InstaBidsHow much will solar panels cost in Minneapolis?
$6,320 was the median declared permit value for data years 2023-2026 in Minneapolis, MN. Single-family, two-family and townhouse solar permits issued in Minneapolis declared a typical range (middle half of 1,253 City of Minneapolis CCS permit data points, Minneapolis, MN, 2023-2026) of $4,800 to $8,400.
Updated 2026-10-28
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| What was measured | Median declared value | Declared value range (middle half) |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family, two-family and townhouse solar permits issued in Minneapolis declared | a median declared value on building permits of $6,320 | the typical range (middle half of 1,253 City of Minneapolis CCS permit data points, Minneapolis, MN, 2023-2026) was $4,800 to $8,400 |
Declared permit values are what applicants reported to the city; final contract prices can differ.
How measured: residential single-job permits; declared values below the low-value floor for the same job removed (1 row). Source: City of Minneapolis, Construction Code Services (CCS), data read 23 October 2026.
These figures are estimates from City of Minneapolis, Construction Code Services (CCS), data years 2023-2026, read 23 October 2026, for Minneapolis, MN. They are not a quote, and they are not a promise of what any contractor on InstaBids will charge. Your price depends on your home, the materials and the contractor. Get written bids before you decide.
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What the job includes, the line items to ask for and how to compare bids: the national solar panel system cost guide.
What do Minneapolis solar permits declare?
Each Minneapolis figure above is a declared permit value: what the applicant told the permit office the solar job was worth when applying. It is not an invoice.
The records come from City of Minneapolis, Construction Code Services (CCS).
The selection covers residential building permits for single-family dwellings, two-family dwellings and townhouses. The description must match the job, and exact duplicate selected rows are removed before classification.
Before matching, the selection left out 4 permits for a new dwelling or work not on an existing home, 24 permits for legalisation, as-built work, revisions, supplements or renewals, and 93 permits whose descriptions also named another job.
Of the 1,255 matched permits, 1,254 carried a declared value. The low-value check removed 1 record, leaving 1,253 permits behind the figures.
The low-value check uses a fixed floor because the American Housing Survey has no hired-out figure for solar.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, AHS 2023 Value Labels Package, read 16 October 2026.
What solar drawings does Minneapolis require?
Example rule, Minneapolis solar drawings: “Required drawings shall be scaled and dimensioned.”
Source: Minneapolis Construction Code Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Minneapolis solar building cross section: “Rafter size, spacing, and span dimension”
Source: Minneapolis Construction Code Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Minneapolis solar roof obstructions: “Locations of obstructions such as vent pipes, conduit, or mechanical equipment”
Source: Minneapolis Construction Code Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Minneapolis solar roof access: “Roof plan showing the location of all required roof access locations, pathways, and setbacks.”
Source: Minneapolis Construction Code Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Minneapolis solar roof plan dimensions: “Roof plans must be to scale, fully dimensioned, and include all the following:”
Source: Minneapolis Construction Code Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Minneapolis solar panel layout: “Locations of each array and each panel in each array”
Source: Minneapolis Construction Code Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Minneapolis solar ridge setbacks: “Show and dimension setbacks at horizontal ridges”
Source: Minneapolis Construction Code Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Minneapolis solar emergency escape opening: “Identify any portions of a roof located below an emergency escape and rescue opening”
Source: Minneapolis Construction Code Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Minneapolis solar roof condition: “Roof decking and structural supports should all be in good condition without visible roof sag/deflection.”
Source: Minneapolis Construction Code Services, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Minneapolis solar heritage review: “Exterior work, including installation of solar systems, within city designation heritage preservation sites and districts is subject to additional review and approval by administrative staff or the Heritage Preservation Commission prior to the issuance of city permits.”
Source: Minneapolis Construction Code Services, read 9 November 2026.
What should a Minneapolis rooftop solar proposal include?
Minneapolis separates building and electrical permits for residential solar. Its February 2026 checklist names the state Department of Labor and Industry as the electrical-permit issuer. Identify both permit steps when discussing the work.
Source: City of Minneapolis, Residential Solar Energy Systems checklist (updated February 2026), read 31 October 2026.
The city asks for its completed applicant checklist with the building permit application and drawings for rooftop and ground-mounted PV. Download the checklist before assembling the submission.
Source: City of Minneapolis, Residential Solar Energy Systems checklist (updated February 2026), read 31 October 2026.
The Minneapolis checklist calls for a roof plan drawn to scale and fully dimensioned. Compare that requirement with the drawings offered for the installation, rather than relying on an undimensioned panel sketch.
Source: City of Minneapolis, Residential Solar Energy Systems checklist (updated February 2026), read 31 October 2026.
What do New York State program records (NYSERDA) measure?
The Census Bureau's American Housing Survey, used for the national figures on other cost pages, has no solar item, so the second block comes from New York State program records (NYSERDA).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, AHS 2023 Value Labels Package, read 16 October 2026.
The New York State program records measure the reported project cost of completed residential solar systems bought outright. The selection keeps purchases and excludes leases and power purchase agreements.
Source: NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA, read 16 October 2026.
| What was measured | Median | Typical range (middle half) |
|---|---|---|
| Home solar systems bought outright and completed under NYSERDA programs in New York State had | a median of $38,702 | the typical range (middle half of 12,001 NYSERDA program data points, New York State (NYSERDA program data), 2025-2026) was $28,520 to $51,000 |
| By system size | a median of $3.84 per watt | the typical range (middle half of 12,001 NYSERDA program data points, New York State (NYSERDA program data), 2025-2026) was $3.20 per watt to $5.09 per watt |
How measured: owned, completed home systems, untrimmed; project cost divided by system size in watts. Source: NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA: Beginning 2000, data read 16 October 2026.
These figures are estimates from NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA: Beginning 2000, data years 2025-2026, read 16 October 2026, for New York State (NYSERDA program data). They are not a quote, and they are not a promise of what any contractor on InstaBids will charge. Your price depends on your home, the materials and the contractor. Get written bids before you decide.
Full national guide: How much will solar panels cost?
The New York State block includes both a whole-system row and a per-watt row. The Minneapolis permit block reports declared values by job.
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Sources for the figures on this page
- City of Minneapolis, Construction Code Services (CCS), https://opendata.minneapolismn.gov/datasets/df4bfccbe60b42a6a93fb7bc1fd84cc0, read 23 October 2026. InstaBids computed medians and middle-half ranges.
- NYSERDA, Solar Electric Programs Reported by NYSERDA: Beginning 2000, https://data.ny.gov/Energy-Environment/Solar-Electric-Programs-Reported-by-NYSERDA-Beginn/3x8r-34rs, read 16 October 2026. Used under the OPEN-NY Terms of Use; no endorsement by New York State or NYSERDA is implied.
- U.S. Census Bureau, AHS 2023 Value Labels Package, www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/2023/AHS 2023 Value Labels Package.zip, read 16 October 2026.
- Minneapolis Construction Code Services, www.minneapolismn.gov/media/-www-content-assets/documents/Solar-energy-checklist.pdf, read 9 November 2026.