Ohio / Cleveland

Solar Permit in Cleveland, Ohio

Permit required

Yes, a permit is required

Before installing any rooftop or ground mounted solar system, residential or commercial. Both a building permit and an electrical permit must be filed.

Confirmed on official page Verified City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting

By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources

Quick answer

Cleveland treats a solar array as an exterior alteration under the general building permitting system, so it needs a building permit, and its Solar Panel Guide states that all applicants must file for both a Building permit and an Electrical permit. Zoning review is required for every project and is conducted internally during the permit review, with no separate application. Ground mounted systems are treated as utility structures under the Ohio building codes, which is why they need a building permit in addition to the electrical permit, and their review includes a detailed foundation analysis. The guide states there are no codes or ordinances in Cleveland that specifically restrict solar; structural drawings must always be sealed by a design professional, while roof attachments are preferred but not required to be stamped and sealed for residential dwellings.

Who is pulling this permit?

Apply yourself

Apply on the Cleveland 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 installing any rooftop or ground mounted solar system, residential or commercial. Both a building permit and an electrical permit must be filed.

What a solar permit costs in Cleveland

Line item
solar permitBy formulaCleveland's Solar Panel Guide publishes a residential table: residential building permit for alterations at $5.00 per $1,000 of project cost with a $30.00 minimum, new structures at $10.00 per $1,000 of project cost, electrical permit at $50.00 per 1,000 square feet with a $50.00 minimum, plan review $20.00 and zoning $20.00. It adds a 1 percent state surcharge on the plan review and permit fee for residential installations. The guide notes the zoning fee is paid at the beginning, the plan review fee when zoning is approved, and the permit fees when the permits are ready to be pulled.
Fee schedule in forceOfficial scheduleRead . Fees are the jurisdiction’s; we do not mark them up or estimate them.

How Cleveland compares in Ohio

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

JurisdictionPermit needed?Typical fee
CincinnatiPermit requiredBuilding permit fees are based on project valuation under the Department of...
Clevelandthis pagePermit requiredCleveland's Solar Panel Guide publishes a residential table: residential...
ColumbusPermit requiredRooftop solar uses the standard electrical permit fee with no separate...
Franklin CountyPermit requiredSummary of PV Systems Form Fees, published by Franklin County EDP: Certificate...

How to apply in Cleveland

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 Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting sets the exact checklist for Cleveland.

Where to apply in Cleveland:

City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting

  • Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting, Cleveland City Hall, 601 Lakeside Ave., Room 505, Cleveland, OH 44114
  • Phone: 216.664.2910
  • Email: BHpermits@clevelandohio.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 Cleveland permit portal or by phone at 216.664.2910.

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 Cleveland?
Cleveland treats a solar array as an exterior alteration under the general building permitting system, so it needs a building permit, and its Solar Panel Guide states that all applicants must file for both a Building permit and an Electrical permit. Zoning review is required for every project and is conducted internally during the permit review, with no separate application. Ground mounted systems are treated as utility structures under the Ohio building codes, which is why they need a building permit in addition to the electrical permit, and their review includes a detailed foundation analysis. The guide states there are no codes or ordinances in Cleveland that specifically restrict solar; structural drawings must always be sealed by a design professional, while roof attachments are preferred but not required to be stamped and sealed for residential dwellings. Always confirm with the City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting before starting.
How much does a solar permit cost in Cleveland?
Cleveland's Solar Panel Guide publishes a residential table: residential building permit for alterations at $5.00 per $1,000 of project cost with a $30.00 minimum, new structures at $10.00 per $1,000 of project cost, electrical permit at $50.00 per 1,000 square feet with a $50.00 minimum, plan review $20.00 and zoning $20.00. It adds a 1 percent state surcharge on the plan review and permit fee for residential installations. The guide notes the zoning fee is paid at the beginning, the plan review fee when zoning is approved, and the permit fees when the permits are ready to be pulled. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
How long does a solar permit take in Cleveland?
In Cleveland, a solar permit typically takes 3 to 5 working days. Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.
Where do you apply for a solar permit in Cleveland?
You can apply through the Cleveland permit portal or contact the City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting directly. The links are listed on this page.
Can a homeowner pull a solar permit themselves in Cleveland?
Under Ohio law (OAC 4101:8-1-01 Section 105.1; R.C. 3791.04(A)(1)(b); R.C. Chapter 4740): Ohio has no statewide general contractor license, so the Residential Code of Ohio names the property owner directly as an authorized permit applicant: an owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, alter, repair, or change the occupancy of a residential building must first make application to the local certified building department and obtain approval, meaning a homeowner may pull their own permit and act as their own contractor. Certain specialty trades, HVAC, refrigeration, and hydronics contractors, are separately licensed statewide under R.C. Chapter 4740, and no homeowner exemption from that licensing requirement could be found in the chapter's text. In a county, township, or municipality with no residential building department certified by the state Board of Building Standards, R.C. 3791.04(A)(1)(b) and the Residential Code of Ohio's administrative rule both say the owner is not required to submit construction documents, seek approval, request inspections, or obtain a certificate of occupancy at all, which removes the state permitting framework, and with it the owner-builder question, in those jurisdictions. Confirm how Cleveland applies this before you apply.

From the Library

What else needs a permit in Cleveland

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

ProjectPermit needed?ThresholdTypical fee
Deck PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedThe General Fee Schedule effective January 2, 2014 has no deck line item.
Electrical PermitIt dependsNot specifiedElectrical Wiring and Equipment fee schedule effective January 2, 2014: "the minimum fee...
Fence PermitIt dependsshare of an existing fence repaired or replaced within any twelve month period, where foundations and footers are unchangedGeneral Fee Schedule effective January 2, 2014, item C(2) "Fences, guardrails, or...
HVAC PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedHVAC permit fee schedule effective January 2, 2014: "One, two and three family...
Plumbing PermitIt dependsNot specifiedPlumbing Fixtures, Appliance and Piping fee schedule effective January 2, 2014: "The...
Pool PermitIt dependswater capacity of a private swimming pool; a depth of more than two feet also triggers the permitGeneral Fee Schedule effective January 2, 2014, item C(4) "Swimming pools...
Roof Replacement PermitIt dependsshare of the roof whose shingles are replaced, where the replacement is in the same materialThe General Fee Schedule effective January 2, 2014 has no roofing line item.
Shed PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedGeneral Fee Schedule effective January 2, 2014, item C(1) "Private garages, tool sheds...

Solar Permit in other Ohio localities

Everything above, sourced

clevelandohio.gov: permitsread
clevelandohio.gov: solar panel permitsread

Code references

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

Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.

Last checked: Report an error on this page

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