What Happens After You Sign a Solar Contract in Illinois? From Agreement to Installation, PTO & Illinois Shines

Updated: September 22, 2026 · Estimated read time: 12 minutes

You signed the solar agreement.

Now what?

Do the panels go up next week?

Does Illinois Shines approve the project before installation?

Who pulls the permits?

What is “Permission to Operate”?

When does net metering start?

And when does the Illinois solar incentive actually get paid?

The solar sales process gets a lot of attention.

But for homeowners, what happens after the signature can be just as important.

A typical Illinois residential solar project can involve:

• Site survey

• Final engineering

• Permitting

• Illinois Shines paperwork

• Utility interconnection

• Installation

• Municipal inspection

• Permission to Operate

• Net metering

• Illinois Shines Part II review

• REC payments

Some steps happen one after another.

Others can overlap.

And the exact timeline depends on your installer, municipality, utility, equipment, project design, and Illinois Shines application status.

Here's what Illinois homeowners should expect.

Quick Answer

A typical Illinois solar project generally follows a path like this:

1. Disclosure Form + solar contract

↓

2. Site survey and final system design

↓

3. Illinois Shines Part I application

↓

4. Illinois Commerce Commission approval + REC contract

↓

5. Permits and utility interconnection approval

↓

6. Solar installation

↓

7. Inspection + utility authorization / PTO

↓

8. Solar system begins operating

↓

9. Net-metering credits begin appearing

↓

10. Illinois Shines Part II application

↓

11. REC incentive payments begin under the applicable contract

The important thing to understand is:

Your solar panels can be installed and producing electricity before the Illinois Shines incentive process is fully finished.

Those are related processes—but they are not exactly the same process.

Table of Contents

1. Before the signature: the Disclosure Form

2. Step 1: Contract signed

3. Step 2: Site survey

4. Step 3: Final solar design

5. Step 4: Illinois Shines Part I

6. Step 5: ICC approval and REC contract

7. Step 6: Permits and utility interconnection

8. Step 7: Installation day

9. Step 8: Inspection

10. Step 9: Permission to Operate

11. Step 10: Net metering begins

12. Step 11: Illinois Shines Part II

13. Step 12: REC payments

14. Why solar timelines vary

15. Ameren vs. ComEd vs. CWLP

16. What homeowners should monitor

17. What if the project stalls?

18. Frequently asked questions

Before the Signature: The Illinois Shines Disclosure Form

Technically, the process starts before the solar contract.

For a qualifying Illinois Shines distributed-generation project, the homeowner should receive:

Illinois Shines informational materials

and:

A standardized Disclosure Form

before signing the installation agreement.

Illinois Shines currently requires the Disclosure Form to be completed and signed before the distributed-generation contract is signed.

That's intentional.

The Disclosure Form is designed to help homeowners understand important project details such as:

• System size

• Estimated production

• Project cost

• Financing or PPA structure

• Illinois Shines treatment

• Incentive information

• Companies involved

If you're still at this stage, our Solar Quote Checklist for Illinois homeowners explains the numbers you should review before committing.

Once the Disclosure Form and contract are signed, the project can begin moving forward.

Step 1: Your Solar Contract Is Signed

This is the point many homeowners think:

“Great. When are the panels coming?”

Usually, not immediately.

Signing the contract authorizes the project team to begin the detailed work required to turn the sales proposal into an actual permitted solar installation.

That can include:

• Confirming homeowner information

• Collecting utility information

• Verifying financing

• Scheduling the site survey

• Preparing Illinois Shines documentation

• Starting utility or permitting work

• Confirming equipment

The proposal you saw during the sales process is usually not the final construction drawing.

That comes next.

Step 2: The Site Survey

The site survey is where the project moves from:

Computer model

to:

Your actual house.

A site-survey team may verify things like:

• Roof dimensions

• Roof condition

• Roof pitch

• Shading

• Attic or structural conditions

• Electrical panel

• Utility meter

• Main service

• Proposed inverter location

• Battery location, if applicable

• Conduit route

• Equipment-clearance requirements

This can change the final design.

