North Carolina / Greensboro

Solar Permit in Greensboro, North Carolina

Permit required

Yes, a permit is required

Before a contractor installs rooftop solar panels: plans go in first, then the building permit, then a separate electrical permit.

From an official source Verified City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections)

By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources

Quick answer

A rooftop solar installation in Greensboro takes two permits, and the city sets out the sequence on a dedicated Solar Panel Installations page. The contractor submits plans to Development Services, a City Building Permit follows once staff approve the plans, and the contractor must then apply separately for an Electrical Permit. The electrical inspection gates the meter release: when the inspector approves, the city notifies the utility that there is an approved solar installation at that address. A final building inspection closes the job, and throughout the work the contractor must follow the NC Department of Insurance inspection procedures for residential rooftop solar installations.

Who is pulling this permit?

Apply yourself

Apply on the Greensboro permit portal

Hire it out

Before you sign, ask the contractor:

  • Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
  • Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
  • Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?

When a permit is usually needed

Before a contractor installs rooftop solar panels: plans go in first, then the building permit, then a separate electrical permit.

What a solar permit costs in Greensboro

Line item
solar permitBy formulaBuilding Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'. The residential Alt/Add column charges the $85.00 minimum on construction values up to $11,000 and rises above that ($88.00 at $12,000, $127.00 at $25,000, $302.00 at $100,000, then '$100,000 - 500,000 = $302.00 PLUS $2.00 PER $1,000'). 'STATE LICENSED CONTRACTORS: Add $10.00 to all Residential Permits'. 'DOUBLE PERMIT FEE: BUILDING PERMIT FEES WILL BE DOUBLED IF WORK IS BEGUN BEFORE SECURING A PERMIT'. The department page adds that 'The minimum permit fee for building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits has increased from $75 to $85.' The Electrical Permit Fee Schedule, Document #4100 dated 7/16/24, has no solar line item; it prices the work through 'Minimum Permit Fee 85.00', 'Panel 10.00 ea.' and the amp-rated service lines ('200 Amp. Service 99.00 ea.').
Fee schedule in forceOfficial scheduleRead . Fees are the jurisdiction’s; we do not mark them up or estimate them.

How Greensboro compares in North Carolina

No North Carolina jurisdiction we have verified sets a size threshold for this permit, so what actually differs between them is the fee.

JurisdictionPermit needed?Typical fee
CharlottePermit requiredSolar has no dedicated line item.
Greensborothis pagePermit requiredBuilding Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit...
Mecklenburg CountyPermit requiredPhotovoltaic installs bill as an electrical trade permit priced off total...
Wake CountyPermit requiredSolar panels are named in the Residential Additions, Alterations, Accessory...

How to apply in Greensboro

A rooftop solar PV permit application is a combined structural and electrical plan set: a site plan and roof framing details proving the array's mounting can carry its added loads, plus a one line electrical diagram covering listed modules and inverters, disconnects, and the rapid shutdown design. Utility interconnection is a separate approval that runs in parallel with the permit.

What most solar permit applications include:

  • Both a building permit and a separate electrical permit are required, since the array must be designed and installed to the residential code's solar provisions and to the National Electrical Code (IRC R324.3).
  • The plan set identifies listed equipment: PV modules listed to UL 1703 (or both UL 61730-1 and UL 61730-2), and inverters listed to UL 1741, with grid-tied inverters listed for utility interaction (IRC R324.3.1).
  • Structural drawings show that the roof framing is designed to structurally support the array and withstand the gravity loads it adds (IRC R324.4.1).
  • The site plan lays out roof access pathways at least 36 inches wide, plus a ridge setback sized to how much of the roof the array covers, so firefighters retain pathways and ventilation access (IRC R324.6.1, IRC R324.6.2).
  • The one line electrical diagram shows the rapid shutdown method and the location of its single initiation device, since one control point must bring all system conductors down to safe levels (NEC 690.12, NEC 690.56(C)).
  • Interconnecting the array to the utility grid at a defined point of connection is a separate application process from the local building or electrical permit and must be approved before the system can operate (NEC 705.12).
  • Some permitting offices route applications through SolarAPP+, an automated review platform that checks the plan set against code requirements and issues eligible permits instantly (DOE SolarAPP+).

General submittal guidance from IRC 2021 R324 (Solar Energy Systems) and NEC 2020 Article 690 (Solar Photovoltaic Systems) and Article 705 (Interconnected Power Production Sources). Source. City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections) sets the exact checklist for Greensboro.

Where to apply in Greensboro:

City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections)

  • Development Services, Melvin Municipal Office Building, Upper Ground Level, Room UG10, 300 W. Washington St., Greensboro, NC 27401
  • Phone: 336-373-2155
  • Email: DevelopmentServices2@greensboro-nc.gov

Inspections and closing out your permit

Inspectors verify the installed array against the approved plans, and some agencies run a rough check of roof attachments and penetrations while they are still exposed before the wiring and roofing close them in. The final inspection confirms rapid shutdown, disconnects, grounding, and required labels are installed correctly, and the system cannot be energized until the utility separately approves interconnection.

