Designing and installing a typical residential solar system doesn’t stop at choosing the right solar panels and inverter/battery brands. Before a PV system can be installed, commissioned, approved and energized, homeowners or installers must submit a typical solar permit plan sets to both local building departments and applicable utility that comply with local AHJ requirements and applicable codes such as National Electrical Code (NEC 2023), International Building Code (IBC 2021), International Mechanical Code (IMC 2021), International Plumbing Code (IPC 2021) others.
At ROSEC Solar, we specialize in creating complete, NEC-compliant solar permit plans within quick turnarounds that streamline the permitting processes and helps in expediting it. In this blog, we’ll walk you through some of the typical AHJ requirements for residential solar permit plans —page by page—and explain why each section is critical in ensuring approval from both building department and utility right the first time.
Why NEC Compliance Matters for Solar Permit Plans?
National Electrical Code (NEC-2023) is the benchmark for safe electrical design and installation in the United States. When it comes to solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, the NEC provides rules for everything from conductor sizing to grounding, setbacks & clearances, rapid shutdown requirements and much more. Submitting a code-complaint plan set not only fulfils AHJ requirements but also ensures your solar installation is safe and future-proof.
A Page-by-Page Look at an NEC-Compliant Solar Permit Plan Set
Here’s how ROSEC Solar’s typical solar permit plan set is structured with appropriate details to ensure compliance with various codes and regulatory requirements.
Page 1: Cover Sheet
The cover sheet provides an overview of the project details, such as system DC and AC size, DC/AC ratio, module and inverter specifications. The cover sheet also indicates the design wind speed and snow load, project address, utility and applicable zoning along with a table of content indicating sheet numbers and titles respectively.
Page 2: Site Plan
The site plan shows typical property layout indicating the nearby roads, driveway, roof layout, solar panels, and major equipment location – meter, service panel(s), inverter(s), AC disconnect etc. The drawing also provides a legend along with a table including the roof/array details, number of modules, total area, roof area, roof percentage coverage etc. along with some other general notes. Moreover, it also clearly indicates the ground access and roof access points locations.
Page 3: Roof Plan
The roof plan contains detailed the PV array layout, roof layout, rafters, roof attachments and their spacing, rails, mid-clamps and end-clamps, string layout along with the roof area and coverage details, attachment and clamp quantity, panel tilt and azimuth etc. It is mandatory to provide a fire setback of 36″ for firefighters and one or multiple roof access paths all the way to the ridge line. If sufficient space is available on both sides of the ridge, it is a common practice to keep 18″ fire setback on both side (making a total of 36″).
Page 4: Racking Details
A sheet providing structural details of the different components of the racking system. Details and drawings of the roof attachments, front-view of the solar array showing maximum attachment spacing, side-view of the array showing attachments, rail, height of panel from roof surface and much more. In case where more details are needed, the racking details page is supported by another page for incorporating the additional drawings. Moreover, structural details are further supported by a table containing details of module make, model and quantity, total module area, racking system technical details, total point load (psf), distributed load (psf), rafter details, attachment quantity etc.
Page 5: Three Line Diagram
The main electrical design indicated in the form of a three line diagram clearly showing the PV module, strings and rapid shutdown devices (if applicable) along with their technical specifications. Details of the PV inverter, batteries, DC and AC disconnects, and system connection (load side or line side) as per NEC 2023 requirements are also indicate on the line diagram. The drawing is supported with various comments and references from NEC 2023.
Page 6: Design Calculations & Tables
A sheet containing two major tables. The first one being a BOM table containing all equipment, their quantities and specifications. While second one being the design calculations table showing cable sizing, grounding conductor sizing, conduit size, conduit fill factor, voltage drop, circuit current, cable rating as per NEC 2023, derated current, OCPD sizing etc.
Page 7: Signage & Labels
Safety signs and labels are a critical NEC requirement. This page provides details of the labels themselves as per NEC references – wording, markings, color scheme, physical size in inches and placement location. Some typical labels include general warning and caution labels, PV disconnect label, rapid shutdown label, max voltage and current, battery/ESS labels and so on.
Datasheets and Reports
Lastly, a typical solar permit planset contains datasheets of all equipment from PV module, to inverter, battery, grid boss (or other device if applicable), mounting structure and rails, DC disconnect and so on. The datasheets are followed by typical structural or wind-load reports from manufacturers like IronRidge, S5! or others.
Why Partner with ROSEC Solar for Permit Plan Sets?
First-time approvals: Our plans are detailed, NEC-compliant, and designed to pass local AHJ review quickly without costly resubmissions and time delays.
Nationwide service: We customize plans based on your local jurisdiction and applicable codes.
Time and cost savings: We offer a competitive price starting at $150 / planset and a turnaround time of 24 – 48 hours.
Navigating regulatory requirements for residential solar systems can be challenging especially when you are living in the US, but with the right partner, it becomes a seamless process. A well-prepared permit plan set is more than just paperwork—it’s the foundation of a safe, compliant, and efficient solar installation.
At ROSEC Solar, we take pride in delivering comprehensive, NEC-compliant solar permit plan sets that keep your projects on track. Ready to start your next project? Contact us today and let’s get started or visit our portfolio section to see above example sheets in actual project cases.