Solar Permit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before installing or modifying a roof-mounted or ground-mounted photovoltaic array on a single-family or two-family property. Apply for a residential electrical permit in OneStopPGH and select the matching PV array work scope.
Issued byCity of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI)
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Solar in Pittsburgh is permitted as electrical work, not as a separate solar permit. PLI's electrical permit carries distinct work scopes for a Roof Mounted Solar PV Array and a Ground Mounted Solar PV Array under both the new construction and the addition or alteration work types, and an electrical permit is required to install a new electrical system or extend an existing one. The array also needs a Zoning and Development Review Application, since PLI lists solar PV arrays among the electrical work scopes that require one, and City Planning routes ground-mounted solar panels through Basic Zoning Review. Residential electrical permits do not require construction drawings unless the service exceeds 400 amps.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
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 Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General license active, and under which business name? Verify it on hicsearch.attorneygeneral.gov.
Pennsylvania's owner-builder rule (34 Pa. Code 403.62(a); Act 132 of 2008 (HICPA), Section 2 (73 P.S. 517.2)) sets what you may do on your own home without hiring anyone. Read the statute.
When a permit is usually needed
Before installing or modifying a roof-mounted or ground-mounted photovoltaic array on a single-family or two-family property. Apply for a residential electrical permit in OneStopPGH and select the matching PV array work scope.
What a solar permit costs in Pittsburgh
How to apply in Pittsburgh
In Pittsburgh, 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).
- For Pittsburgh, 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).
- For Pittsburgh, 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).
- For Pittsburgh, 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 Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI) sets the exact checklist for Pittsburgh.
Where to apply in Pittsburgh:
City of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI)
- OneStopPGH Counter, 412 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
- Phone: 412-255-2175
- Email: pliapptech@pittsburghpa.gov
Solar Permit in Pittsburgh compared with nearby Pennsylvania localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each Pennsylvania schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | Permit required | Any size | 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per... | |
| Philadelphia | Permit required | Any size | Flat $200 building permit fee for the solar panel structure plus a separate electrical... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Pittsburgh, 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.
- In Pittsburgh: 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).
- In Pittsburgh: 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)).
- In Pittsburgh: pV disconnecting means must be permanently marked and installed where they are readily accessible, which the inspector confirms in the field (NEC 690.13).
- In Pittsburgh: 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).
- In Pittsburgh: 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)).
- In Pittsburgh: 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 Pittsburgh permit portal or by phone at 412-255-2175.
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.
Your Solar Permit checklist for Pittsburgh
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before installing or modifying a roof-mounted or ground-mounted photovoltaic array on a single-family or two-family property. Apply for a residential electrical permit in OneStopPGH and select the matching PV array work scope.
- Budget the fee. 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per $1,000 of Construction Value (Minimum: $130 - Maximum: $8,000)", 40% non-refundable at application and the remainder at issuance, plus a $4.50 State Education and Training Fund fee, a $5.00 Digital Record Retention Fee and a technology fee of $2.00 to $25.00 by base fee range. Zoning review adds "Residential Zoning Review $1.00/$1000 of project cost (min. $50.00, max $40,000.00)". PLI's fee schedule publishes no separate solar line item. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Pittsburgh, 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. Start at the Pittsburgh permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI). Phone: 412-255-2175. Address: OneStopPGH Counter, 412 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
- Plan for inspections. In Pittsburgh, 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.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a solar permit in Pittsburgh?
- Solar in Pittsburgh is permitted as electrical work, not as a separate solar permit. PLI's electrical permit carries distinct work scopes for a Roof Mounted Solar PV Array and a Ground Mounted Solar PV Array under both the new construction and the addition or alteration work types, and an electrical permit is required to install a new electrical system or extend an existing one. The array also needs a Zoning and Development Review Application, since PLI lists solar PV arrays among the electrical work scopes that require one, and City Planning routes ground-mounted solar panels through Basic Zoning Review. Residential electrical permits do not require construction drawings unless the service exceeds 400 amps. Always confirm with the City of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI) before starting.
- How much does a solar permit cost in Pittsburgh?
- 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per $1,000 of Construction Value (Minimum: $130 - Maximum: $8,000)", 40% non-refundable at application and the remainder at issuance, plus a $4.50 State Education and Training Fund fee, a $5.00 Digital Record Retention Fee and a technology fee of $2.00 to $25.00 by base fee range. Zoning review adds "Residential Zoning Review $1.00/$1000 of project cost (min. $50.00, max $40,000.00)". PLI's fee schedule publishes no separate solar line item. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- How long does a solar permit take in Pittsburgh?
- In Pittsburgh, a solar permit typically takes 15 business days for initial review of a residential electrical permit, 8 business days for a revision or amendment. Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.
- Where do you apply for a solar permit in Pittsburgh?
- You can apply through the Pittsburgh permit portal or contact the City of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI) directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a solar permit themselves in Pittsburgh?
- Under Pennsylvania law (34 Pa. Code 403.62(a); Act 132 of 2008 (HICPA), Section 2 (73 P.S. 517.2)): Yes. 34 Pa. Code 403.62(a) provides that 'An owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building or erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the Uniform Construction Code shall first apply to the building code official and obtain the required permit.' The owner is a permitted applicant. The Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (Act 132 of 2008, 73 P.S. 517.1 et seq.) is a registration and consumer-protection law for contractors. Section 2 excludes two categories relevant to a homeowner: '(1) A person for whom the total cash value of all of that person's home improvements is less than $5,000 during the previous taxable year' from its 'Contractor' definition, and '(v) Any work performed without compensation by the owner of the owner's private residence or residential rental property' from its 'home improvement' definition. Pennsylvania has no statewide trade licensing barring homeowner work; trade licensing, where it exists, is municipal. Confirm how Pittsburgh applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Pittsburgh
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Any size | 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Before installing a new electrical system, extending or modifying an existing one, or... | 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per... |
| Fence Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...only pays the Department of City Planning fee, "Residential Zoning Review... |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Before installing, replacing, extending or modifying a furnace, air conditioner, heat... | 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | 1, 2023: Level 1 Plans (0-5 fixtures) $80.00, Level 2 Plans (6-50 fixtures) $117.00... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | prefabricated pools accessory to a single-family or two-family dwelling that also hold no more than 5,000 gallons and are installed entirely above grade | 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | floor area of a one-story detached accessory structure accessory to a single-family or two-family dwelling | 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per... |
Solar Permit in other Pennsylvania localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Pittsburgh documents; the office above sets the local rules.
How this solar permit page for Pittsburgh was verified. 2 official sources: pittsburghpa.gov, pittsburghpa.gov; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with City of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI). Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Solar Permit requirements across Pennsylvania localities