Seattle City - Solar Permit Requirements

Seattle has created a guide to help home and business owners install a solar electric system. The guide gives advice and outlines important steps to take to install a solar PV (photovoltaic) system.

The guide includes electrical, building, land use, and set-back yard permit requirements. Any solar electric project must obtain an electrical permit secured by an electrical contractor. An electrical permit fee is approximately $190 if you system size is less than 7 kW.

A building permit is required when the array weight is 1,000 pounds or more, the installation is structurally complex, the project is part of building alterations or additions valued over $4,000, or the solar project requires construction or stand-alone support structures valued over $4,000.

The land use requirements for single family, multi-family and residential small lot zones are solar panels may be mounted to extend up to 4 feet above the zone’s height limit, or up to 4 feet above the ridge of the pitched roof. The total height may not extend more than 9 feet above the zone’s height limit.

The set-back yard requirements are that ground or pole mounted PV systems cannot be located in front yards. They must be 15 back from the property line and 3 feet from the side property line.