Solar site surveys · Illinois

Solar site surveys in Illinois

A technician on the roof, in the attic and at the service panel, with the survey read against the code editions, AHJs and utilities that apply in Illinois.

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By AHJNEC edition set locally

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Short answer

Illinois has no statewide electrical code for most work, so the NEC edition depends on the city or county, and Chicago enforces its own Chicago Electrical Code (based on the 2017 NEC) and 2019 Chicago Building Code. Since January 1, 2025, new net metering customers of ComEd and Ameren Illinois receive supply-only credits, with a utility smart inverter rebate available. Snow and wind loads, local roof-access setbacks, and landmark or HOA review are common survey considerations.

Chicago →

What changes in Illinois

The capture spec is the same everywhere. What the engineer and the plan reviewer read it against is not.

IL · METROS

Code stack

LOCALNEC 2017 · City of ChicagoNational Electrical Code · effective Mar 1, 2018. Illinois does not adopt the NEC statewide; municipalities and counties choose their own editions, and state law only points to the current or preceding NEC for certain commercial buildings in jurisdictions with no building code. Chicago enforces the Chicago Electrical Code, built on the 2017 NEC with local amendments and mandatory since March 1, 2018, so confirm the edition with each AHJ.^1,2,3,4

LOCALBuilding · set by each city or countySince January 1, 2025, Public Act 103-0510 requires any local building code to meet a baseline of the IBC, IEBC and IRC published in the current year or the nine years before, and local codes must be reported to the Capital Development Board. Jurisdictions without a building code are not forced to adopt one; new homes there default to the current IRC unless builder and buyer agree on another code.^2,5

LOCALIFC 2024 · City of ChicagoFire codes are adopted locally. Chicago's 2026 Interim Fire Prevention Code, adopted by City Council on June 17, 2026 and effective on passage, moves the city to the 2024 IFC, including Section 1205 for solar PV with Chicago amendments.^6,7,8

2024Energy Code 2024The Illinois Energy Conservation Code, based on the 2024 IECC with state amendments, applies to residential and commercial buildings for permits applied for on or after November 30, 2025.⁹

Rooftop fire access. Rooftop access rules come from each AHJ's adopted fire and building codes. Chicago adopts IFC 2024 Section 1205 with amendments that extend the residential pathway rules to its R-3, R-4 and R-5 buildings, and its Express Permit terms keep panels 3 feet from the roof edge on residential buildings (4 feet on others); unincorporated Cook County asks for a 36-inch eave-to-ridge access-way on every roof plane and 18 inches clear of the ridge.^2,6,10,11

Climate and site factors

Snow and wind

Chicago's building code uses a 25 psf ground snow load and a 107 mph basic design wind speed for Risk Category II structures; outside Chicago, loads follow the code each AHJ has adopted.^12,2

Code patchwork

Chicago runs its own electrical, building and fire codes, while suburbs and counties adopt model codes on their own schedules, so the code basis can change at a city line.^3,2

Roof access

Roof-access rules differ by AHJ: Chicago's express permit uses 3-foot edge setbacks on residential roofs, while unincorporated Cook County asks for 36-inch eave-to-ridge access-ways and an 18-inch ridge clearance.^10,11

HOAs and condos

Associations cannot ban solar but can set configuration rules on a roof face within the Act's 10% production limit, and must process applications within 30 days once they have an energy policy statement.¹³

Permitting in Illinois

Who reviews the plan set, and what the state layers on top.

Cities, villages and counties issue building permits where they have adopted codes, and Public Act 103-0510 (effective January 1, 2025) requires those codes to meet state baseline editions and be reported to the Capital Development Board.^2,5
Solar PV installation must be done by, or under, an installer certified by the Illinois Commerce Commission under Part 468 (Distributed Generation Installer Certification); Chicago's express permit asks for that certification number.^14,10,4
The Homeowners' Energy Policy Statement Act bars HOAs and condo associations from prohibiting solar, requires a written energy policy statement, and limits placement rules so they cannot bar any roof face or cut production by more than 10%. It does not cover buildings over 60 feet tall or association buildings with a shared roof.¹³
Unincorporated areas fall to the county where it has a building code; Cook County's Department of Building and Zoning, for example, requires a licensed architect or structural engineer's roof report and a registered Cook County electrical contractor for residential PV.¹¹

Utilities and interconnection

Customers of ComEd, Ameren Illinois and MidAmerican can buy their power supply from an alternative retail supplier while the utility still delivers it and handles service; municipal electric systems and co-ops are not required to offer that choice.¹⁵

