# California HOA Solar Panel Rights: What the Law Allows (2026) > Under California's Solar Rights Act, Civil Code 714, a covenant or rule that effectively prohibits or restricts installing a solar energy system is void and unenforceable. An HOA can impose only reasonable restrictions, ones that do not increase the system cost by more than $1,000 or decrease its efficiency by more than 10 percent, and it generally must approve or deny a complete application within 45 days or the application is deemed approved. An association that willfully blocks a lawful system can owe damages, a civil penalty of up to $1,000, and attorney fees. Before you buy, read the CC&Rs and architectural rules in the disclosure packet for any solar restriction and compare it to this standard. _Source: https://hoanotes.com/hoa/california/solar-panels/ | Last reviewed 2026-05-31_ ## What California law guarantees An HOA cannot ban solar. Under Civil Code 714, a covenant, restriction, or condition that effectively prohibits or restricts the installation or use of a solar energy system is void and unenforceable. Only reasonable restrictions are allowed. A restriction is reasonable only if it does not significantly increase the cost or decrease the efficiency of the system. The current limits are a cost increase of no more than $1,000 and an efficiency decrease of no more than 10 percent. The review has a deadline. A complete solar application is processed like an architectural request and cannot be willfully delayed; if it is not denied in writing within 45 days, it is deemed approved. An association that willfully violates these rules can owe actual damages, a civil penalty of up to $1,000, and attorney fees. ## What an HOA can still do Within the cost and efficiency limits, an association may: - Apply reasonable placement and aesthetic conditions, as long as they do not raise the cost by more than $1,000 or cut efficiency by more than 10 percent. - Require the application to go through architectural review, on the 45-day timeline. - Require a licensed contractor and compliance with health, safety, and building codes. - For a condo or other multifamily building, apply the separate common-area roof rules in Civil Code 4746 when the panels would sit on a shared roof. ## What to check in the disclosure packet Before you make an offer, read these against Civil Code 714: - The CC&Rs and architectural rules for any solar ban or conditions heavy enough to function as a ban. Both are red flags under the Solar Rights Act. - The review procedure and timeline, since a complete application is deemed approved if it is not denied within 45 days. - Whether the roof is yours or a shared common-area roof, because a common-area roof follows the separate path in Civil Code 4746. - Recent board and architectural minutes, for how the association handles solar requests. ## Why this matters to your offer Solar can be a major part of what a home is worth to a buyer, both for the energy savings and for the cost of the install. A community with an outdated solar ban, an onerous review, or a slow board can raise the cost or delay the project for months, even though the law is on your side. The rules are in the CC&Rs and the architectural guidelines inside the disclosure packet, not in the listing. An HOA Notes brief reads them, flags any restriction that conflicts with Civil Code 714, and cites the page it came from. ## What the statute says **Civil Code section 714** (Solar energy systems). An owner has the right to install a solar energy system on a roof or area where the owner has exclusive use; the association cannot prohibit this, only regulate it for aesthetic or structural reasons consistent with Civil Code section 714. The association may impose reasonable restrictions on placement, aesthetics, and structural review, provided restrictions do not increase the system cost by more than $1,000 or decrease its performance by more than 10 percent. ## California HOA solar rules: common questions ### Can a California HOA stop me from installing solar panels? No. Under Civil Code 714, a covenant or rule that effectively prohibits or restricts a solar energy system is void and unenforceable. The HOA can only impose reasonable restrictions that do not raise the cost by more than $1,000 or cut efficiency by more than 10 percent. ### How long does a California HOA have to approve solar panels? A complete solar application is processed like an architectural request and cannot be willfully delayed. If it is not denied in writing within 45 days, it is deemed approved under Civil Code 714. ### What restrictions can a California HOA put on solar? Only reasonable ones that do not increase the system cost by more than $1,000 or decrease its efficiency by more than 10 percent, such as placement or aesthetic conditions within those limits. ### How do I check an HOA's solar rules before buying? Read the CC&Rs, the architectural rules, and recent minutes in the disclosure packet for any solar ban or heavy conditions, and note whether the roof is yours or shared common area. An HOA Notes brief flags any conflict with Civil Code 714. ## Sources (verified 2026-05-31) 1. California Civil Code section 714 (restrictions on solar energy systems), California Legislative Information. Verified 2026-05-31. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=714.&lawCode=CIV 2. Civil Code Section 714: restrictions on solar energy systems, FindHOALaw. Verified 2026-05-31. https://findhoalaw.com/civil-code-section-714-restrictions-solar-energy-systems/ 3. HOA solar panel restrictions in California: your rights under the Solar Rights Act, LS Carlson Law. Verified 2026-05-31. https://lscarlsonlaw.com/articles/hoa-solar-restrictions-california/ HOA Notes is not a law firm and this is not legal advice.