{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/55.1-1951.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/55.1-1951.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/55.1-1951.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/55.1-1951.1.html"}],"law_id":80764,"edition_id":1,"section_id":80764,"structure_id":13236,"section_number":"55.1-1951.1","catch_line":"Installation of solar energy collection devices","history":"2006, c. 939, \u00a7\u00a7 67-700, 67-701; 2008, c. 881; 2009, c. 866; 2013, c. 357; 2014, c. 525; 2020, cc. 272, 795; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387; 2023, cc. 387, 388.","full_text":"A\n\nAs used in this section, “solar energy collection device” means any device manufactured and sold for the sole purpose of facilitating the collection and beneficial use of solar energy, including passive heating panels or building components and solar photovoltaic apparatus.B\n\nNo unit owners’ association shall prohibit an owner from installing a solar energy collection device on that owner’s property unless the recorded declaration for the unit owners’ association establishes such a prohibition. However, a unit owners’ association may establish reasonable restrictions concerning the size, place, and manner of placement of such solar energy collection devices on property designated and intended for individual ownership and use. Any resale certificate pursuant to § 55.1-2309 given to a purchaser shall contain a statement setting forth any restriction, limitation, or prohibition on the right of an owner to install or use solar energy collection devices on his property.C\n\nA restriction shall be deemed not to be reasonable if application of the restriction to a particular proposal (i) increases the cost of installation of the solar energy collection device by five percent over the projected cost of the initially proposed installation or (ii) reduces the energy production by the solar energy collection device by 10 percent below the projected energy production of the initially proposed installation. The owner shall provide documentation prepared by an independent solar panel design specialist, who is certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners and is licensed in Virginia, that is satisfactory to the unit owners’ association to show that the restriction is not reasonable according to the criteria established in this subsection.D\n\nThe unit owners’ association may prohibit or restrict the installation of solar energy collection devices on the common elements or common area within the real estate development served by the unit owners’ association. A unit owners’ association may establish reasonable restrictions as to the number, size, place, and manner of placement or installation of any solar energy collection device installed on the common elements or common area.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":289477,"text":"As used in this section, “solar energy collection device” means any device manufactured and sold for the sole purpose of facilitating the collection and beneficial use of solar energy, including passive heating panels or building components and solar photovoltaic apparatus.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":289478,"text":"No unit owners’ association shall prohibit an owner from installing a solar energy collection device on that owner’s property unless the recorded declaration for the unit owners’ association establishes such a prohibition. However, a unit owners’ association may establish reasonable restrictions concerning the size, place, and manner of placement of such solar energy collection devices on property designated and intended for individual ownership and use. Any resale certificate pursuant to § 55.1-2309 given to a purchaser shall contain a statement setting forth any restriction, limitation, or prohibition on the right of an owner to install or use solar energy collection devices on his property.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":289479,"text":"A restriction shall be deemed not to be reasonable if application of the restriction to a particular proposal (i) increases the cost of installation of the solar energy collection device by five percent over the projected cost of the initially proposed installation or (ii) reduces the energy production by the solar energy collection device by 10 percent below the projected energy production of the initially proposed installation. The owner shall provide documentation prepared by an independent solar panel design specialist, who is certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners and is licensed in Virginia, that is satisfactory to the unit owners’ association to show that the restriction is not reasonable according to the criteria established in this subsection.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":289480,"text":"The unit owners’ association may prohibit or restrict the installation of solar energy collection devices on the common elements or common area within the real estate development served by the unit owners’ association. A unit owners’ association may establish reasonable restrictions as to the number, size, place, and manner of placement or installation of any solar energy collection device installed on the common elements or common area.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13236,"edition_id":1,"name":"Management of Condominium","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13018,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","permalink":{"id":246789,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13236,"identifier":"3","token":"55.1\/IV\/19\/3","url":"\/55.1\/IV\/19\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13018,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Condominium Act","identifier":"19","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12914,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:09","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:09","permalink":{"id":246623,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13018,"identifier":"19","token":"55.1\/IV\/19","url":"\/55.1\/IV\/19\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12914,"edition_id":1,"name":"Common Interest Communities","identifier":"IV","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12707,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:01","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:01","permalink":{"id":246473,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12914,"identifier":"IV","token":"55.1\/IV","url":"\/55.1\/IV\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12707,"edition_id":1,"name":"Property and Conveyances","identifier":"55.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":244769,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12707,"identifier":"55.1","token":"55.1","url":"\/55.