Do You Need Planning Permission To Install Solar Panels?

If you’re thinking of having solar panels installed, there are various points to consider, ranging from your budget to the best spot on your property for the installation (it’s not your attic).

Another key aspect of a solar panel installation is potential planning permission and related building regulations. Nothing tells you that you’re living in a free country like asking permission to build something on your own land. 

Planning more beyond solar and feeling a little lost? Consult a home extension architect. They demolish barriers of complexity and eradicate stress with a bespoke, handholding service. Certainly a worthy investment in our opinion.

Let's get to it, do you need planning permission to install solar panels in the UK? 

PS We offer MCS-certified solar panel installation nationwide. Simply answer these questions, get your fixed price and arrange your free design.

Solar Panel Planning Permission Key Points: 

• Most residential properties in the UK can install solar panels on their roofs without planning permission if specific criteria are met - this is known as permitted development. 

• Planning permission is generally required for solar panel installations on listed buildings or within conservation areas due to visual impact considerations.

• Seeking pre-application advice from the local planning authority is recommended to ensure compliance and minimise potential disputes.

Do I Need Planning Permission for Solar Panels?

In most cases, you will not need planning approval to have solar panels installed on the roof of your property, no matter what your posh neighbours say. 

When planning permission is not required, this is called ‘permitted development'. It’s because the government also doesn’t want you to ask permission for every little thing. 

However, there are certain situations where permitted development does not apply, in which case planning permission will be required prior to installation. 

These exceptions from permitted development include the following scenarios: 

• Your building is listed. 

• You live in a part of the country where permitted development rights do not apply (areas of outstanding natural beauty).

• You want to install a ground-mounted system. 

Explore a Solar Case Study: Check out an insightful Q&A session featured in one of our detailed case studies on domestic solar panels. Hear directly from a Heatable customer in the UK and gain valuable perspectives on their experience here.

The image above shows a 23-panel solar installation, carried out by the MCS-certified solar team at Heatable, featuring the REA Fusion2 solar panels.

England Solar Panels Planning Permission Rules 

We’ll look at the rules for England first (calm down, Scotland’s rules are listed in the next section).

Planning permission rules for England can be broken up into two categories:

• For solar panels that are fitted to the building itself (e.g., on the roof).

• For solar panels that are installed on the ground level, such as in a back garden.

  • For solar installations on flat roofs (legislation relating to this was updated in early 2024, removing the requirement to need planning approval for flat roof systems – unless the house is listed, in a conservation area etc).

This way you can confirm beyond any doubt that your proposed solar panel installation does not require planning permission.

Still learning about solar panels? Explore our helpful guides on various topics, including solar panel grants, payback periods, the mechanics of solar energy, determining the number of panels you need, and solar car charging solutions.

Solar Panels Installed on the Building

Whether this means having solar panels installed on the roof of a house, a block of flats, or another building within the curtilage of your property, this subsection is for you. We’re generous like Oprah, just with more practical things. 

To avoid planning permission being necessitated, your installation must meet the following criteria:

• Your solar panels must be installed in such a way as to minimise their impact on the external appearance of your property and the amenity of the area, to a great extent as is practically possible.

• Whenever you decide you no longer want to use your solar panels, you will need to have them removed as soon as is practically possible.

• Solar panels shouldn’t be fitted above the highest part of your roof (with the exception of the chimney). Moreover, they should not project any further than 200mm from the wall surface or roof slope.

• You cannot have solar panels fitted on a building within a listed building’s grounds or on a site classed as a scheduled monument.

• Moreover, if you live in a World Heritage Site or conservation area, solar panels cannot be installed on a wall which fronts a highway. *

*You should be aware that a highway doesn’t simply mean a motorway. In fact, per the RTA 1988 Sect 192(1), a highway in England or Wales is “any highway and any other road to which the public has access and includes bridges over which a road passes”. So, pretty much any road. That really changes the meaning of the phrase ‘my way or the highway’. 

Again, please note that if you fail to meet one of the above criteria, it does not mean you can’t have solar panels installed.

Instead, it would mean you’d need to apply for the necessary planning permission.

With that said, how likely your application is to succeed would primarily depend on which criteria you do not meet and to what extent.

Lastly, please be aware that leaseholders may require permission from their landlord, management company, or the freeholder to have solar panels installed.

Related solar guides: 

• Are solar batteries worth it? 

• Best Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) rates. 

• Solar panel inverters. 

• Second-hand solar panels. 

• Solar water heating. 

Stand-Alone Solar Panels Installed on the Grounds of Your Home

Whether we are talking about a house or a block of flats, the following planning permission rules apply if you wish to have solar panels installed within the curtilage of the property but not on the building itself.

So, again, this more than likely means you want to have solar panels fitted in your back garden.

Either way, the following rules must be followed to avoid planning permission being required:

• As with panels fitted to the building itself, standalone solar panels should be sited in such a way that they have a minimal effect on the amenity of the area, so far as is practically possible.

• Again, when you no longer need your solar panels, they should be removed as fast as is practically possible.

• No part of your solar panel installation should exceed a height of four metres.

• Your installation should be no less than five metres from the boundary of the property - if you’ve got a property of less than 20 metres squared, this poses some problems. 

• Once you’ve had standalone solar panels installed for the first time, it will be permitted development, so long as all other rules are met. However, if you’d like to have additional installations in the future, these will necessitate planning permission.

• Moreover, the size of your solar array should not exceed 9 metres squared. Either way, it should also not exceed a width of three metres or a depth of three metres. Which, if you’ve paid attention to maths, is exactly the same. 

