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Home  /  Solar site surveys  /  New York  /  Long Island

Solar site surveys · Long Island, NY

Solar site surveys in Long Island

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

NEC 2023Electrical code in effect
1AHJs covered here
48 hrsSurvey to deliverable
Nationwide500+ technicians
Short answer

Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties) follows the 2025 Uniform Code of New York State, with the 2023 NEC, and each town, city or incorporated village issues its own building permits. Nearly all of the island is served by LIPA's grid, operated by PSEG Long Island. Residential solar there is net metered with a Customer Benefit Contribution and cannot opt into the Value Stack.

What changes in Long Island

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

NY · LONG ISLANDLong Island
Code stack
2023NEC 2023National Electrical Code · effective Dec 31, 2025. Outside New York City, electrical work falls under the 2025 Uniform Code, which the City of Buffalo describes as Chapter 27 of the Building Code of NYS plus the 2023 NEC, fully effective December 31, 2025. New York City is different: its 2025 NYC Electrical Code, effective December 21, 2025, amends the 2020 NEC.1,2,3
2024IRC 2024The 2025 Residential Code of New York State is derived from the 2024 IRC with state amendments written into the book, so there is no separate supplement. It became mandatory on December 31, 2025 after an optional transition from October 1. New York City does not use it; the city's 2022 Construction Codes govern there.1,4,5
2024IFC 2024The 2025 Fire Code of New York State, built on the 2024 ICC model codes, is part of the same Uniform Code update effective December 31, 2025. In the five boroughs the FDNY enforces the separate New York City Fire Code.4,1
Rooftop fire access. Outside the city, rooftop access and pathway rules for homes sit in Section R324 of the Residential Code of NYS, and NYSERDA publishes a guide explaining them for installers and local officials. Inside the city, NYC Fire Code sections FC 504 and FC 512 apply: flat roofs need a 6-foot clear path, and on pitched roofs panels must stay 3 feet from the ridge.6,7,8

Climate and site factors

Export compensation

Residential systems on LIPA's grid cannot opt into the Value Stack, so they net meter and, if interconnected since 2022, pay a CBC. For 2026 that is $1.13 per kW per month.9

Incentives

Long Island is its own NY-Sun region. The Affordable Solar Residential Incentive pays $0.40/W there, according to NYSERDA's dashboard in September 2026.10

Municipal utilities

Homes in Rockville Centre, Freeport and Greenport are not LIPA customers, so check the address before assuming PSEG Long Island's interconnection process applies.11

Permitting in Long Island

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

Town of Oyster Bay Building Division

One example of a Long Island town building department. Oyster Bay lists solar panels among the projects that need a building permit, and applications are handled by its Building Division.12

Official page ↗

Across the metro

Each city, town and village administers the Uniform Code within its own borders, so incorporated villages inside a town may run separate building departments. Confirm the permitting office for each address.1

New York-wide rules that still apply

Utilities and interconnection

LIPA owns the grid serving Long Island and the Rockaways, and PSEG Long Island operates it. The Villages of Rockville Centre, Freeport and Greenport are outside LIPA's service.11

PSEG Long Island PSEG LI

PSEG Long Island runs the grid owned by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) for about 1.2 million customers on Long Island and in the Rockaways. Residential solar customers there cannot opt into the Value Stack.11,9

Interconnection page ↗
Export compensation. Residential and small-commercial systems interconnected on or after January 1, 2022 stay on Phase One net metering but pay a Customer Benefit Contribution (CBC) based on DC system size. Rates are reset every year and are not locked in. For net-metered residential systems in 2026 the CBC is $1.29/kW per month at Con Edison, $1.13 at LIPA and $0.97 at National Grid. Upstate and Con Edison customers may choose Value Stack (VDER) compensation, which carries a lower CBC.9,18,19

What we capture on every Long Island survey

The same capture standard as every other New York 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

Long Island solar survey FAQ

Who permits rooftop solar on Long Island?

The town, city or incorporated village where the home is located, because each municipality enforces the Uniform Code within its borders. The Town of Oyster Bay, for example, requires a building permit for solar panels.1,12

Which utility handles solar interconnection on Long Island?

For most homes it is PSEG Long Island, which operates LIPA's grid. The Villages of Rockville Centre, Freeport and Greenport are outside LIPA's service area.11

Can Long Island homeowners choose the Value Stack instead of net metering?

No. NYSERDA's 2026 CBC sheet says mass-market LIPA projects cannot opt into the Value Stack. They net meter, with a CBC of $1.13/kW per month in 2026 for systems interconnected since 2022.9

Which codes apply to solar on Long Island?

The 2025 Uniform Code of New York State, fully effective December 31, 2025, including the 2025 Residential Code and Fire Code, with the 2023 NEC for electrical work. Long Island is outside New York City, so NYC's codes do not apply.1,2

Services and further reading

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

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.

  1. https://dos.ny.gov/division-building-standards-and-codes-frequently-asked-questions
  2. https://www.buffalony.gov/448/Building-Code
  3. https://www.nyc.gov/site/buildings/codes/electrical-code.page
  4. https://www.harrison-ny.gov/building-department/news/new-code-effective-12312025
  5. https://www.icc-nta.org/code-update/updating-the-nys-uniform-code-and-state-energy-code/
  6. https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/Project/Nyserda/Files/Programs/NY-Sun/Rooftop-Access-and-Ventilation.pdf
  7. https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCadmin/0-0-0-142735
  8. https://nysolarmap.com/going-solar/contractors-installers/installing-solar-in-new-york-city/nyc-installers-faq/
  9. https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/Project/Nyserda/Files/Programs/NY-Sun/2026-Utility-Published-Customer-Benefit-Contribution-Rates.pdf
  10. https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/NY-Sun/Contractors/Dashboards-and-incentives/Long-Island-Dashboard
  11. https://www.lipower.org/about-us/
  12. https://oysterbaytown.com/departments/planning-and-development/building/
  13. https://nysolarmap.com/installing-solar/ny-solar-permits/
  14. https://www.nyc.gov/site/buildings/property-or-business-owner/project-requirements-owner-solar.page
  15. https://www.nyc.gov/assets/buildings/pdf/dob_now_build_solar_step_by_step_guide.pdf
  16. https://nysolarmap.com/financing-solar/incentives/residential/
  17. https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/NY-Sun/Contractors/Dashboards-and-incentives/ConEd-Dashboard
  18. https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/Project/Nyserda/Files/Programs/NY-Sun/Overview-of-Customer-Benefit-webinar-presentation.pdf
  19. https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/NY-Sun/Contractors/Value-of-Distributed-Energy-Resources

Researched September 29, 2026.

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