Commonwealth Edison ComEd

Serves about 3.8 million customers across northern Illinois, including Chicago. Interconnection follows ICC Part 466 and is filed online; Level 1 covers lab-certified systems with export of 25 kW or less and nameplate of 50 kW or less for a $50 fee, and net metering starts once ComEd approves the application and signs the Certificate of Completion.^16,17,18

Interconnection page ↗

Ameren Illinois Ameren

Delivers electricity to about 1.2 million customers across 43,700 square miles of central and southern Illinois. A certified installer submits interconnection and net metering applications through Ameren's PowerClerk portal.^19,14

Interconnection page ↗

Export compensation. Under CEJA, customers who apply for net metering on or after January 1, 2025 get 1:1 credits only against kWh-based supply charges (energy, capacity, transmission), not delivery, and those credits carry over; systems registered before 2025 keep full retail netting for the life of the system. Separately, ComEd and Ameren pay a smart inverter rebate of $300 per kW DC for residential solar through 2029, and the IPA's Illinois Shines program buys renewable energy credits through approved vendors.^{20,18,14,21,22}

What we capture on every Illinois survey

One standard, one visit, the same record in Illinois as everywhere else. What it gets checked against is the code stack above.

Roof and structure

Measured roof planes: pitch, azimuth, dimensions
Every penetration and obstruction, located
Rafter or truss size, spacing and span
Decking type and condition
Layer count at a cut edge
Setbacks and fire pathway constraints
Horizon shading capture per array area

Electrical and interconnection

Main breaker and bus bar rating, photographed separately
Meter location and configuration
Slot count: used, open, tandem, double-tapped
Available interconnection points
Existing loads and sub-panels
Conduit route, measured along the actual path
Grounding electrode and bonding path

Commercial buildings

Membrane type, age and condition, with drainage pattern
Bar joist depth, spacing and span
Deck type and gauge
Switchgear and available bus capacity
Access and lift constraints for the install crew

Every visit

Roof and electrical in one visit, no second trip
48-hour turnaround from survey to deliverable
Photo documentation throughout
Permit sets available, stamped, 6 days from survey

Illinois solar survey FAQ

Which NEC edition applies to solar in Illinois?

There is no single statewide edition; each city or county adopts its own electrical code. Chicago uses the Chicago Electrical Code, based on the 2017 NEC, so check the edition with the local AHJ.^1,3,4

How does net metering work for new solar in Illinois?

For ComEd and Ameren Illinois customers who applied on or after January 1, 2025, exported energy earns credits against the supply portion of the bill only, not delivery charges. Systems registered before 2025 keep full retail netting for their lifetime.^20,18,14

What is the Illinois smart inverter rebate?

ComEd and Ameren pay owners of systems with qualifying smart inverters a rebate, set by statute at $300 per kW DC through 2029 for customers who would otherwise have qualified for net metering. Pre-2025 customers who take it give up delivery-charge credits.^21,14,18

Can an HOA stop solar panels in Illinois?

Generally no. The Homeowners' Energy Policy Statement Act bars associations from prohibiting solar, though they can set configuration rules that do not reduce production by more than 10%; buildings over 60 feet or with shared association roofs are excluded.¹³

Does an Illinois solar installer need a state certification?

Yes. Solar PV work must be done by or under an installer certified by the Illinois Commerce Commission under Part 468, and utilities and Chicago's permit process ask for that certification.^14,10

Services and further reading

Metro pages for Illinois: Chicago.

Residential

Roof, attic and service panel in one visit

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Commercial & Industrial

Roof, structure and switchgear

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Utility-Scale

Terrain, build and operations

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Site surveys

Roof and electrical, one visit

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Permitting & engineering

Stamped sets, six days from survey

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Shading analysis

SA, TOF and TSRF per plane

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From Field Notes

Sources

Every local fact on this page links to where it came from. Codes, programs and tariffs change: confirm the current requirement with the AHJ and the utility before you design.

Researched September 29, 2026.

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Field Notes · build vs. buy

Field Notes · reference

Company

Solar site surveys in Illinois

What changes in Illinois

Climate and site factors

Snow and wind

Code patchwork

Roof access

HOAs and condos

Permitting in Illinois

Utilities and interconnection

Commonwealth Edison ComEd

Ameren Illinois Ameren

What we capture on every Illinois survey

Roof and structure

Electrical and interconnection

Commercial buildings

Every visit

Illinois solar survey FAQ

Services and further reading

Residential

Commercial & Industrial

Utility-Scale

Site surveys

Permitting & engineering

Shading analysis

From Field Notes

Sources

Talk through your next Illinois site in 15 minutes