Quick Answer: SB 347 HB 711 Virginia solar siting laws, effective July 1, 2026, create statewide standards for reviewing and permitting ground-mounted solar projects 1 MW or larger. The laws replace inconsistent local ordinances with a uniform special exception process based on setback, height, and decommissioning requirements.
Localities still make final approval decisions, meaning the SB 347 HB 711 Virginia solar siting framework standardizes project reviews. For solar developers, landowners, and investors, these changes mark a major shift in how utility-scale solar projects are planned and evaluated across Virginia.
What Are SB 347 and HB 711? Understanding Virginia’s New Solar Siting Law
SB 347 HB 711 Virginia solar siting laws were introduced as companion bills by Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg and Del. Charniele Herring, amending Virginia’s solar development regulations under the Code of Virginia. Recommended by the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation, the bills establish a statewide framework for solar siting after receiving bipartisan support and being signed into law by Gov. Spanberger.
The legislation addresses inconsistent local solar rules, with some Virginia localities previously adopting restrictions or bans that made project planning unpredictable. SB 347 HB 711 Virginia solar siting creates clearer standards for responsible solar development as the state prepares for rising electricity demand.
When Do SB 347 and HB 711 Take Effect for New Solar Project Applications?
Under Virginia’s new solar siting law, SB 347 and HB 711 take effect July 1, 2026. From that date forward, any qualifying application is reviewed under the new statewide framework, regardless of what a locality’s existing ordinance says.
Will Projects Submitted Before July 1, 2026 Be Grandfathered Under Old Local Rules?
Yes. The effective-date rule is based on when an application was filed and accepted:
- Applications received and accepted before July 1, 2026 remain subject to whatever local ordinance was in place at the time of filing.
- Applications filed on or after July 1, 2026 follow the new statewide criteria, and local ordinances that conflict with the new law don’t apply to them.
For developers with projects already in a locality’s pipeline, this makes filing timing a genuine strategic decision.
What Types and Sizes of Solar Facilities Are Covered?
The new framework applies specifically to:
- Ground-mounted solar energy generation facilities
- With a generating capacity of 1 MW or more
- Located on property zoned agricultural, commercial, industrial, or institutional
Smaller systems, rooftop residential installations, and facilities that are otherwise permitted by right fall outside this framework. If you’re evaluating a project below the 1 MW threshold or on residentially zoned land, different (and typically less involved) local rules apply.
Do These Laws Eliminate a Locality’s Authority to Deny a Solar Project?
No. Localities retain final decision-making authority over individual solar project applications, SB 347 and HB 711 are not an approval mandate. What the laws prohibit is a locality refusing to even consider a qualifying application, or maintaining a blanket ban that keeps solar developers from applying at all.
In practice, this shifts most 1 MW+ ground-mounted projects into a special exception process (also called a special use permit). Localities must:
- Review the application on its merits, using the state’s defined criteria
- Apply consistent standards
- Document the reasoning behind any denial (more on this in the SCC database section below)
Del. Herring framed the goal as raising the floor on project quality: the law is meant to “weed out bad actors” and give residents more confidence that solar facilities near them are well designed and responsibly managed.
How Do the New Laws Handle Existing Local Ordinances That Conflict With the Statewide Standards?
Localities are required to adopt the new statewide criteria into their local zoning ordinances. Where an existing local ordinance conflicts with the statewide standards, that conflicting provision doesn’t apply to applications filed on or after July 1, 2026.
This is already playing out on the ground. Several Virginia counties, Rockbridge County among them, spent mid-2026 revising their solar ordinances specifically to align setback and decommissioning language with the new law, with public hearings scheduled through the summer. If you’re evaluating a site, it’s worth checking whether the specific locality’s ordinance has been updated yet, since some counties are still in mid-transition.
What Are the Statewide Baseline Criteria for Setbacks and Panel Height?
These setback and height figures are the core of Virginia’s new solar siting standards. SB 347 and HB 711 set ranges, not fixed numbers; each locality selects the specific figure within the state’s range when it updates its ordinance.
| Standard | Statewide Range |
| Setback from occupied dwellings (non-participating properties) | 150–200 ft |
| Setback from state-maintained roadbeds | 50–100 ft |
| Setback from wetlands or perennial streams | 100–250 ft |
| Setback from shared property lines (non-participating properties) | 50–75 ft |
| Vegetative buffer width | 25–50 ft |
| Required vegetative buffer height at planting | Up to 3 ft (existing natural or manmade barriers may count) |
| Maximum solar panel height (fully tilted) | 25 ft |
Additional siting requirements include:
- Visual impact minimization near public parks, scenic rivers and byways, and historic resources listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places
- A locality may request a viewshed analysis as part of the application to confirm visual impacts are minimized through panel placement, height, landscaping, and screening
- Facilities must implement light-intensity dimming technology
Are There Height Variances for Agrivoltaic (Dual-Use Solar and Farming) Projects?
