•  HOAs now must respond within 15 to 35 calendar days to homeowner applications about installing rooftop solar, and either approve or deny them in writing within that time frame.
• If an HOA has no policy or rules for solar requests, the 15-day window starts as soon as the homeowner submits a completed installation request, and the HOA cannot delay or defer it.
• HOAs may still impose “reasonable” restrictions on the placement or appearance of solar installations, but no unreasonable bans are allowed.

What does this mean for HOA Managers?

You have to prepare.

• If your HOA has no existing solar guidelines, the 15-day clock starts the moment the homeowner submits an application. So, HOAs are well advised to implement policies regarding solar installation into the community’s governing documents.

• If the HOA has solar guidelines in place, the association has up to 35 days to consider a homeowner’s request to install solar.

• Regardless, the ticking 15–35-day timebomb means the board can’t “punt” a decision to future meetings or wait on board reviews. To ensure the association’s rights are protected, it needs to have a clear, written solar approval policy and a workflow plan to deal with applications in place and fully functional before October 1st.

• Review and update your ARC and ACC processes as needed and get them into compliance with the law.

After the law goes into effect, inattention could be costly. 

• No HOA response means you’re at risk of the homeowner moving forward without approval and they’ll likely be legally protected.
• Associations who ignore or delay applications risk putting HOA and the board in legal jeopardy, inclusive of lawsuits, fines, or forced policy rewrites.

• Community managers must be focused on coordinating turnaround for solar applications because 15 days will fly by.

• • As “the enforcer,” you’re the front line between homeowners and the board.  When delays happen, you are going to be the one who gets blamed, fairly or not.  So smart managers will avoid being scapegoats by:
    • Logging dates of application submissions
    • Tracking approval/denial deadlines
    • Providing written responses, with legal reasons when denying applications
    • Knowing what “reasonable restrictions” means under Nevada law

• Equitably enforcing rules

After October 1, 2025, the old playbook does not work anymore. 

• HOAs cannot look to vague CC&Rs or design guidelines to provide cover for any delay or denial of solar requests.
• Senate Bill 440 overrides that potential as the new state law now defines HOA timelines and behavior.
• If an HOA is guilty of slow reviews, nitpicky objections, or unclear policies, it could:
  • Lose enforcement power
  • Get sued
  • Be forced, by court order, to update governing documents

During times of transition, good managers stand out.

• Community managers who get ahead of this law will be heroes to their boards and residents.
• By preparing:
  • A solar request process
  • A response letter template for both acceptance and denial
  • A policy outlining “reasonable restrictions” (e.g., placement, color)
  • Homeowner and contractor indemnity agreements
  • And training your board…

…you make the board’s job easier and protect your reputation as a competent, proactive manager.

The bottom-line reality is that things have changed.

Senate Bill 440’s stipulations are not optional. It’s a state mandate with teeth. Ignoring it exposes you and the HOA to lawsuits, forced approvals, and bad press. Embracing it sets you apart as a manager who understands the law and protects your community from legal risk and homeowner backlash.