For example, the original proposal might show:

28 panels

but the survey reveals a roof obstruction or setback requirement.

The final system might become:

27 panels

or the layout may shift.

That's normal.

What matters is that any meaningful change is explained to the homeowner.

Step 3: Final Engineering and System Design

After the site survey, engineers or designers create the final construction package.

This can include:

• Panel layout

• Electrical one-line diagram

• Inverter configuration

• Structural information

• Battery configuration

• Equipment specifications

• Service-panel information

• Utility details

This is also the point where the final:

System size

and:

Expected production

should be confirmed.

If the final design changes materially from the original proposal, ask how that affects:

• Annual production

• Solar offset

• Price

• Incentive calculations

• Battery sizing

Our 100% vs. 110% Solar Offset guide explains why even a small design change can affect the proposal economics.

Step 4: Illinois Shines Part I Application

Illinois Shines calls the initial project application:

Part I

The project's Approved Vendor submits this application.

That's an important distinction.

Your salesperson may not be the Approved Vendor.

Your installer may not be the Approved Vendor.

The Approved Vendor is the company responsible for enrolling the project in Illinois Shines and managing the Renewable Energy Credit relationship.

Illinois Shines says Part I is submitted after the homeowner has completed the required Disclosure Form.

The Program Administrator reviews the application and verifies the project information.

If something is missing or incorrect, the Approved Vendor may be asked to make corrections.

Illinois Shines currently gives Approved Vendors a correction period when deficiencies are identified.

How Can You Check Whether Part I Was Submitted?

You don't have to rely entirely on:

“Don't worry, it's processing.”

Illinois Shines now provides an online:

Project Lookup Tool

You can search using:

• Application ID

• Disclosure Form ID

• Customer email address

The tool can show where your application sits in the Illinois Shines process.

Use the official Illinois Shines Project Status Tool.

This is one of the most useful resources Illinois solar homeowners have.

Save your:

Disclosure Form ID

and:

Application ID

when available.

Step 5: Illinois Commerce Commission Review

After Illinois Shines verifies Part I, qualifying applications are submitted in batches to the:

Illinois Commerce Commission

The ICC reviews the project applications and approves the corresponding Renewable Energy Credit contracts.

Illinois Shines says the Commission generally meets approximately every two weeks.

Applications have submission deadlines before each Commission meeting, so missing a cutoff can push a project into a later approval cycle.

This is one reason a project may appear to:

“Sit there for a while”

even though nothing is technically wrong.

Step 6: The REC Contract Is Executed

Once the Illinois Commerce Commission approves the project, the applicable Contracting Utility and Approved Vendor execute the REC contract.

The Contracting Utility is the utility purchasing the Renewable Energy Credits.

This can be confusing because:

Your Contracting Utility and your Service Utility are not always the same company.

For example, a homeowner can physically receive electricity from a municipal utility while the Illinois Shines REC transaction involves a separate contracting utility.

That distinction is especially relevant in municipal territories.

Illinois Shines currently identifies Ameren Illinois, ComEd, and MidAmerican as Contracting Utilities under the Program.

CHECK YOUR PROJECT STATUS

Already signed solar and wondering where your project is?

Before assuming the project has stalled, determine which stage it's actually in.

Check:

Site survey

Design

Permits

Illinois Shines Part I

Utility interconnection

Installation

Inspection

PTO

Part II

You can also use the official Illinois Shines Project Lookup Tool to check the Program side of the process.

If you're still comparing solar options:

CHECK MY HOME

Project timelines vary by utility, municipality, installer, financing, equipment availability, Illinois Shines processing, inspections, weather, and other factors.

Step 7: Permits and Utility Interconnection

Meanwhile, the project also needs to satisfy your local government and electric utility.

These are separate from Illinois Shines.