Yes. The 25-foot maximum panel height includes an explicit exception: localities may grant a height variance where additional clearance is needed for agrivoltaics, the practice of combining solar generation with farming or grazing beneath or around the panels. “Agrivoltaics” is defined per § 10.1-1197.5 of the Code of Virginia. For developers pursuing dual-use sites, this is a built-in design accommodation.
How Do SB 347 and HB 711 Address Solar Projects on Agricultural Land?
Agriculturally zoned property is explicitly covered by the special exception framework, it’s one of the four zoning categories subject to the new statewide criteria. Two provisions matter most for ag-land projects:
- The agrivoltaics height variance described above, which supports co-located farming and solar generation
- Setback and buffer requirements that apply the same way on agricultural parcels as on commercial or industrial ones
That said, the legislation drew pushback during debate from the Virginia Farm Bureau and the Virginia Association of Counties, both of which raised concerns that uniform statewide numbers don’t account for how much projects vary, a 1 MW project and a 100 MW project can differ enormously in footprint, and Virginia’s geography varies significantly by region. Developers working agricultural sites should expect local conditions and comprehensive plan language to still shape the specifics of an application, even within the statewide baseline.
What Environmental Considerations Must Developers Plan For?
Beyond setbacks and screening, the statewide criteria fold in several environmental and site-management requirements:
- Grading and stormwater-adjacent site disturbance tied to the project’s footprint
- Revegetation of ground cover disturbed during installation
- Soil stabilization as part of both construction and eventual decommissioning
- Viewshed protection near sensitive scenic and historic resources, with a locality-requested viewshed analysis available as a tool
How Do the New Siting Laws Affect Stormwater Planning for Solar Projects?
Stormwater management isn’t rewritten wholesale by SB 347 and HB 711, but it is directly connected to the grading, screening, and site-restoration criteria the laws require in every special exception application. Developers should continue to confirm current, locality-specific stormwater permitting requirements independently, as those requirements sit alongside the new siting criteria. For projects involving home battery storage, understanding these permitting and site requirements can also help developers plan for related energy infrastructure considerations.
What New Decommissioning and Financial Guarantee Requirements Do Developers Face?
The law defines decommission specifically: it means the removal and proper disposal of solar equipment, facilities, and devices, plus reasonable restoration of the property, including soil stabilization and revegetation of any ground cover disturbed by installation.
Every qualifying special exception application must include:
- A decommissioning plan describing how the site will be restored at end of life
- Financial assurance, a bond or surety, sized to the estimated cost of decommissioning
For investors and lenders, this is a meaningful de-risking feature. It standardizes what has historically been negotiated inconsistently county by county, and it gives long-horizon capital a clearer picture of end-of-life liability before committing to a site.
How Will the New SCC Public Database Track Local Zoning Decisions?
SB 347 and HB 711 require the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) to build and maintain a searchable public database of solar special exception decisions. The database must include:
- The reason for any adverse decision
- Any finding of nonconformity with the local comprehensive plan
- The date of the last revision to that comprehensive plan
- Records retained for a period of not less than five years
For developers, this is a practical research tool as much as a transparency measure. Before committing to a site, you can review how a given locality, or comparable localities, has ruled on past applications and why. This information can also help developers evaluate long-term considerations such as solar system maintenance when assessing potential projects. As with any newly mandated public system, it is worth confirming that the database is fully live and populated before relying on it during early site diligence.
What Impact Do These Laws Have on County-Level Percentage Caps or Acreage Limits?
SB 347 and HB 711 set statewide siting and design criteria, setbacks, height, screening, decommissioning, for how a qualifying application must be evaluated. They don’t broadly override a locality’s separate acreage-percentage caps or land-use limits, which several counties maintain independently.
This was one of the more contested points raised by the Virginia Association of Counties during debate, so developers should confirm the current status of any acreage or percentage cap for a specific locality directly with that locality’s planning department. For developers evaluating options with a Solar Energy Company in Richmond VA, confirming these local requirements early can help inform site planning and project decisions.
Will Local Counties Still Be Able to Stop Solar Projects?
Yes, a locality can still deny an individual application. What it can no longer do is refuse to review a qualifying application altogether or maintain a categorical ban that prevents solar developers from applying in the first place. The special exception process gives localities a defined framework to evaluate projects on their merits, while the final approval decision remains theirs. For developers considering a Solar Company in Norfolk VA, understanding this distinction can help clarify how local review and approval decisions may affect project planning.
Will Virginia’s New Siting Laws Make Solar Approvals Faster?
They’re designed to make the process more predictable. Defined statewide criteria, a required review, and the new SCC database all reduce guesswork compared to navigating dozens of inconsistent local ordinances. For developers and a solar company in Chesapeake, understanding these requirements can help with early project planning and local review. But predictability isn’t the same as speed. Some counties are still actively rewriting their ordinances to comply, which can create short-term friction while local rules catch up to the new state framework.
