Energy Savings Calculator
0203 193 8888
0203 193 8888
Most residential solar installs don’t require planning consent. However, all require sign-off from building regulations. This guide explains how installers must comply with building regulations to ensure your solar array meets legally required standards.
In researching solar panels, most people may have only considered whether the home needs planning permission. Though only a small percentage of homes need consent, building regulations require:
Once signed off, the company will give you the certification. You must keep these for insurance and sales purposes.
A certified installer handles every aspect of the compliance process on your behalf. In understanding what the building regulations require, you will be able to ask prospective solar panel fitting companies the right questions.
The Solar Co is MCS-certified and fully manages regulation compliance for every installation in South East England. Contact us today to have a solar system survey at your home.
Planning permission covers whether you’re allowed to alter or change your home’s appearance. Building regulations ensure that the work done is safe and structurally sound.
With a few exceptions, planning permission isn’t required – see this guide [link] to find out whether your home might be subject to restrictions. Building regulations cover every residential and business building, and the installer must sign off on the job upon completion.
Your local authority’s Building Control department oversees building regulations. Non-compliant installations can cause problems with insurance, mortgage lenders and future property sales.
Yes – unlike planning permission, building regulations approval is required for all solar PV installations without exception.
There are two routes to compliance:
Most solar companies use the competent person route, which means that you don’t need to interact with the local authority at all. Once installed, you will be issued a Building Regulations Completion Certificate – an important document that you need to keep for insurance and resale purposes.
The certification for a solar array comes in four parts:
Before construction begins, the company must conduct a survey to assess whether the roof can safely bear the weight of the solar system for its intended lifespan – this can exceed 25 years.
For older properties, a structural engineer may have to sign off on the proposed work. The pre-installation survey should flag any roof weaknesses or indicate that they plan to put a heavier system on the roof. You may need to repair your roof ahead of installation – we cover this in another article [link].
At this stage, the surveyor will ensure that the roof can safely support the solar array. This includes:
The majority of standard semi-detached and detached homes in the South East are well-suited to solar, but building regulations require a survey.
As well as the structural side, other regulations cover electrical safety – this is covered by Part P. Under the rules, a ‘competent person’ must carry out the electrical work. This includes:
Fitting must comply with BS7671 (IET Wiring Regulations), updated in July 2024, with specific provisions with solar PV and battery storage.
As with the structural side, an NICEIC- or NAPIT-registered fitter can self-certify the Part P compliance. There is no need for them to apply to the local authority for this separately.
If someone has fitted the system who lacks the appropriate registration, it isn’t just a problem of merely not receiving a piece of paper. It can result in home insurance being refused and even prevent future property sales.
Adequate ventilation around solar electrical components is important, as they can lose efficiency if they get too warm. From a safety perspective, it can overheat or even catch fire if not put in properly. This is why you must have Part F signed off.
Under Part F rules, the installer must place the inverter in a safe and dry location. This will usually be indoors (the garage or utility room is common), and there must be sufficient airflow around the unit.
Batteries must be located in a well-ventilated space, too. Lithium batteries in particular are subject to stricter placement rules under the new PAS 63100 standard.
Introduced in 2024, the PAS 63100 standard is a set of rules for the safe installation of home batteries.
Under these regulations, batteries must be stored in a well-ventilated area, such as a garage, utility room or specially built outdoor cabinet – away from sleeping areas and means of escape. The PAS standards also require that appropriate smoke detection is in place near the battery unit.
During a sale, insurance claim, or future inspection, non-compliance can cause problems. If it is found non-compliant, you may have to relocate the battery to a space that complies with the regulation, which could impact a house sale process.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certification ensures that the solar installer meets quality and technical standards. Another reason to ensure that the solar company you choose has this certification is so you can qualify for the Solar Export Guarantee (SEG) – the way that you can sell electricity to the grid for a fair price.
To self-certify the work without a separate local authority application, the installer must be registered by the NICEIC or NAPIT. The difference between NICEIC/NAPIT and MCS is that MCS certifies the work as a whole, and NICEIC/NAPIT certification covers electrical compliance in its individual parts.
A fully certified installer (MCS + NICEIC or NAPIT) can manage the entire building regulations process end-to-end — you receive all relevant certificates at completion. The Solar Co holds all the required certifications for these projects and can self-certify on your behalf – from structural survey to the final certificates we have covered above.
The process of surveying and certifying the project comes in four parts. Before installation, the company conducts a site survey to assess structural suitability, roof condition and inverter/battery placement. At this stage, they will flag any issues (such as urgent roof repairs) that could affect compliance with building regulations.
The next stage is compliance with the Distribution Network Operator (DNO). For systems below 3.68kW, the installation company must submit a G98 application to the DNO before installation. Most solar arrays we install are for larger systems – for these, the installer must submit a G99 application, which requires formal approval. This process typically takes around 3-4 weeks before the installation can take place.
During installation work, it must meet the requirements of Parts A, P, and F. At every stage of the process, the installer has to document it for Building Control.
Once the team has completed the work, they will issue you with an MCS Installation Certificate (required for SEG payments), a Part P Electrical Completion Certificate (Building Regulations), and an EPC update if applicable. These documents are important and must be retained for mortgage lenders, insurers, and future buyers if you sell the property.
In most cases, your installer will handle building regulations compliance on your behalf. MCS-certified installers are familiar with the requirements and will either self-certify the work or notify the local authority as needed. It’s still worth confirming this before installation so you know everything is covered.
If the installation isn’t compliant, it can cause problems later — particularly when selling your home or making an insurance claim. You may be asked to provide certification, and without it, you could face delays or additional costs to bring the system up to standard.
PAS 63100:2024 introduces stricter guidance on battery safety, particularly around fire risk and ventilation. In practice, this means batteries are less likely to be installed in lofts or main living areas and are more commonly placed in garages, utility rooms, or outside. Your installer will advise on compliant locations.
An MCS certificate confirms that your solar system has been installed to industry standards and is required to access schemes like the Smart Export Guarantee. A Building Regulations certificate confirms the installation meets legal safety and structural requirements. You typically need both for a fully compliant system.
In most cases, solar panels don’t negatively affect insurance or mortgages, but you should inform your provider once they are installed. Some insurers may adjust your policy slightly to account for the added system. For mortgages, lenders generally view solar positively, especially as it can improve EPC ratings and property value.
Building regulations apply to all solar systems fitted in the UK. They must conform to structural safety (Part A), electrical safety (Part P) and ventilation (Part F). In addition, PAS 63100:2024 standard adds specific rules for battery storage.
The good news is that a fully certified installer handles every compliance requirement from start to finish. The Solar Co has MCS and NICEIC certification. Book a free, no-obligation survey with us to find out what a compliant solar installation will look like in your home.
Back to Blog