That distinction is important.

A project can be:

Approved by Illinois Shines

but not yet:

Approved by the utility to operate.

The installer may need to submit:

• Building permit

• Electrical permit

• Structural information

• Interconnection application

• Equipment specifications

• One-line diagram

• Net-metering information

Requirements differ depending on where you live.

This is where knowing whether you have:

Ameren

ComEd

or:

CWLP

becomes important.

Read our Ameren vs. ComEd vs. CWLP Solar guide for the utility differences.

Ameren Illinois Interconnection

Ameren Illinois currently states that a solar system cannot operate until:

• The Interconnection Application has been approved

• The required Certificate of Completion has been submitted

• Ameren has issued the final signed authorization allowing operation

So:

Panels installed does not automatically mean panels can be turned on.

The utility process still has to be completed.

ComEd Interconnection

ComEd uses a similar principle.

Its current interconnection guidance says the solar system must receive approval through the interconnection process and a signed:

Certificate of Completion

before operating in parallel with the ComEd grid.

ComEd explicitly warns customers not to energize interconnected solar equipment before receiving permission to operate.

Net-metering enrollment generally follows the approved interconnection process.

Springfield / CWLP Interconnection

Springfield homeowners have a different utility:

City Water, Light and Power

CWLP operates its own solar application and interconnection process.

CWLP provides:

• Interconnection Application

• Net Metering Contract

• Solar Data Sheet

• Installation requirements

• Equipment requirements

Eligible systems 25 kW and smaller generally use CWLP's standard solar application process.

Springfield homeowners should not assume an Ameren process applies just because Ameren serves nearby communities.

Our Ameren vs. ComEd vs. CWLP guide goes deeper into that distinction.

Step 8: Installation Day

Eventually, the day homeowners have been waiting for arrives.

Solar panels go on the roof.

Depending on the system, installation may also include:

• Inverter

• Rapid shutdown equipment

• Electrical disconnects

• New meter equipment

• Battery storage

• Backup gateway

• Main-panel modifications

• Conduit

• Monitoring hardware

A straightforward residential rooftop project might physically go up relatively quickly.

But:

Physical installation is not the end of the project.

There may still be:

• Electrical work

• Municipal inspection

• Utility inspection

• Meter work

• PTO

• Monitoring setup

• Illinois Shines Part II

So if the installer leaves and the panels aren't yet generating electricity, that does not necessarily mean something is wrong.

Step 9: Municipal or Electrical Inspection

Before the utility authorizes operation, the project may need approval from the applicable Authority Having Jurisdiction.

That could include:

• City

• Village

• County

• Electrical inspector

• Building department

The inspector verifies that the project complies with applicable codes and approved plans.

If the inspector finds an issue, the installer may need to make corrections and schedule another inspection.

This is another point where timelines can vary significantly between municipalities.

Step 10: Permission to Operate

This is one of the biggest milestones.

You'll often hear it called:

PTO — Permission to Operate

Ameren uses language such as authorization to operate.

ComEd uses the signed Certificate of Completion as permission to operate in parallel with its system.

Whatever the terminology:

This is the point when the utility has approved your solar system to operate while connected to the electric grid.

Do not confuse:

Installation complete

with:

Permission to Operate received.

They're separate milestones.

“My Panels Are Installed. Why Aren't They On?”

This is one of the most common homeowner questions.

The answer may simply be:

You're waiting for final inspection or utility approval.

The system might physically look finished.

But the utility needs to confirm that the interconnected equipment can operate safely with the grid.

Turning on the system prematurely can violate utility requirements.

So if you see finished panels but no production in the app:

Ask:

Has inspection passed?

and:

Have we received PTO?

Those two questions are more useful than:

“Why isn't my solar working?”

Step 11: Net Metering Begins

Once the system has utility authorization and the account is properly configured, solar generation can begin affecting your utility billing.

Illinois Shines says homeowners generally begin seeing net-metering credits within approximately:

1–2 months

after the system begins operating.

