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Solar site surveys · Houston, TXRoof, attic and service panel captured in one visit, with the plan set built for the Houston AHJ you submit into and the utility that serves the address.
In the City of Houston, rooftop PV needs structural and electrical permits applied for through iPermits, with Texas PE-sealed structural work and an address-specific ASCE 7 wind speed on the plans; SolarAPP+ is available for eligible systems below 140 mph design wind speed. CenterPoint handles interconnection for most of the metro, while Entergy Texas serves much of The Woodlands and TNMP serves several Galveston and Brazoria County cities.
Texas state rules apply here, plus whatever the local AHJ amends.
Houston's residential code amendments require the design wind speed to be taken from the ASCE 7 hazard tool for the specific address, with the printout attached to the plans. Where the design wind speed reaches 140 mph or more, SolarAPP+ is not available and traditional review applies.5,6,8
La Porte, Morgan's Point, Pasadena, Seabrook and Shoreacres east of State Highway 146, plus nearby Galveston and Brazoria counties, are in TDI's windstorm catastrophe area, where roof work falls under the Windstorm Inspection Program.9,10
Houston flags properties in the floodplain, historic districts or near airports for additional PV permit requirements, and Harris County requires floodplain permits for development in mapped floodplains.6,11
Houston's PV checklist tells applicants to check deed restrictions with the civic association or county records before applying, and neither ground equipment nor arrays may encroach into easements.6
The main AHJs, and how the rest of the metro splits up.
Structural and electrical permits are required for any PV system, applied for through iPermits with plans uploaded to ProjectDox; plans must show a roof layout, PE-sealed structural letter, ASCE 7 wind speed printout and IFC 1205 pathways. Since July 15, 2024, registered contractors can use SolarAPP+ for eligible rooftop systems.6,12,8
Official page ↗Issues development and floodplain permits in unincorporated Harris County and earned SolSmart Silver in 2023 for a streamlined small-PV permitting pathway; confirm current rooftop solar requirements with the county.11,13
Official page ↗The Township gives covenant/design-review approval rather than building permits, and exterior improvements on existing homes need prior written approval from its design review committee.14
Official page ↗Each incorporated city is its own permitting AHJ and may be on a different code edition (Sugar Land, for example, uses the 2024 I-codes); Harris County handles development permits in its unincorporated areas, and The Woodlands is an unincorporated township with covenant review.15,11,14
CenterPoint is the wires utility for the City of Houston and most of the core metro; Entergy Texas provides service to most of The Woodlands; TNMP serves Gulf Coast cities such as League City, Friendswood and Dickinson.6,21,22
Wires utility for much of the Houston area; installers submit residential solar interconnection applications through CenterPoint's online DG portal, and the system must not operate until permission to operate is issued. Export credit comes from the customer's retail electric provider.23,6,24
Interconnection page ↗Competitive-area wires utility with a Gulf Coast region that includes League City, Friendswood, Dickinson and Texas City; DG applications with a one-line diagram and site plan go through TNMP's DG portal, followed by review, agreement, inspection and a DG meter.25,22
Interconnection page ↗Southeast Texas utility that provides electric infrastructure for most of The Woodlands; interconnection applications with an IPODG agreement and one-line diagram go through Entergy's portal, with pre-approval required for systems of 15 kW and up.26,21
Interconnection page ↗The same capture standard as every other Texas job, so the plan set is built on what the technician verified on site.
At minimum a structural and an electrical building permit under one project number, applied for in iPermits with plans in ProjectDox; the electrical permit must be purchased by a registered licensed electrician.6
Yes for eligible rooftop systems since July 15, 2024, if the contractor is registered with SolarAPP+ and the City. Sites with a design wind speed of 140 mph or more need traditional plan review.8
Houston adopted the 2021 I-codes with local amendments, effective January 2024, and its PV checklist requires IFC 1205 pathways. Electrical work follows the state-adopted NEC, which moved to the 2026 edition on September 1, 2026; confirm which edition applies to your permit date.4,6,1
Yes. Houston requires the address-specific design wind speed from the ASCE 7 hazard tool, with the printout included in the plans, and roofing and equipment must meet that wind design.6
State-level detail is on the Texas page; every location is on the solar site survey hub.
Roof, attic and service panel in one visit
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Explore →Roof and electrical, one visit
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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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