Can Local Governments Impose Requirements Beyond Virginia’s New Siting Standards?
Localities retain meaningful discretion within the statewide framework. They can:
- Set the specific number within each statewide range (for example, a 175-foot dwelling setback
- Request a viewshed analysis where visual impacts near parks, scenic byways, or historic resources are a concern
- Apply comprehensive plan findings and other locally relevant review criteria alongside the statewide baseline
The statewide standards function as a floor and a consistent structure.
How Should Developers Evaluate a Virginia Solar Site Under the New Rules?
A practical site-evaluation checklist under the new framework:
- Confirm the site’s zoning (agricultural, commercial, industrial, or institutional) and generating capacity against the 1 MW threshold
- Map the site against the statewide setback ranges, dwellings, roadbeds, wetlands/streams, and shared property lines
- Check agrivoltaics eligibility if a height variance beyond 25 feet may be needed
- Verify whether the locality’s ordinance has been updated to reflect SB 347/HB 711, or is still in transition
- Review the SCC database (once populated) for comparable past decisions in that locality
- Confirm local acreage/percentage caps separately, since these aren’t necessarily addressed by the new siting criteria
- Scope the decommissioning plan and financial assurance requirement early, since it affects both permitting and financing timelines
What Can Developers Do to Reduce Local Opposition Before Submitting an Application?
- Engage the community early, before filing
- Address comprehensive plan nonconformity proactively if the site doesn’t clearly align with the locality’s existing plan
- Bring visual mitigation to the table before it’s requested, proactive screening and buffer planning can pre-empt a locality-requested viewshed analysis
- Present decommissioning and financial assurance terms transparently, since these were specifically called out as sources of past local distrust
- Treat the statewide baseline as a floor, exceeding the minimum setback, screening, or restoration standards can function as both a compliance and reputational advantage, particularly given the legislature’s stated goal of weeding out bad actors
What Documents Are Needed for Solar Project Approval in Virginia?
A special exception application for a 1 MW+ ground-mounted facility should generally include:
- The special exception (special use permit) application itself
- Site and setback plans demonstrating conformity with the statewide baseline criteria
- A decommissioning plan
- Financial assurance documentation for decommissioning costs
- A viewshed analysis, if requested by the locality
- Supporting materials addressing comprehensive plan conformity (or a response to any nonconformity finding)
Exact document requirements still vary by locality, so confirm the specific checklist with the jurisdiction’s planning department before filing.
How Could Virginia’s New Siting Requirements Affect Solar Project Costs?
Several elements of the new framework carry cost implications worth budgeting for early:
- Buffer and screening requirements, particularly where a locality selects the higher end of the setback or buffer-width range
- Financial assurance/bonding for decommissioning, now a standard requirement
- A viewshed analysis, where a locality requests one
- Design premiums for agrivoltaic configurations, where the added height and dual-use infrastructure increase engineering complexity
At the same time, a more predictable, defined review process can reduce another potential cost: the time and money spent on applications that stall indefinitely or are rejected under an inconsistent local process. For developers considering a Solar Installation Company in Virginia, weighing both sides can help inform project planning and investment decisions.
Will SB 347 and HB 711 Make Virginia More Attractive for Solar Investment?
For investors, SB 347 HB 711 Virginia solar siting creates greater predictability through statewide standards, reducing the uncertainty caused by varying local requirements. The new SCC database also improves transparency by making project information easier to track and evaluate.
However, the law does not guarantee approvals or eliminate local review. County policies, comprehensive plans, and site-specific requirements still influence outcomes, the framework changes the approval process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Virginia solar projects still require local approval?
Yes. SB 347 and HB 711 require localities to review qualifying applications under a defined special exception process, but the locality still makes the final approval decision.
How do new Virginia solar siting laws affect developers?
They replace inconsistent local ordinances with statewide baseline criteria for setbacks, height, screening, and decommissioning, and they add a public SCC database of past decisions, making site evaluation and application preparation more predictable, though not automatically faster or guaranteed to succeed.
What setbacks are required for solar farms in Virginia?
Setbacks fall within statewide ranges: 150–200 ft from occupied dwellings, 50–100 ft from state-maintained roadbeds, 100–250 ft from wetlands or perennial streams, and 50–75 ft from shared property lines. The exact figure within each range is set by the individual locality.
How can developers avoid delays during Virginia solar permitting?
Confirm whether the target locality’s ordinance has been updated to reflect SB 347/HB 711, engage the community and address comprehensive plan concerns before filing, and have the decommissioning plan and financial assurance documentation ready at submission.
Work With Convert Solar
Navigating Virginia solar siting under SB 347 and HB 711 now means evaluating a site against a defined statewide framework, while still accounting for the local specifics that remain within each locality’s discretion. Convert Solar can help you evaluate a site against the new baseline criteria and put together an application built for approval.
