Iowa Utility Interconnection Applications – Solar, Storage & EV

Electric utilities subject to IUC rate regulation (MidAmerican Energy, Interstate Power & Light/Alliant) for DG not subject to FERC/MISO/SPP/affected-system interconnection requirements (199-45.1 'Utility', 45.2). >10 MVA starts at Level 4.

Application form

Commission-approved statewide interconnection request forms and agreements posted on iuc.iowa.gov (Level 1 Interconnection Request Application form and Distributed Generation Interconnection Agreement incl. Conditional Agreement; Level 2/3/4 forms; Certificate of Completion) (199-45.4(1)); electronic submission if agreed.

Timelines

Level 1: completeness 7 BD, screens 15 BD; approval conditioned on local electrical code approval, Certificate of Completion, witness test (completed or waived), signed Conditional Agreement within 30 BD (+15 BD extension). Level 2: completeness 10 BD, screens 20 BD. Witness test needs 15 BD notice. Preapplication report $300.

Fees

Caps (199-45.4(3)): L1 $125 (+$125 witness test); L2 $250 + $1/kVA (+$125); L3 $500 + $2/kVA; L4 $1,000 + $2/kVA. Preapplication report $300.

Insurance

Chapter 45 text contains no insurance requirement (terms may be in commission-approved forms; not checked).

External disconnect

Required for DG placed in service after 2015-07-01: customer-owned disconnection device easily visible and adjacent to meter (within 10 ft home/business, 30 ft multi-building; 30-72 in height), labeled; permanent placard within 10 ft of meter (199-45.3(2)).

Export compensation

Net billing – Iowa Code §476.49; utility tariffs
Rate-regulated utilities file either net billing (monthly kWh credit, annual cash-out at avoided cost split with LIHEAP) or inflow-outflow billing (hourly/subhourly, credited at retail volumetric rate for 20 years until value-of-solar). Facility <=1 MW AC and <=110% of annual usage. Value-of-solar proceeding after 2027-07-01 petition or 5% statewide DG penetration.

Not bound by the rule

Municipal utilities and non-rate-regulated electric cooperatives are outside 199 IAC 45 and §476.49 definitions (rate-regulated utilities only); they adopt their own interconnection and net metering/buyback policies.

Level	Up to	Criteria / review / fee
Level 1	20 kW	Inverter-based, lab-certified, <=20 kVA, no utility construction · Completeness 7 BD (10 BD cure); screens 15 BD after complete · max $125 + up to $125 witness test
Level 2	2000 kW	Lab-certified, radial or single-customer spot network; non-inverter <=2 MVA; inverter by voltage table (<5 kV <500 kVA; 5-15 kV <2 MVA (<3 MVA mainline near sub); up to <5 MVA at 30-69 kV) · Completeness 10 BD; screens 20 BD after complete · max $250 + $1/kVA + up to $125 witness test
Level 3		Non-exporting to area networks (<=50 kVA) or radial circuits · max $500 + $2/kVA
Level 4	10000 kW	<=10 MVA, not all equipment lab-certified or failing lower levels; studies · max $1,000 + $2/kVA plus study costs

199 IAC ch. 45: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/199.45.pdf (retrieved 2026-11-13)
Iowa Code §476.49: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/476.49.pdf (retrieved 2026-11-13)

All 182 utilities in Iowa

Residential customers in Iowa per EIA-861 (2025). Customer counts = bundled + delivery-only service (EIA-861 Part A + Part D). Service territory is reported by county; a county can be served by several utilities.

Gridpol Unlimited

$500 / month

Unlimited interconnection applications. 12-month agreement, signed online. The agreement starts the day you sign; first invoice right away, then monthly.

Unlimited interconnection applications
Single-line diagram and site plan for every application
Pre-submission check against the utility’s requirements
Homeowner e-signature link for the authorization
Filing in your utility portal accounts or by the utility’s method
Utility questions, corrections and resubmissions
Follow-up through approval, inspection and PTO
Customer list, exports, API and webhooks

Get started

Applications are typically submitted within 2 business days after complete documents. Utility review times are set by each utility.

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