That doesn't necessarily mean the very next electric bill will perfectly reflect solar.

Meter cycles, enrollment timing, billing setup, and utility processing can affect the first statement.

And the value of exported solar depends on your utility.

New Ameren and ComEd customers generally use the newer supply-only net-metering structure.

CWLP currently uses its own municipal full-retail net-metering structure.

Our Illinois Net Metering 2026 guide explains those differences.

Step 12: Illinois Shines Part II Application

Here's where homeowners sometimes get confused.

Your solar system may already be:

Installed

and:

Generating electricity

while the Illinois Shines application is still moving through the final stage.

That's normal.

Once the system is completed and operating, the Approved Vendor submits:

Part II

Part II contains the final project information showing that the system was actually built and energized.

This can include confirmation of:

• Final system size

• Equipment

• Energization

• Project specifications

• Required documentation

Illinois Shines reviews the information.

If something is incomplete or inconsistent, the Approved Vendor may need to make corrections.

Illinois Shines currently warns that Part II review can take a few months, and actual application-processing times can fluctuate depending on submission volume.

So don't assume:

PTO = Illinois Shines payment tomorrow.

Those are different milestones.

Can I Check Part II Status Too?

Yes.

This is one of the improvements Illinois Shines made to its Project Lookup Tool in 2026.

The system now provides more detailed application-status information for both Part I and Part II.

That can include statuses involving:

• Submission

• Payment

• Corrections / additional information

• Verification

Again, use:

Illinois Shines Project Status

If the status isn't what you expected, start by contacting your Approved Vendor.

Step 13: The Approved Vendor Invoices for RECs

Once Part II is successfully completed, the Approved Vendor can invoice the applicable Contracting Utility for the project's Renewable Energy Credits.

And this is where 2026 brought an important change.

For qualifying small distributed-generation projects of 25 kW or less under the 2026 15-Year REC Delivery Contract, Illinois Shines currently says the payment structure is:

50% upfront at energization

with:

The remaining amount paid quarterly over the following six years.

This is different from some older Illinois Shines contracts that paid more of the REC value upfront.

So if somebody tells a 2026 homeowner:

“Illinois Shines sends the entire incentive as one big payment after installation.”

that may not accurately describe the current contract structure.

Does the Homeowner Receive the REC Payment?

Not necessarily.

Illinois Shines pays the:

Approved Vendor

through the Contracting Utility.

What happens economically after that depends on the homeowner's agreement.

The REC value might be:

Passed through to the homeowner

in whole or in part.

Reflected as a lower project price

instead of a later payment.

Retained by a third-party system owner

under a lease or PPA structure.

Your contract should explain this.

For third-party ownership, read our Illinois Solar PPA Guide.

Don't assume:

Illinois Shines incentive = homeowner check.

Understand exactly how your proposal handles the value.

How Long Does the Whole Solar Process Take?

There isn't one honest statewide answer.

Your project might move relatively quickly.

Another homeowner's otherwise similar project might take much longer.

Possible delays include:

• Site-survey scheduling

• Engineering revisions

• Roof issues

• Main-panel upgrades

• Equipment changes

• Financing

• Permitting

• Illinois Shines application volume

• ICC approval cycles

• Utility engineering

• Interconnection

• Municipal inspection

• Failed inspection

• Weather

• Equipment shortages

• Battery review

• PTO processing

That's why I would be cautious of any salesperson who guarantees:

“You'll definitely be installed and turned on in exactly 30 days.”

Maybe.

But a lot of people outside the salesperson's control need to approve the project.

What Can the Homeowner Actually Control?

More than you might think.

You can reduce avoidable delays by:

Responding quickly

If the installer requests:

• Utility bill

• Signature

• Property document

• Financing document

• Scheduling confirmation

respond promptly.

Making sure the utility account information is accurate

Names and service addresses should match.

Keeping appointments

Site survey, installation, inspection, and homeowner-required appointments matter.

