Solar site surveys · Chicago, IL

Solar site surveys in Chicago

Roof, attic and service panel captured in one visit, with the plan set built for the Chicago AHJ you submit into and the utility that serves the address.

Book a 15-min call Permitting in Chicago

NEC 2017Electrical code in effect

3AHJs covered here

48 hrsSurvey to deliverable

Nationwide500+ technicians

Short answer

In Chicago, most home rooftop systems up to 13.44 kW can use the Department of Buildings' online Express Permit Program, with drawings by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer who must first inspect the roof structure and electrical system in person. The city applies its own Chicago Electrical Code, 2019 Chicago Building Code and a fire code that moved to the 2024 IFC in 2026, and ComEd handles interconnection. Suburbs are separate AHJs.

What changes in Chicago

Illinois state rules apply here, plus whatever the local AHJ amends.

IL · CHICAGO

Code stack

2017NEC 2017National Electrical Code · effective Mar 1, 2018. The Chicago Electrical Code is based on the 2017 NEC with extensive local amendments, adopted in September 2017 and mandatory from March 1, 2018; its PV rules are in Section 14E-6-690.^1,2

2019Building 2019The 2019 Chicago Building Code aligns with the 2018 IBC and has been mandatory for permit applications since August 1, 2020; Section 14B-15-1510.7 covers rooftop PV panels.^3,1,2

2024IFC 2024Fire 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.^4,5,6

2022Energy Code 2022Chicago uses its own 2022 Energy Transformation Code; the 2026 edition, based on the 2024 IECC and keeping solar-ready requirements, applies to permit applications from December 1, 2026.^4,6

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.^7,4,8,9

Climate and site factors

Snow and wind

Chicago's code sets a 25 psf ground snow load and a 107 mph basic design wind speed for Risk Category II buildings, which feed the structural check of the existing roof.¹⁰

In-person roof check

Before an express permit application, the architect or structural engineer (or someone under their control) must inspect the property in person to confirm the roof structure's capacity and the condition of the electrical system, and existing grounding or bonding defects must be fixed before connection.⁸

Flat and pitched roofs

City zoning guidance caps flat-roof arrays at 9 feet tall or 5 feet above the parapet, whichever is lower, and keeps pitched-roof panels flush within 12 inches of the roof and below the ridge; ballasted arrays are not allowed on sloped roofs under the express permit.^11,2

Roof setbacks

Express permit terms keep equipment 3 feet from the roof edge on residential buildings and 4 feet on other buildings, and the 2026 fire code applies IFC Section 1205 pathways to R-3, R-4 and R-5 buildings.^8,4

Landmark districts

Landmark properties and districts need Historic Preservation Division review, which generally favors arrays that are not visible from streets and sidewalks.^11,12

Permitting in Chicago

The main AHJs, and how the rest of the metro splits up.

City of Chicago Department of Buildings

Rooftop PV with an inverter output of 13.44 kW or less, plus storage up to 20 kWh, can be permitted through the online Express Permit Program; it needs a licensed general and electrical contractor, an ICC-certified installer, and drawings from an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer. Larger systems, ballasted arrays on sloped roofs, and roofs averaging over 40 feet are not eligible.^2,8,13

Official page ↗

Commission on Chicago Landmarks (Historic Preservation Division)

Solar on a designated or proposed Chicago Landmark or in a landmark district gets a separate design review by the Historic Preservation Division, which staffs the Commission on Chicago Landmarks and encourages a pre-permit review.^12,11

Official page ↗

Cook County Department of Building and Zoning

Handles unincorporated Cook County; residential PV permits need a roof plan with array dimensions, a licensed architect or structural engineer's roof adequacy report, a single-line diagram, and a registered Cook County electrical contractor.⁹

Official page ↗

Across the metro

Each suburb that has adopted a building code is its own permitting AHJ, subject to the state's baseline-code law; Skokie, for example, requires a building permit and aims to review solar applications within three business days. Cook County covers its unincorporated areas.^7,14,9

Evanston
Oak Park
Cicero
Skokie
Naperville
Aurora
Joliet
Schaumburg

Illinois-wide rules that still apply

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.^7,15
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.^16,8,2
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.¹⁷
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.⁹

Utilities and interconnection

ComEd delivers power in Chicago and across most of northern Illinois, and Chicago's express permit allows one installation per ComEd service connection. Homes served by a municipal electric system or co-op follow that utility's rules instead.^18,8,19

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.^18,20,21

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.^{22,21,16,23,24}

What we capture on every Chicago survey

The same capture standard as every other Illinois job, so the plan set is built on what the technician verified on site.

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

Chicago solar survey FAQ

Can I get a Chicago solar permit online?

Yes for most home systems: rooftop PV with an inverter output of 13.44 kW or less (and storage up to 20 kWh) can use the Express Permit Program, which replaced the old Solar Express Permit process in November 2023.^2,13

Which electrical code applies to solar in Chicago?

The Chicago Electrical Code, based on the 2017 NEC with Chicago amendments; Section 14E-6-690 covers PV. Work follows the edition in effect when the permit application was submitted.^1,2,8

How far from the roof edge must panels be in Chicago?

Under the express permit terms, at least 3 feet on residential buildings and 4 feet on non-residential or mixed-use buildings, with fire code pathways under the city's amended IFC Section 1205.^8,4

Does a Chicago solar permit need an engineer?

For a new installation, yes: drawings and calculations by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer, who must first inspect the roof structure and electrical system in person.^2,8

What snow and wind loads apply to Chicago rooftop solar?

The Chicago Building Code uses a 25 psf ground snow load and a 107 mph basic design wind speed for Risk Category II structures.¹⁰

Services and further reading

State-level detail is on the Illinois page; every location is on the solar site survey hub.

Residential

Roof, attic and service panel in one visit

Explore →

Commercial & Industrial

Roof, structure and switchgear

Explore →

Utility-Scale

Terrain, build and operations

Explore →

Site surveys

Roof and electrical, one visit

Explore →

Permitting & engineering

Stamped sets, six days from survey

Explore →

Shading analysis

SA, TOF and TSRF per plane

Explore →

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.

Talk through your next Chicago site in 15 minutes

Bring your monthly job count and the AHJs you submit into, and we will tell you straight whether we fit.

Book a 15-min call

Residential

Commercial & Industrial

Utility-Scale

Across every scale

The platform

Sign in

Field Notes · build vs. buy

Field Notes · reference

Company

Solar site surveys in Chicago

What changes in Chicago

Climate and site factors

Snow and wind

In-person roof check

Flat and pitched roofs

Roof setbacks

Landmark districts

Permitting in Chicago

City of Chicago Department of Buildings

Commission on Chicago Landmarks (Historic Preservation Division)

Cook County Department of Building and Zoning

Across the metro

Illinois-wide rules that still apply

Utilities and interconnection

Commonwealth Edison ComEd

What we capture on every Chicago survey

Roof and structure

Electrical and interconnection

Commercial buildings

Every visit

Chicago 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 Chicago site in 15 minutes