Solar site surveys · Raleigh, NC

Solar site surveys in Raleigh

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

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NEC 2017Electrical code in effect

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Short answer

Inside Raleigh city limits, most rooftop solar systems can be permitted the same day online through the city's Permit Portal, using a residential permit that includes the electrical work and a sealed design professional's onsite structural review. Wake County permits unincorporated areas, Wake sits in the 115 mph inland wind zone, and Duke Energy Progress serves the city.

What changes in Raleigh

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

NC · RALEIGH

Code stack

2017NEC 2017National Electrical Code · effective Jun 12, 2018. For one- and two-family homes and their PV equipment, North Carolina still enforces the 2017 NC Electrical Code (the 2017 NEC with state amendments). The 2020 edition applies to other buildings, and the adopted 2023 NC Electrical Code is on indefinite delay as of September 2026.^1,2,3

2018NC Residential 2018The 2018 NC Residential Code, built on the 2015 IRC with state amendments, took effect January 1, 2019 and remains in force. Its 2024 replacement was adopted but will not take effect until at least a year after the state certifies its new Residential Code Council; one state board put the earliest possible date at May 1, 2027.^4,5,6,7

2018NC Fire 2018The 2018 NC Fire Code, adapted from the 2015 IFC, is the fire code in force statewide; rooftop PV falls under its Section 605.11. The 2024 NC Fire Code, based on the 2021 IFC with PV rules in Section 1205, is held up by the same delay.^4,8,9,7

Rooftop fire access. Under the 2018 NC Fire Code, the Group R-3 roof pathway rules in 605.11.1.2 do not apply to homes built under the residential code, and the 2018 NC Residential Code's R324 has no rooftop access section, so detached homes generally have no statewide PV pathway mandate today. The pending 2024 NC Residential Code adds R324.6, with two 36-inch eave-to-ridge pathways, so confirm which code your permit falls under.^8,5,10

Climate and site factors

Sealed onsite review

Raleigh requires a signed and sealed document confirming a design professional inspected the site for the solar structural design, and a Certificate of Compliance follows the design professional's and building official's sign-off.¹¹

Historic overlays

Homes in Raleigh historic overlay districts must follow the city's separate sustainability guidelines before rooftop solar is approved.¹¹

Review flags

Projects flagged by the city go through stormwater and multi-trade plan review before the permit is activated, and ground-mounted systems need an emailed submittal with a site plan.¹¹

Wind design

Wake County is not on the residential code's list of higher-wind counties, so the 115 mph default applies, while neighboring Johnston County is listed at 120 mph.⁵

Permitting in Raleigh

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

City of Raleigh Development Services

Most rooftop PV qualifies for same-day online permitting through the Permit Portal, with the electrical subcontractor listed on one residential permit; submittals include plans and specs plus a signed and sealed document showing a design professional did an onsite solar inspection, and no site plan is needed for single-family rooftop jobs.¹¹

Official page ↗

Wake County Permits and Inspections

Issues building permits and inspections for all unincorporated areas of Wake County and provides inspections for Knightdale, Rolesville, Wendell and Zebulon by contract; its solar guidance says most systems are allowed, with requirements depending on the system style.^12,13

Official page ↗

Across the metro

Raleigh permits work within its limits and Wake County handles unincorporated areas plus inspections for Knightdale, Rolesville, Wendell and Zebulon; other towns such as Cary and Apex run their own permitting, so confirm the AHJ for each address.^11,12

Cary
Durham
Apex
Garner
Wake Forest
Holly Springs
Morrisville
Knightdale
Rolesville
Wendell

North Carolina-wide rules that still apply

The State Building Code applies across North Carolina, and a city or county can only enforce stricter local building or fire rules once the state Building Code Council or Residential Code Council approves them; local fire rules for dwellings cannot go beyond what the residential code already says.¹⁴
G.S. 160D-914 bars local development regulations from prohibiting solar collectors on residential property, though a town may regulate placement or screening as long as reasonable use survives, and may restrict collectors visible from public or common areas on street-facing facades or roof slopes.¹⁵
G.S. 22B-20 voids deed restrictions and covenants that ban residential solar collectors, while still letting associations regulate location and screening or bar collectors visible from public or common areas; condos in multi-story buildings are excluded.¹⁶
Building and electrical permits come from the local inspection department. In Mecklenburg County one county agency permits all construction, while in Wake County the county covers unincorporated areas (plus inspections for four small towns) and Raleigh runs its own Development Services permitting.^17,18,12,11

Utilities and interconnection

Duke Energy Progress serves eastern and central North Carolina, including Raleigh; the NCUC service map also shows cooperative and municipal territories in and around Wake County, so check the utility on the customer's bill.^19,20

Duke Energy Progress

Serves about 1.6 million North Carolina customers in the east and parts of the west, including Raleigh. It uses the same state interconnection procedures and offers its own versions of the Residential Solar Choice and Net Metering Bridge riders; Duke has asked regulators to merge it with Duke Energy Carolinas, targeting January 1, 2027.^20,21,19,22

Interconnection page ↗

Export compensation. As of September 2026, new Duke residential solar customers go on Residential Solar Choice: a time-of-use rate with critical peak pricing, netting within each TOU period each month, excess credited at a set rate (4.53 cents/kWh at Duke Energy Carolinas), a $22 minimum bill and a per-kW non-bypassable charge. The Net Metering Bridge, which keeps monthly netting without the TOU requirement, takes applications first-come until annual capacity runs out and closes January 1, 2027; approved customers keep it up to 15 years.^23,24,21

What we capture on every Raleigh survey

The same capture standard as every other North Carolina 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

Raleigh solar survey FAQ

Can I get a same-day solar permit in Raleigh?

Most rooftop systems in Raleigh qualify for same-day online permitting through the city's Permit Portal; ground-mounted systems are submitted by email instead.¹¹

Does Raleigh need a separate electrical permit for solar?

No separate application is needed: the residential permit includes the electrical permit, and the applicant lists the electrical subcontractor on it.¹¹

What structural documentation does Raleigh ask for?

A signed and sealed document showing that a design professional performed an onsite solar inspection and that the structural design complies, along with plans, manufacturer specs and installation instructions.¹¹

Who permits solar outside Raleigh city limits in Wake County?

Wake County Permits and Inspections covers unincorporated Wake County and provides inspections to Knightdale, Rolesville, Wendell and Zebulon; other towns have their own departments.¹²

Which utility handles interconnection for Raleigh homes?

Duke Energy Progress serves Raleigh, and new customers who apply before January 1, 2027 may still get a Net Metering Bridge spot if capacity remains; otherwise Residential Solar Choice applies.^19,21

Services and further reading

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

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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Solar site surveys in Raleigh

What changes in Raleigh

Climate and site factors

Sealed onsite review

Historic overlays

Review flags

Wind design

Permitting in Raleigh

City of Raleigh Development Services

Wake County Permits and Inspections

Across the metro

North Carolina-wide rules that still apply

Utilities and interconnection

Duke Energy Progress

What we capture on every Raleigh survey

Roof and structure

Electrical and interconnection

Commercial buildings

Every visit

Raleigh 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 Raleigh site in 15 minutes