Rhode Island’s Senate has passed a bill to create a statewide solar-permit application. S. 562 requires the Office of Energy Resources, in consultation with the Building Code Commission, to promulgate regulations to create a statewide solar PV permit application by November 1, 2017.

S. 562 establishes an advisory group to create the statewide solar-permit application, which would cover both the building and electrical permit aspects of a PV installation. Municipalities would be required to use the permit application beginning January 1, 2018.

The stated purpose of S. 562 is to provide a predictable and universal process for obtaining a single permit that encompasses both building and electrical permits for PV systems with municipalities.

S. 562 is now under consideration in the House.