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Solar site surveys · OregonA 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 Oregon.
Oregon writes its own statewide specialty codes: the 2026 Oregon Electrical Specialty Code, based on the 2026 NEC, takes effect October 1, 2026, and residential solar follows the Oregon Residential Specialty Code, which has its own prescriptive PV path and roof pathway rules. PGE and Pacific Power offer 1:1 net metering with an annual March true-up. Surveys should plan for seismic design category D in Portland, snow loads that rise with elevation, and framing checks against the prescriptive limits.
The capture spec is the same everywhere. What the engineer and the plan reviewer read it against is not.
Portland designs one- and two-family homes to Seismic Design Category D1, so attachment and roof framing details matter for engineered solar submittals.10
The prescriptive path stops at a 70 psf ground snow load and Exposure B or C; wider 48-inch attachment spacing is only allowed at 36 psf or less, with wind limits of 120 mph (Exposure B) or 110 mph (Exposure C).11
Prescriptive installs need metal, single-layer wood shingles or shakes, or no more than two layers of composition shingle; standing-seam clamps have their own spacing and uplift limits.11
Planned communities cannot ban solar panels but may set reasonable size, placement and appearance rules.12
Who reviews the plan set, and what the state layers on top.
Net metering for the investor-owned utilities is set by ORS 757.300 and the PUC's net metering rules (OAR 860-039); Pacific Power's tariff under them covers systems up to 25 kW for homes and 2 MW for other customers, and PGE takes commercial applications from 25 kW to 2 MW.17,18
Serves more than 950,000 customers in 51 cities. Installers apply through PowerClerk; residential applications up to 25 kW are free, and PGE advises waiting for approval before building, then obtaining the local electrical permit before it orders a bidirectional meter.19,18
Interconnection page ↗PacifiCorp's Oregon utility takes net metering applications online with a photo of the meter; after the install and inspection it swaps the meter in 7 to 10 days, and its typical end-to-end timeline is about 70 business days.20
Interconnection page ↗One standard, one visit, the same record in Oregon as everywhere else. What it gets checked against is the code stack above.
From October 1, 2026, the 2026 Oregon Electrical Specialty Code, based on the 2026 NEC with Oregon amendments; before that, the 2023 OESC based on the 2023 NEC. Confirm which edition applies to a permit filed near the changeover.1,3
Not if the job fits the ORSC prescriptive path (for example, 70 psf ground snow or less, 4.5 psf array weight or less, framing at 24 inches on center or less). Otherwise an Oregon-registered design professional must design it.11,13
For PGE and Pacific Power customers, credits roll forward monthly, and whatever remains after the March billing period goes to low-income bill assistance; customers are not paid for it.21,17
No. ORS 94.778 voids planned community provisions that prohibit solar panels, while allowing reasonable size, placement and aesthetic rules.12
Metro pages for Oregon: Portland, Oregon.
Roof, attic and service panel in one visit
Explore →Roof, structure and switchgear
Explore →Terrain, build and operations
Explore →Roof and electrical, one visit
Explore →Stamped sets, six days from survey
Explore →SA, TOF and TSRF per plane
Explore →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.
Bring your monthly job count and the AHJs you submit into, and we will tell you straight whether we fit.
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