Solar installation in the Canton of LucerneFrom Sursee to Entlebuch.

Permit: notification for most roofs

Under Art. 18a RPG, sufficiently well-integrated solar systems on roofs and facades in building and agricultural zones do not need a building permit. The Canton of Lucerne sets out the details in the planning and building ordinance (PBV). What matters there is the size: systems with an area under 20 m² are generally not subject to notification. Areas with protected townscape and inventoried buildings worthy of protection are excluded. You notify systems over 20 m² to your commune on the notification form, at least 20 days before construction (§ 54 PBV).

A building permit is still needed for cultural and natural monuments of cantonal or national importance. These include objects in the cantonal register of monuments, together with their surroundings protection, and buildings classed as worthy of protection in the building inventory. That does not mean no system is possible there. It needs a building application and a conversation with the heritage protection office. The city of Lucerne has its own procedure, which we clarify with the city.

Subsidies in the Canton of Lucerne

The Canton of Lucerne does not directly subsidise photovoltaics. For your system, the federal one-off payment (Einmalvergütung, EIV) through Pronovo applies. Since 1 April 2025 there has been no base amount. For add-on systems under 30 kWp the federal government pays CHF 360 per kWp, for integrated systems CHF 400 per kWp. We check when preparing the quote whether your commune or your energy supplier contributes anything on top. We name no amounts that we cannot back up.

For tax purposes, for existing buildings the system has counted among the deductible energy-saving measures since the 2023 tax period. For new builds, photovoltaic systems within three years of completion are excluded.

Grid operator and power price

In the Canton of Lucerne, CKW supplies 70 of the 79 communes. The household tariff (H4, excluding VAT) is 25.4 ct./kWh. This is the cantonal median and is below the Swiss median of 27.7 ct. A few small utilities such as EWS, Elektra Luthern or Elektra Hergiswil-Dorf are higher, at 27.9 to 29.1 ct. The higher your power price, the more self-consumption pays off.

The grid operator pays for the electricity you feed into the grid. The rate differs from one utility to the next. We calculate with the tariff of your utility.

New builds and roof renovation

Since 1 March 2025, new buildings and renovations of the roof covering or waterproofing in the Canton of Lucerne must make appropriate use of the potential for power generation. If you are renewing your roof anyway, it is best to plan the solar system at the same time.