Glossary
Deemed approval
A rule that treats an application as approved when the decision-maker fails to act within a stated deadline.
Why it matters
Deemed-approval rules give an application a default outcome so a request cannot be stalled
indefinitely by silence. In California, Civil Code section 714 provides that if a homeowners
association does not deny a solar application in writing within 45 days of receiving it, the
application is deemed approved — unless the delay resulted from a reasonable request for additional
information.
Limits
Deemed approval applies only to the decision the statute covers. It is not a building permit,
electrical approval, structural review, or utility interconnection, and it does not excuse
separate requirements. Relying on deemed approval usually requires proof: the application date,
the delivery record, and the absence of a timely written denial.
Jurisdictional variation
Some states have statutory decision deadlines for solar or other improvement requests; others do
not. Whether silence means approval depends on the exact statute, regulation, or governing
document, so the term is always qualified in the guides that use it.