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Home  /  Solar site surveys  /  Pennsylvania

Solar site surveys · Pennsylvania

Solar site surveys in Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania.

Book a 15-min callWhat changes in Pennsylvania
NEC 2020Electrical code in effect
3Utilities covered here
48 hrsSurvey to deliverable
Nationwide500+ technicians
Short answer

Pennsylvania enforces one statewide code, the Uniform Construction Code, which moved to the 2021 I-Codes and the 2020 NEC on January 1, 2026; most municipalities administer it themselves, and Philadelphia layers its own administrative code and fire code on top. Net metering under PUC rules credits residential systems up to 50 kW at the full retail rate each month, with any surplus left at the end of the May 31 year paid at the price to compare. There is no state law yet that stops an HOA from banning rooftop solar.

What changes in Pennsylvania

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

PA · METROSPhiladelphiaPittsburgh
Code stack
2020NEC 2020National Electrical Code · effective Jan 1, 2026. The UCC adopts the NEC by reference through the I-Codes; since January 1, 2026 the 2021 IBC and IRC reference the 2020 NEC, replacing the 2017 edition referenced by the 2018 codes. Permit applications filed before July 1, 2026 in Philadelphia could still choose the 2018 code set, so older permits may follow the earlier edition.1,2,3
2021IRC 2021The 2021 IRC, with amendments recommended by the UCC Review and Advisory Council, applies statewide from January 1, 2026. State law lets a permit be issued under the prior code if the design or construction contract was signed earlier and the application comes within six months.1,3,4
2021IFC 2021Pennsylvania does not adopt a full statewide fire code; the UCC pulls in the 2021 IFC only where the adopted building codes reference it. Philadelphia keeps its own fire code, based on the 2018 IFC.2,1,5
Rooftop fire access. For one- and two-family homes, the 2021 IRC's Section R324.6 applies as adopted (Pennsylvania's list of IRC exclusions does not remove it): at least two 36-inch pathways from eave to ridge on separate roof planes, plus 18-inch clear setbacks on each side of a horizontal ridge, widening to 36 inches when the array covers more than a third of the plan-view roof area. Roofs of 2:12 or flatter are exempt.4,6,1

Climate and site factors

Code change year

2026 is a transition year: the 2021 IRC and 2020 NEC replaced the 2018 IRC and 2017 NEC on January 1, and Philadelphia accepted either set only for applications filed before July 1, 2026.1,3

Roof access

R324.6 pathways and ridge setbacks apply to pitched residential roofs statewide, while flat roofs of 2:12 or less are exempt, which matters for rowhouse roofs in older cities.4,6

Enforcement model

Who inspects depends on the municipality: most enforce the UCC with their own or contracted code officials, and in opt-out towns the owner hires a certified third-party agency for residential work.3

HOAs

Without a solar-access statute, association covenants can still restrict or bar panels, so check HOA rules before designing; a bill to limit that was pending in the Senate after passing the House in July 2026.7,8

Permitting in Pennsylvania

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

Utilities and interconnection

Pennsylvania has retail electric choice: households can buy supply from a competitive supplier while the local utility still owns the wires, handles interconnection and applies net metering.9,10

PECO

The electric utility for Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania. The installer files the interconnection application with PECO before work starts; base fees run from $100 for inverter systems of 10 kW or less (Level 1) to $250 plus $1 per kW for Level 2, and PECO swaps in a net-capable smart meter.11,12

Interconnection page ↗

PPL Electric Utilities PPL

Delivers electricity to more than 1.4 million homes and businesses in central and eastern Pennsylvania. Applications go through PPL's Contractor Services online portal with a one-line diagram, site plan and equipment data sheets; systems under 25 kW usually hear back in 3 to 4 weeks and often qualify for fast-track approval, and PPL advises applying six months ahead.13,14

Interconnection page ↗

Duquesne Light Company Duquesne Light

Serves more than 600,000 customers in Allegheny and Beaver counties, including Pittsburgh. Customers file an interconnection application before installing a renewable system so the utility can fit a bi-directional meter at no charge; net metering covers residential systems up to 50 kW.15,16

Interconnection page ↗
Export compensation. As of September 2026, PUC rules require utilities to net meter residential systems up to 50 kW, crediting exports each month at the full retail rate including generation, transmission and distribution; kWh still banked at the end of the year ending May 31 are paid at the price to compare. The PUC's June 4, 2026 PPL rate order added new treatment for large 'no-load' net-metered facilities built mainly to export, so check the current tariff for projects outside ordinary rooftop use.10,17

What we capture on every Pennsylvania survey

One standard, one visit, the same record in Pennsylvania 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

Pennsylvania solar survey FAQ

Which NEC edition applies to solar in Pennsylvania?

Since January 1, 2026 the UCC's 2021 I-Codes reference the 2020 NEC statewide. Projects with earlier design contracts or permits may still fall under the 2017 NEC, so confirm with the code official.1,2,3

How does net metering work in Pennsylvania?

For residential systems up to 50 kW, exported energy offsets usage at the full retail rate month to month, and any surplus left when the year closes on May 31 is paid at the utility's price to compare.10

Who issues solar permits in Pennsylvania?

Usually the municipality, since over 90% enforce the UCC locally. In opt-out municipalities, residential projects are inspected by a certified third-party agency the owner hires.3

Can an HOA ban solar panels in Pennsylvania?

Currently there is no state law preventing it. HB 1239, which would bar associations from prohibiting or unreasonably restricting solar on individually owned roofs, passed the House in July 2026 and awaits the Senate.7,8

What roof pathways does Pennsylvania require around solar arrays?

On one- and two-family homes the 2021 IRC R324.6 rules apply: two 36-inch eave-to-ridge pathways and 18-inch ridge setbacks (36 inches if the array covers over a third of the roof), with roofs of 2:12 or flatter exempt.4,6

Services and further reading

Metro pages for Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh.

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.

  1. https://www.phila.gov/media/20251021080549/B-2501-Implementation-of-2021-International-Codes.pdf
  2. https://www.manheimtownship.org/DocumentCenter/View/9965/Code-Change-Memo-2026
  3. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dli/programs-services/labor-management-relations/bureau-of-occupational-and-industrial-safety/uniform-construction-code-home
  4. https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/034/chapter403/s403.21.html
  5. https://www.phila.gov/departments/department-of-licenses-and-inspections/resources/applicable-codes/
  6. https://up.codes/s/roof-access-and-pathways
  7. https://solarunitedneighbors.org/resources/homeowners-associations-and-solar-access-in-pennsylvania/
  8. https://www.pahouse.com/InTheNews/NewsRelease/?id=144258
  9. https://www.papowerswitch.com/
  10. https://law.cornell.edu/regulations/pennsylvania/52-Pa-Code-SS-75-13
  11. https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/apply-for-a-permit/building-and-repair-permits/get-a-permit-to-install-solar-panels/
  12. https://www.buckinghampa.org/media/6415/pecointerconnectionbrochure2024.pdf
  13. https://www.pplweb.com/about-us/our-companies/
  14. https://www.pplelectric.com/utility/about-us/for-contractors-and-builders/building-or-renovating/net-metered-distributed-energy
  15. https://newsroom.duquesnelight.com/duquesne-light-company-poised-to-lead-pittsburgh-regions-clean-energy-transition
  16. https://www.dlc-ira.com/market-rate/duquesne-light-company-net-metering/
  17. https://www.puc.pa.gov/press-release/2026/puc-issues-decision-in-ppl-electric-rate-proceeding-06042026

Researched September 30, 2026.

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