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Solar site surveys · Richmond, VARoof, attic and service panel captured in one visit, with the plan set built for the Richmond AHJ you submit into and the utility that serves the address.
The City of Richmond reviews solar through its Bureau of Permits and Inspections using the electrical permit application, and holds SolSmart Gold status. Henrico and Chesterfield counties run separate permit offices; Henrico needs only an electrical permit plus a pathway diagram for single-family rooftop systems. Arrays visible from the street in Richmond's Old and Historic Districts need a Commission of Architectural Review certificate.
Virginia state rules apply here, plus whatever the local AHJ amends.
Henrico County lists a 20 psf residential ground snow load, a 115 mph ultimate design wind speed and an ice barrier requirement.5
Street-visible arrays in the city's Old and Historic Districts go to the Commission of Architectural Review; rear or alley placements that are screened can be approved by staff.6
Henrico requires a roof pathway layout with 36-inch eave-to-ridge paths and 18-inch ridge clearances on roofs steeper than 2:12, and no arrays directly below an emergency escape opening.4
In Henrico the inspector relies on printed photos of rooftop wiring and penetrations, so conduit runs, junction boxes and attic crossings need to be documented as installed.4
The main AHJs, and how the rest of the metro splits up.
Residential and commercial solar projects use the Electrical Permit Application; any plan submission must be on a thumb drive or CD, and the electrical permit fee is based on system cost. As a SolSmart Gold community the city commits to timely solar reviews, and the Permits and Inspections page lists solar among permit types that may be expedited.7,8,9
Official page ↗In Old and Historic Districts, staff can approve solar panels that are screened from public view or only seen secondarily from the rear or alley, while panels visible from a public street need a certificate of appropriateness from the Commission.6
Official page ↗Rooftop solar on single-family homes needs an electrical permit only. The online application needs a pathway diagram under VRC R324.6; at inspection the applicant supplies a single-line diagram and color photos of rooftop junction boxes, conductors, conduit supports and penetrations. Commercial solar needs building and electrical permits with plans and structural evaluation.4
Official page ↗Every locality enforces the same statewide USBC, but each runs its own permit office and submittal rules, so Henrico's electrical-only process does not carry over to the city or other counties.1,4
Dominion Energy Virginia serves the City of Richmond; the city's electrical plan review asks for a Dominion fault current letter on new services, and Dominion processes net metering interconnection notices.2,14
Customer-generators file a Net Metering Interconnection Notification, fastest through the online portal. Systems must be sized to produce no more than about 150% of expected annual use, and an SCC order of April 30, 2026 created a NEM 2.0 tariff for new customers.14,15
Interconnection page ↗The same capture standard as every other Virginia job, so the plan set is built on what the technician verified on site.
The City of Richmond directs residential and commercial solar to its Electrical Permit Application, with plans submitted on a thumb drive or CD when plans are required.7,8
Not for single-family homes: Henrico requires only an electrical permit, a pathway diagram at application and photos plus a single-line diagram at inspection. Commercial systems need both building and electrical permits.4
Yes, with review. Panels screened from view or seen only from the rear or alley can get staff approval; panels visible from a public street need a certificate of appropriateness from the Commission of Architectural Review.6
Henrico County's design criteria list a 20 psf ground snow load and a 115 mph ultimate design wind speed; check the specific locality's table for other addresses.5
State-level detail is on the Virginia page; every location is on the solar site survey hub.
Roof, attic and service panel in 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.
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