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":75299,"structure_id":13236,"section_number":"55.1-1940","catch_line":"Bylaws to be recorded with declaration; 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necessary supporting structures; affirmative defense","url":"\/55.1-1951\/","token":"55.1\/IV\/19\/3\/55.1-1951","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":70408,"structure_id":13236,"section_number":"55.1-1952","catch_line":"Meetings of unit owners' association and executive board; quorums","url":"\/55.1-1952\/","token":"55.1\/IV\/19\/3\/55.1-1952","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/55.1-1951.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2006. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 939<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 6 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2008, chapter 881<\/a>; in 2009, chapter 866<\/a>; in 2013, chapter 357<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 525<\/a>; in 2020, chapters 272<\/a> and 795<\/a>; in 2023, chapters 387<\/a> and 388<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":70933,"section_number":"55.1-2309","catch_line":"Resale certificate; delivery","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-2309\/"}],"permalink":{"id":246843,"object_type":"law","relational_id":80764,"identifier":"55.1-1951.1","token":"55.1\/IV\/19\/3\/55.1-1951.1","url":"\/55.1-1951.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/55.1-1951.1\/","token":"55.1\/IV\/19\/3\/55.1-1951.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Installation of solar energy collection devices","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 55.1-1951.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> As used in this section, “solar energy collection device<\/span>” means any device manufactured and sold for the sole purpose of facilitating the collection and beneficial use of solar energy, including passive heating panels<\/span> or building components and solar photovoltaic apparatus. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> No unit owners<\/span>’ association shall prohibit an owner from installing a solar energy collection device<\/span> on that owner’s property unless the recorded declaration for the unit owners<\/span>’ association establishes such a prohibition. However, a unit owners<\/span>’ association may establish reasonable restrictions concerning the size<\/span>, place, and manner of placement of such solar energy collection devices<\/span> on property designated and intended for individual ownership and use. Any resale certificate pursuant to § 55.1-2309<\/a> given to a purchaser<\/span> shall contain a statement setting forth any restriction, limitation, or prohibition on the right of an owner to install or use solar energy collection devices<\/span> on his property. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A restriction shall be deemed not to be reasonable if application of the restriction to a particular proposal (i) increases the cost of installation of the solar energy collection device<\/span> by five percent over the projected cost of the initially proposed installation or (ii) reduces the energy production by the solar energy collection device<\/span> by 10 percent below the projected energy production of the initially proposed installation. The owner shall provide documentation prepared by an independent solar panel<\/span> design specialist, who is certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners and is licensed in Virginia, that is satisfactory to the unit owners<\/span>’ association to show that the restriction is not reasonable according to the criteria established in this subsection. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The unit owners<\/span>’ association may prohibit or restrict the installation of solar energy collection devices<\/span> on the common elements<\/span> or common area within the real estate development served by the unit owners<\/span>’ association. A unit owners<\/span>’ association may establish reasonable restrictions as to the number, size<\/span>, place, and manner of placement or installation of any solar energy collection device<\/span> installed on the common elements<\/span> or common area. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nINSTALLATION OF SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTION DEVICES (\u00a7 55.1-1951.1)\n\nA. As used in this section, “solar energy collection device” means\nany device manufactured and sold for the sole purpose of facilitating the\ncollection and beneficial use of solar energy, including passive heating panels\nor building components and solar photovoltaic apparatus.\n\nB. No unit owners’ association shall prohibit an owner from installing a\nsolar energy collection device on that owner’s property unless the\nrecorded declaration for the unit owners’ association establishes such a\nprohibition. However, a unit owners’ association may establish reasonable\nrestrictions concerning the size, place, and manner of placement of such solar\nenergy collection devices on property designated and intended for individual\nownership and use. Any resale certificate pursuant to § 55.1-2309 given to\na purchaser shall contain a statement setting forth any restriction, limitation,\nor prohibition on the right of an owner to install or use solar energy\ncollection devices on his property.\n\nC. A restriction shall be deemed not to be reasonable if application of the\nrestriction to a particular proposal (i) increases the cost of installation of\nthe solar energy collection device by five percent over the projected cost of\nthe initially proposed installation or (ii) reduces the energy production by the\nsolar energy collection device by 10 percent below the projected energy\nproduction of the initially proposed installation. The owner shall provide\ndocumentation prepared by an independent solar panel design specialist, who is\ncertified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners and is\nlicensed in Virginia, that is satisfactory to the unit owners’ association\nto show that the restriction is not reasonable according to the criteria\nestablished in this subsection.\n\nD. The unit owners’ association may prohibit or restrict the installation\nof solar energy collection devices on the common elements or common area within\nthe real estate development served by the unit owners’ association. A unit\nowners’ association may establish reasonable restrictions as to the\nnumber, size, place, and manner of placement or installation of any solar energy\ncollection device installed on the common elements or common area.\n\nHISTORY: 2006, c. 939, \u00a7\u00a7 67-700, 67-701; 2008, c. 881; 2009, c. 866; 2013, c.\n357; 2014, c. 525; 2020, cc. 272, 795; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387; 2023, cc. 387,\n388.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}