Avoiding unnecessary design changes after approval

Changing panels, batteries, or system size late in the process can require revisions.

Saving your paperwork

Keep your:

• Contract

• Disclosure Form

• Application ID

• Equipment details

• Utility approvals

• Warranty information

You'll want these later.

What Should Your Solar Company Be Updating You About?

Homeowners shouldn't have to wonder for three months:

“What is happening?”

A useful project-status update should identify the actual milestone.

For example:

Site survey complete

rather than:

Everything looks good.

Or:

Waiting for municipal permit

rather than:

Still processing.

A good milestone list is:

1. Contract signed

2. Site survey completed

3. Final design approved

4. Part I submitted

5. ICC / REC approval

6. Permit approved

7. Utility interconnection approved

8. Installation scheduled

9. Installation completed

10. Inspection passed

11. PTO received

12. Net metering activated

13. Part II submitted

14. Part II approved

15. REC payment processing

That's much easier to understand than:

“Pending.”

What If the System Is Installed but Illinois Shines Seems Stuck?

First:

Check your project status.

Use your Application ID, Disclosure Form ID, or email.

Then contact your Approved Vendor.

Remember:

Installer

and:

Approved Vendor

may be different companies.

The installer handles the physical system.

The Approved Vendor handles the Illinois Shines application and REC relationship.

Our guide to what happens if a solar company goes out of business in Illinois explains why knowing the difference matters if a project becomes stranded.

What If the Utility Is the Delay?

Ask specifically:

“What utility milestone are we waiting for?”

Examples:

Interconnection application review

Engineering review

Meter work

Certificate of Completion

PTO

Different utilities use different procedures.

If you're served by Ameren, ComEd, or Springfield's CWLP, read our Illinois Utility Solar Comparison.

Knowing the terminology makes status updates much easier to understand.

What If the Final Solar System Is Different From the Proposal?

Small changes can happen after the site survey.

But don't ignore them.

If the final system changes from:

10.25 kW

to:

9.43 kW

ask:

• Why did it change?

• How does annual production change?

• How does solar offset change?

• Does the price change?

• Does the Illinois Shines calculation change?

• Does battery sizing change?

The final project should still make sense under the new numbers.

Don't focus only on whether:

“The panels still fit.”

What If I Have a Battery?

Battery storage can add additional steps.

The project may require:

• Battery schematics

• Additional engineering

• Utility approval

• Backup configuration

• Electrical equipment

• Program documentation

Illinois Shines has specifically reported that battery schematics can add complexity to Part II review.

So a solar + storage project may not move at exactly the same pace as solar-only.

For battery-specific questions, read our Illinois Solar Battery Guide.

Does Signing Mean Installation Is Guaranteed?

Not necessarily.

A project still has to pass through technical and administrative steps.

Potential issues could include:

• Roof not suitable

• Electrical upgrades too costly

• Utility interconnection limitation

• Financing problem

• Permit issue

• Major design change

The contract should explain cancellation, redesign, and project-contingency terms.

This is another reason homeowners should understand the agreement before signing.

Our Solar Sales Red Flags guide covers warning signs to watch for before the contract stage.

10 Questions to Ask After You Sign

1. When is my site survey?

Get the next concrete milestone.

2. Who is my Approved Vendor?

Don't assume it's the salesperson.

3. Has my Illinois Shines Part I application been submitted?

Ask for status information.

4. What permits are required?

City? County? Electrical?

5. Has the utility interconnection application been submitted?

Know the utility milestone.

6. Is my final design the same as the proposal?

Check system size and production.

7. When will installation happen?

Ask after the major approvals are known.

8. What must happen before PTO?

Inspection? Utility paperwork? Meter work?

9. When will Part II be submitted?

Usually after installation and energization.

10. How does my contract handle the REC value?

Homeowner payment?

Project discount?

Third-party owner?

