Does Bristol County, Virginia have a solar moratorium?

No. As of 2026-05-02, Bristol County, Virginia has no active solar moratorium on record. Score has been stable over the last 12 months.

What is Bristol County’s solar permitting risk grade?

Bristol County, Virginia has a SitePath solar permitting grade of B — risk score 34/100 (Moderate Risk). Grades are based on primary-source county ordinances, board votes, and permitting activity, reviewed as of 2026-05-02.

What are the solar permitting rules in Bristol County, Virginia?

Ordinance status: No specific solar ordinance recorded. Score has been stable over the last 12 months. See the full primary-source record — ordinance links, setbacks, board actions, and project history — on this page.

SitePath › County map › Virginia › Bristol County

Virginia

Bristol County

FIPS 51520

Bristol County, Virginia: solar permitting grade B (score 34/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.

Score 34/100

Moderate Risk

Public summary

Grade	B · Moderate Risk · Score 34/100
Population	17,141
Solar ordinance	No specific solar ordinance recorded
Active moratorium	None on record
Regulatory trajectory	Stable (no material ordinance movement)
12-month score movement	Stable
Last verified	2026-05-02

Developer outlook

Bristol County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation. Virginia's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive.

Local intel

No energy-related meetings, PSC dockets, or named opposition tracked for this county yet. See indexed calendar →

Nearby counties where SitePath is tracking energy activity: Washington County (≈15 mi) · Russell County (≈22 mi) · Scott County (≈26 mi)

Browse all Virginia county grades →

Cities, towns & townships

Local governments in Bristol County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.

Bristol city

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.

Nearby counties

Sullivan County, TN · ≈11 miC42—
Washington County · ≈15 miB37—
Johnson County, TN · ≈20 miD59—
Russell County · ≈22 miB41—
Carter County, TN · ≈23 miD56—
Scott County · ≈26 miC47—

Compare these counties side-by-side →

Bristol County ranks #29 of 133 ranked Virginia counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Virginia: Charlottesville County (A · 23), Manassas Park County (A · 27), Falls Church County (A · 27). See all Virginia county grades →

Want the full record?

Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.

Open the full Bristol County profile → Request a demo

About this score

Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →