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HB 25-1096

Automated Permits for Clean Energy Technology

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jennifer Bacon and 14 co-sponsors

Requires applicable Colorado local governments to adopt automated permitting for residential solar, enabling remote inspections and 75% automated reviews by 2026-27.

Governor Signed
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Bill Summary · HB 25-1096

HB 25-1096 — Automated Permits for Clean Energy Technology

Status: Governor signed (May 28, 2025). Effective date: August 6, 2025. Introduced: January 27, 2025.

Purpose / Intent

To expand and standardize the use of automated permitting for residential solar energy system installs across qualifying local governments, speed up permitting, allow remote inspections, and support local adoption through the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) grant program.

Key provisions

  • Applicability: Applies to municipalities and counties that (1) require permits for residential solar energy systems and (2) have jurisdiction over a population of at least 5,000.
  • Automated permitting requirement: Requires applicable local governments to implement automated permitting software by FY 2026–27 and to use the software to evaluate 75% of residential solar panel installation applications.
  • Limit on manual review: If the software approves a permit, the local government may not manually review application materials except during an inspection or if the application requires special consideration.
  • Remote inspections: Local governments must allow for remote inspections for eligible permits.
  • State platform: By FY 2026–27, the State Electrical Board (Department of Regulatory Agencies, DORA) must implement a software platform that can automatically issue residential solar permits and notify CEO when implemented.
  • Reporting and notifications: Local governments must notify CEO when they implement the requirements and submit an annual report to CEO on program uptake.
  • CEO grant program changes: The bill removes a timing restriction on when local governments can receive APPS (Automated Permit Processing for Solar) grants and reauthorizes CEO to use funds for administrative expenses.
  • (As introduced) CEO was to report to the General Assembly on costs/benefits by July 1, 2026 — this element appears in earlier fiscal analyses of the introduced bill.

Who is affected

  • Local governments (municipalities and counties meeting the threshold): required to adopt/operate automated permitting and may see short-term workload to adopt ordinances and integrate systems, with possible long-term reductions in manual permit review.
  • Department of Regulatory Agencies / State Electrical Board: required to provide/connect a state permitting platform.
  • Colorado Energy Office: administers grants, outreach, and reporting; potential increase in grant applications.
  • Homeowners, solar contractors, and permit applicants: likely faster permit turnaround and option for remote inspections.
  • Electrical license fee payers: earlier fiscal estimates projected a temporary ~3% fee increase across electrical licensure fees for one cycle (estimated ~$95,000 in revenue) — see fiscal notes below.

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • Final fiscal note (enacted bill, Aug 6, 2025): No appropriation required; minimal ongoing state workload. CEO can accommodate additional grant workload within existing appropriations.
  • Earlier fiscal estimates (during consideration) projected higher one‑time and ongoing costs (initial estimate ~ $301,700 in FY 2025–26, later revised to a one‑time $95,000 DORA IT cost); they also estimated temporary fee revenue (~$95,000) subject to TABOR. Those estimates were revised before enactment.
  • Timeline: Local governments and DORA must implement by FY 2026–27. The bill became law May 28, 2025, and took effect August 6, 2025.

Implementation impacts

  • Short term: local ordinance updates, system integration, and increased CEO grant activity/outreach.
  • Medium/long term: potential faster permit processing for residential solar projects, increased remote inspection use, and reduced manual review workload where software approvals are used.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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