  1. Where an agency runs a rough or pre-inspection, it checks the array's roof penetrations while they are still exposed, confirming they are flashed and sealed (IRC R324.4.3).
  2. The inspector confirms whether rapid shutdown is required, how it is accomplished, and that it is properly identified (NEC 690.12, NEC 690.56(C)).
  3. PV disconnecting means must be permanently marked and installed where they are readily accessible, which the inspector confirms in the field (NEC 690.13).
  4. Bonding and grounding of the array, including every exposed non current carrying metal part and the grounding electrode system, is checked before sign off (NEC 690.43, NEC 690.47).
  5. At the service equipment, the inspector looks for the required rapid shutdown placard, a labeled diagram showing the initiation device's location in the specified colors and letter sizes (NEC 690.56(C)).
  6. Utility interconnection is inspected and approved separately from the local building department's sign off, and the system cannot be energized until both approvals are in hand (NEC 705.12).

Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Greensboro permit portal or by phone at 336-373-2155.

Inspection sequence from NEC 2020 Article 690 (690.12 rapid shutdown, 690.13 disconnects, 690.43/690.47 grounding, 690.56 labeling) and IRC 2021 R324.4.3 (roof penetrations). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a solar permit in Greensboro?
A rooftop solar installation in Greensboro takes two permits, and the city sets out the sequence on a dedicated Solar Panel Installations page. The contractor submits plans to Development Services, a City Building Permit follows once staff approve the plans, and the contractor must then apply separately for an Electrical Permit. The electrical inspection gates the meter release: when the inspector approves, the city notifies the utility that there is an approved solar installation at that address. A final building inspection closes the job, and throughout the work the contractor must follow the NC Department of Insurance inspection procedures for residential rooftop solar installations. Always confirm with the City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections) before starting.
How much does a solar permit cost in Greensboro?
Building Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'. The residential Alt/Add column charges the $85.00 minimum on construction values up to $11,000 and rises above that ($88.00 at $12,000, $127.00 at $25,000, $302.00 at $100,000, then '$100,000 - 500,000 = $302.00 PLUS $2.00 PER $1,000'). 'STATE LICENSED CONTRACTORS: Add $10.00 to all Residential Permits'. 'DOUBLE PERMIT FEE: BUILDING PERMIT FEES WILL BE DOUBLED IF WORK IS BEGUN BEFORE SECURING A PERMIT'. The department page adds that 'The minimum permit fee for building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits has increased from $75 to $85.' The Electrical Permit Fee Schedule, Document #4100 dated 7/16/24, has no solar line item; it prices the work through 'Minimum Permit Fee 85.00', 'Panel 10.00 ea.' and the amp-rated service lines ('200 Amp. Service 99.00 ea.'). See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
Where do you apply for a solar permit in Greensboro?
You can apply through the Greensboro permit portal or contact the City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections) directly. The links are listed on this page.
Can a homeowner pull a solar permit themselves in Greensboro?
Under North Carolina law (N.C. Gen. Stat. 87-1(a), 87-1(b)(2), 87-14(a)(1), 160D-1113, 160D-1115): A North Carolina homeowner may pull the permit and do the work. G.S. 87-1(a) reaches general contracting only where the cost of the undertaking is $40,000 or more, and G.S. 87-1(b)(2) then exempts a person who constructs or alters a building on land that person owns, provided the building is intended solely for occupancy by that person and his family after completion and the person complies with G.S. 87-14. There is no outright ban on selling, but there is a look-back that works like one: if the building is not occupied solely by the person and his family for at least 12 months following completion, the statute presumes the person did not intend the building solely for that occupancy, which defeats the exemption. G.S. 87-14(a)(1) requires an owner claiming the exemption to execute a verified affidavit attesting that they own the property, that they will personally superintend and manage all aspects of the construction and will not delegate that duty to anyone unlicensed, and that they will be personally present for all inspections required by the State Building Code unless a licensed architect sealed the plans. The inspector transmits that affidavit to the Licensing Board, and if the Board determines the exemption was not available the building permit is revoked under G.S. 160D-1115. The exemption removes the general contractor license requirement only. It does not exempt the work from permits or inspections, and G.S. 160D-1113 provides that when a permit is held by an owner exempt under 87-1(b)(2), no inspection may be conducted without the owner present unless an architect sealed the plans. Confirm how Greensboro applies this before you apply.

From the Library

What else needs a permit in Greensboro

Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.

ProjectPermit needed?ThresholdTypical fee
Deck PermitIt dependsNot specifiedBuilding Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'.
Electrical PermitIt dependsNot specifiedElectrical Permit Fee Schedule, Document #4100 dated 7/16/24: 'Minimum Permit Fee 85.00'.
HVAC PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedMechanical Permit Fee Schedule, Document #4200 dated 7/16/24: 'Minimum Inspection Fee $...
Patio PermitIt dependsNot specifiedBuilding Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'.
Plumbing PermitIt dependsNot specifiedPlumbing Permit Fee Schedule, Document #4300 dated 7/16/24: 'Minimum Permit/Inspection...
Pool PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedBuilding Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'.
Roof Replacement PermitIt dependscost of the construction, installation, repair, replacement or alterationBuilding Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'.
Shed PermitIt dependslength, width or height of the accessory buildingBuilding Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85'.

Solar Permit in other North Carolina localities

Everything above, sourced

greensboro-nc.gov: development servicesread
greensboro-nc.gov: solar panelsread

Code references

National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Greensboro documents; the office above sets the local rules.

Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with City of Greensboro Engineering and Inspections Department, Development Services Division (Building Inspections). Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.

Last checked: Report an error on this page

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