• Solar panels shouldn’t be fitted within the boundary of a scheduled monument or listed building.

• If you live in a World Heritage Site or conservation area, your solar panels should not be closer to any highway near your property than any aspect of your house itself. In other words, the part of your house nearest the highway should be closer to the highway than any solar panels you’d like to have installed.

Also, once again, leaseholders may require permission from their freeholder, management company or landlord to have solar panels installed.

We have also reviewed the best solar panels and covered how long solar panels last in the UK. 

Scotland Solar Panels Planning Permission Rules

As with England, planning permission is not usually needed to have solar panels installed in Scotland.

To avoid planning permission being necessitated, a solar panel installation in Scotland must meet the following criteria:

• You cannot have solar panels installed on any external walls of a building if the building in question contains a flat. Even if it’s a small flat, it still counts. 

• If you wish to have solar panels installed on a flat roof, they cannot be fitted within a metre from the roof’s edge or extend over a metre above the roof’s plane.

• Your solar panels cannot stand taller than the height part of your roof (with the exclusion of your chimney).

• If you live in a World Heritage Site or conservation area and you want to have solar panels fitted to the section of your roof that forms the front of your house, solar panels may not be visible to a road. You’re supposed to be as ashamed of your solar panels in Scotland as they are in England. 

• Any solar panel installation must, as far as is reasonably possible, have a minimal effect on the amenity of your area.

• When you no longer require your solar panels, they must either be removed as quickly as feasible or employed for domestic microgeneration instead.

What should you know before buying solar? Have a flat roof? Read all about flat roof solar and if you have a conservatory, it is possible to have solar on a conservatory roof too. 

Building Regulations & Solar Panels

Building regulations are a related topic worth briefly exploring.

In most cases, roof building regs will apply if you’d like to have solar panels fitted.

For example, your roof’s ability to hold up the weight of the solar panels in question must be verified by having a roof survey conducted. Considering that your roof may implode on you otherwise, this is really a win-win. 

And, if necessary, strengthening work must be undertaken to ensure the safety and security of your roof.

The materials and building work must also follow relevant building regulations. You don’t get to skip out on those just because you’re being green. 

All in all, these regulations should be easy to follow once you hire a relevant qualified professional to install your solar panels.

If in any doubt, you can contact your local council for further help and advice. 

Do You Need Permission to Connect to the Grid?

If you want to connect your solar panels to the grid (e.g., so you can sell excess electricity to an energy provider) your MCS installer must notify your Distribution Network Operation or DNO once you’ve had solar panels installed on your property.

This applies to both England and Scotland.

For the purposes of your DNO, there are two classes of Declared Net Capacity (DNC) for solar panels.

While Run-D.M.C. is a former hip-hop group, DNC refers to the estimated output of your solar array once we factor in losses of electricity such as from inverters.

For example, if your solar array has a DNC of 3.68kW or less, your solar panel installer can make your DNO aware of this via the G83/2 after your system has been installed and commissioned.

However, if your system will have a DNC of 3.68kW or more, your MCS installer will need to notify your DNO via the G59 notification before you have your panels installed.

This is primarily because, in this case, the DNO will need to give their approval before you have your solar panels fitted. They are the mighty gatekeepers of the grid. 

Since the installer can do this work for you, you shouldn’t be required to contact a DNO yourself.

This is just another reason among many why it's crucial to hire a qualified MCS-certified installer or a solar panel installation company with MCS-certified installers.

Solar Panel Planning Permission FAQs: 

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive concerning solar panels and planning permission in the UK: 

How Many Solar Panels Can I Install On My Roof? 

There are no specific rules concerning the number of panels you are allowed to install.

The only limiting factor is likely to be the size of your roof and/or the amount of available space you have. 

Heatable provides a free online drawing tool to precisely calculate this, check it out here.

What if My Property is Listed? 

If your property is a listed building then the permitted development rules do not apply to you as you will need to apply for planning permission with your local authority. 

Additionally, you will need to seek listed building consent too. It’s not the 1960s anymore, after all. 

Can I Install Solar Panels in My Garden? 

Potentially yes you can put solar panels in your garden, you’ll need planning approval for this.

Next Steps For Your Solar Journey:

When planning to install solar panels for your home, there are several important factors to consider. Make sure to refer to the following guides to help you make informed decisions:

• How much do solar panels cost? 

• Are solar panels worth it for your home? 

• Is your roof suitable for solar panels? 

• What are the best solar panels available? 

• Is battery storage worth it? 

To dive deeper into these topics, head over to our advice section, check out our YouTube channel for informative videos, or read a customer case study to see how others have benefited from their solar installation. 

Get a Quote for Solar Today 

Without boasting you should get your solar installed with us, here's why: 

• Thousands of Happy Customers: We boast an average score of 4.9 on Trustpilot, outperforming the market leader.

• Which? Trusted Trader: Heatable is proudly recognised as a Which? Trusted Trader.

• MCS Accredited: Our accreditation by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) ensures high-quality standards.

• Exclusive Panels: We offer REA Fusion solar panels, available only through Heatable.

• Consumer Protection: As members of the HIES consumer code, we provide 2-year deposit protection.

• Flexible Payment Options: Choose from multiple payment methods, including finance options.

• Fixed Price Guarantee: Enjoy transparency with no hidden costs.

• Save Your Quote: You can save your quote and decide later.

• Bespoke Design Tool: Draw your own conclusion (literally) on whether solar is worth it for you, here.