Understand this before waiting for a “rebate check” that may not exist in the way you expected.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens immediately after I sign a solar contract?

The company generally begins project intake, site-survey scheduling, final engineering, Illinois Shines paperwork, permitting, and utility-interconnection work.

When is the Illinois Shines application submitted?

The Approved Vendor can begin the Illinois Shines application process after the homeowner has signed the required Disclosure Form. Part I is the initial application.

Does Illinois Shines approve my solar installation?

Illinois Shines handles the solar incentive and REC program. Local authorities and the electric utility handle separate permitting, inspection, interconnection, and operating approvals.

Can my solar panels be installed before Illinois Shines Part II?

Yes. Part II is submitted after the system is completed and operating.

Can my solar system operate immediately after installation?

Not necessarily. Utility authorization and applicable inspection requirements must be satisfied before an interconnected system can operate.

What is PTO?

PTO generally means Permission to Operate—the utility's authorization allowing the interconnected solar system to operate with the grid.

When do net-metering credits begin?

Illinois Shines says customers generally begin seeing credits approximately 1–2 months after the solar system starts operating, although billing timing can vary.

When does Illinois Shines Part II happen?

After the solar project is installed and energized, the Approved Vendor submits final documentation through Part II.

Does the homeowner receive Illinois Shines money directly?

Usually the Contracting Utility pays the Approved Vendor. How the REC value benefits the homeowner depends on the installation contract, financing, lease, or PPA structure.

Is the entire Illinois Shines incentive paid upfront in 2026?

Not for qualifying small-DG projects under the 2026 15-Year REC Delivery Contract. The current structure provides 50% upfront at energization, with the remainder paid quarterly over six years to the Approved Vendor.

The Biggest Thing to Remember

A solar project has several parallel tracks:

The physical project

Survey → design → permits → installation → inspection

The utility project

Interconnection → Certificate of Completion / PTO → net metering

The Illinois Shines project

Disclosure Form → Part I → ICC approval → REC contract → Part II → REC payments

They interact.

But they're not the same thing.

That explains why:

Your panels can be installed but not turned on yet.

Your solar can be producing while Part II is still processing.

Your Illinois Shines application can be approved while you're still waiting for installation.

Understanding the different tracks makes the entire experience far less confusing.

Thinking About Solar?

At LuNova Solar, we believe homeowners should understand what happens after the signature—not just what happens before it.

A good solar experience should give you clear milestones:

What happens next.

Who is responsible.

What we're waiting for.

And when the project moves forward.

SEE IF SOLAR MAKES SENSE FOR YOUR HOME

No pressure.

Just a clearer look at the entire solar process—from the first estimate to a working system.

Related Illinois Solar Guides

Before You Go Solar in Illinois: 7 Things Every Homeowner Should Check

I Got a Solar Quote. Now What? 10 Numbers to Check Before Signing

10 Solar Sales Red Flags Illinois Homeowners Should Know

Ameren vs. ComEd vs. CWLP Solar: Why Your Utility Changes Everything

Illinois Net Metering Changed: What Homeowners Need to Know

Solar Battery or No Battery? What Illinois Homeowners Actually Need

What Is a Solar PPA? The Illinois Homeowner's Guide

Selling a House With Solar in Illinois

Sources & References

Illinois Shines — Project Status & Program Steps

Illinois Shines — Disclosure Forms

Illinois Shines — Project Application Reports

Illinois Shines — 2026–27 Program Documents

Ameren Illinois — Customer-Owned Solar

ComEd — Rooftop Solar & Interconnection

CWLP — Renewable Energy & Net Metering

LuNova Solar provides general educational information and does not provide legal, tax, engineering, utility, financial, or regulatory advice. Project sequencing and timelines vary by utility, municipality, installer, equipment, financing, inspections, weather, Illinois Shines processing, and other factors. Program rules and payment structures can change. Verify current requirements with your solar provider, Approved Vendor, utility, municipality, and Illinois Shines as applicable.