severely burden solar. | Quote the statute, document cost/performance harm, and request written approval or written legal basis. |
| HOA solar protection | The law specifically addresses community associations, architectural committees, or private covenants. | Follow the application process but challenge restrictions that exceed statutory limits. |
| Solar easement law | The state allows written agreements protecting sunlight access across property lines. | Use recorded easements where possible, especially for land, farms, subdivisions, and long-term solar planning. |
| Local-option protection | The state may allow cities or counties to adopt solar access ordinances or subdivision conditions. | Check city and county codes. State law alone may not protect the project automatically. |
| Weak or unclear protection | The state may lack direct solar access law, or protection may not apply to HOAs. | Use written negotiation, property law, public policy, contractor documentation, and legal counsel carefully. |
What every serious state review should include
- The exact current statute and official code link.
- Whether the law applies to HOAs, condos, deed restrictions, cities, utilities, or easements.
- Whether cost or performance thresholds exist.
- Whether there is an approval deadline or automatic approval rule.
- Whether common-area roofs, shared roofs, garages, and carports are included or excluded.
- Whether batteries, solar water heating, ground mounts, solar carports, and non-export systems are covered.
- What enforcement options exist if approval is delayed, denied, or conditioned.
The serious approach
A solar rights defense should never rely on slogans alone. The winning file contains the statute, the plans, the production estimate, the cost impact, the written objection, and a clean timeline of every delay.