Practical rules for greener homes
Choose your state and project to see what the rule protects, what approval may still be required, which documents to gather, and where to verify the official source.
Start with your state and project. Add a property type or situation if you need a closer match.
Usually, no. California law makes HOA governing-document provisions void when they effectively prohibit or restrict a solar energy system, subject to reasonable restrictions and to safety, permitting, and utility requirements.
Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21, enacted July 4, 2025), the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (section 25C) is not allowed for property placed in service after December 31, 2025, and the Residential Clean Energy Credit (section 25D) is not allowed for expenditures made after December 31, 2025. IRS FAQs published August 21, 2025 (IR-2025-86) confirm the termination dates. Work completed in 2025 or earlier may still qualify under the rules in effect for that year. Recorded 2025-07-04; source checked 2026-08-16. Read the update.
For a covered California residential lease, the landlord must approve a compliant written request for an EV charging station in a parking space allotted to the tenant. Civil Code section 1947.6 has lease-date and parking exclusions and requires a written agreement, tenant-paid costs, code compliance, and insurance unless its testing-laboratory and licensed-electrician exemption applies.
No, for new work: both federal home energy tax credits were terminated for property placed in service or expenditures made after December 31, 2025, by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21). Qualifying 2025 and earlier installations can still be claimed, and an unused Residential Clean Energy Credit (25D) carries forward to 2026 and later years.
PACE financing pays for home improvements through an assessment on your property tax bill, secured by a lien on your home. Missed payments can lead to foreclosure or a tax sale. Before signing, compare the full cost, check whether your mortgage permits the lien, and confirm what happens when you sell or refinance. Federal Regulation Z ability-to-repay requirements apply to covered residential PACE transactions from March 1, 2026; they do not make PACE government-insured or guarantee that you can afford it.
Usually, no. California law makes HOA governing-document provisions void when they effectively prohibit or restrict a solar energy system, subject to reasonable restrictions and to safety, permitting, and utility requirements.
A Michigan association member may sue for damages under MCL 559.315 if the HOA violates the Homeowners’ Energy Policy Act. A court may award reasonable attorney fees and costs to a prevailing member. Keep proof of the violation and harm; shared roofs and common-area installations fall outside this act.
Wisconsin voids restrictions on platted land that prevent or unduly restrict a qualifying solar energy system. Start with the recorded plat and the restriction itself. This rule does not establish permission to occupy a condominium common roof; roof ownership and alteration rights need a separate analysis.
Each guide answers a focused homeowner question, names the jurisdiction and property type, shows the important exceptions, and links the official sources beside the answer.
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