Solar Permit Plans New York | PE-Stamped Plan Sets for NY Solar Contractors

Solar permit plans in New York are engineering drawings prepared by a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA) that document a photovoltaic system’s structural mounting, electrical configuration, and code compliance for submission to a local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). New York State law requires PE or RA preparation for all solar permit drawings. Solar Permit Solutions delivers PE-stamped, AHJ-ready plan sets for residential and commercial solar projects across all 62 New York counties, accepted by NYC DOB, NYSERDA-qualified utilities, and every municipality from Buffalo to Montauk.

Why New York Solar Permits Require Specialized Plan Sets

New York operates one of the most complex solar permitting landscapes in the country. Unlike states with a single statewide building code authority, New York delegates permit review to more than 1,700 local jurisdictions, each with its own checklist, adopted code edition, and review timeline. Layered on top of that is the NYC Department of Buildings, which runs an entirely separate dual-permit system for the five boroughs. A plan set built for a Nassau County AHJ will not pass the DOB NOW review in Brooklyn without significant revision. Solar Permit Solutions engineers each plan set to the specific AHJ requirements of the project’s jurisdiction, not a generic template.

New York also enforces two separate fire code frameworks for rooftop access. Outside New York City, the 2020 Residential Code of New York State (2020 RCNYS) and the 2020 Fire Code of New York State (2020 FCNYS) govern setbacks and ventilation pathways. Inside NYC, Fire Code Section 512 imposes stricter access clearances: six-foot-wide perimeter clearances and six-foot-deep access paths on flat roofs and three-foot ridge clearances on pitched roofs. Plan sets that ignore this distinction fail inspection and delay contractor timelines.

New York Solar Permit Plan Set: What Is Included

Plan Set Component	Details
Site Plan	Array location, setbacks, roof access pathways, north arrow, property lines
Electrical Single-Line Diagram	NEC 690/705-compliant wiring, rapid shutdown, disconnect placement, utility meter
Structural Calculations	Roof load analysis per ASCE 7, snow and wind load for NY climate zones
Equipment Specifications	Manufacturer cut sheets for modules, inverters, racking, and combiners
Labels & Signage Schedule	Required NEC and NYC/NYS fire code labeling for all system components
Structural Letter (if required)	PE certification when system exceeds 5 lbs/sq ft or 45 lbs per attachment point
NYC DOB Supplemental Docs	For NYC projects: Directive 14 forms, Professional Certification package, or Full Plan Review submission set

New York City Solar Permits: NYC DOB Requirements

New York City operates outside the statewide unified solar permit program. Solar PV installations in the five boroughs require two separate permits filed through the DOB NOW platform:

• Electrical permit issued to a NYC-Licensed Master Electrician (LME)
• Construction work permit issued to a NYC-licensed General Contractor (GC)

All plans must be prepared and sealed by a New York State PE or RA. The DOB offers three plan review pathways: full plan review through a borough office, professional certification (where the PE/RA self-certifies code compliance, subject to audit), and same-day review under Directive 14 for qualifying projects. Solar Permit Solutions prepares complete packages for all three pathways.

For detailed NYC DOB requirements, see the NYC DOB solar panels page. Contractors can also reference the NYC Solar Permitting Process Guide maintained by Sustainable CUNY.

NYS Unified Solar Permit: Residential Projects Outside NYC

For residential systems 25 kW DC and under outside New York City, NYSERDA and the New York State Department of State developed the NYS Unified Solar Permit to standardize and expedite review. Over 300 AHJs have adopted the Unified Permit. Under this program, permit determinations are issued within 14 calendar days of a complete application, and a single inspection is typically sufficient.

However, adoption is not universal. Many upstate towns, villages, and counties continue to use their own permit forms and checklists. Solar Permit Solutions verifies AHJ requirements at the project level before producing each plan set. For more information, see NYSERDA’s Unified Solar Permit resources.

New York Utility Territories and Interconnection Requirements

New York’s solar contractors work across six investor-owned utility (IOU) service territories plus LIPA/PSEG Long Island, each with its own interconnection application process and technical requirements. Matching plan set specifications to the correct utility territory is critical for interconnection approval.

Con Edison (NYC and Westchester)

Con Edison follows the NY State Standard Interconnection Requirements (SIR) for commercial solar projects below 5 MW. Residential systems below 25 kW qualify for a simplified online interconnection application. Projects between 50 kW and 5 MW require preliminary screening; if not approved at screening, Con Edison may require a Supplemental Screening Analysis ($2,500) or a full Coordinated Electric System Interconnection Review (CESIR) at $1,450 to $8,000, depending on system size.

PSEG Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties)

PSEG Long Island manages interconnection for distributed generation projects up to 10 MW. Residential applications are filed online. The standard interconnection timeline for PSEG Long Island residential projects runs four to eight weeks after application submission. Plan sets must include a single-line diagram, equipment specifications, and a site plan meeting PSEG Long Island’s technical requirements.

National Grid (Upstate, Brooklyn, Queens)

National Grid uses the SIR for projects up to 2 MW. Residential systems below 50 kW typically qualify for a simplified interconnection process with no CESIR required, though a study may be required in some cases depending on local network conditions. Solar Permit Solutions produces plan sets that satisfy National Grid’s technical documentation requirements for both simplified and full interconnection applications.

NYSEG and RG&E (Upstate and Finger Lakes)

New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E), both owned by Avangrid, follow the SIR for projects below 5 MW and use an online portal for application submission and tracking. Both utilities maintain lists of circuits that are at full capacity, which affects interconnection timelines for projects in certain upstate service areas.

Central Hudson (Hudson Valley) and Orange and Rockland

Central Hudson Gas and Electric serves the Hudson Valley region, including Dutchess, Ulster, Greene, Columbia, Orange, Putnam, and Sullivan counties. Orange and Rockland Utilities is a Con Edison subsidiary and maintains similar interconnection requirements. Both utilities classify projects by size and use dedicated application portals. For Hudson Valley permitting specifics, see our guide on solar permits in the Hudson Valley.

New York AHJ Coverage: All 62 Counties

Solar Permit Solutions produces plan sets accepted by building departments across all 62 New York counties. Below are key AHJ markets where we have established permit approval records.

New York City (5 Boroughs)

NYC DOB handles permitting for all five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. All applications are filed through DOB NOW. Electrical work requires a NYC-licensed master electrician. Construction work requires an NYC-licensed general contractor.

Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties)

Long Island AHJs vary significantly in their requirements. Some Nassau County municipalities offer online permitting through their own portals. Suffolk County towns such as Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip, and Smithtown each maintain separate building department requirements. Solar Permit Solutions engineers plan sets specific to each town’s adopted code edition and structural requirements.

Westchester County

Westchester includes over 40 cities, towns, and villages, each operating as a separate AHJ. White Plains, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle are among the most active solar markets. Many Westchester AHJs have adopted the NYS Unified Solar Permit, while others maintain local forms and checklists. For project-specific information in the county seat, see our solar design and permitting page for White Plains.

Capital Region and Upstate (Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester)

Upstate New York cities and surrounding counties cover a wide range of adopted code editions and AHJ requirements. Solar Permit Solutions designs plan sets that meet local snow and wind load requirements for New York’s colder climate zones, which differ substantially from downstate requirements. See our dedicated pages for solar design and permitting in Buffalo, solar design services in Buffalo, and solar design and permitting in Syracuse for city-specific information.

Get Solar Permit Plans for New York: How Solar Permit Solutions Works

Getting a PE-stamped plan set for a New York solar project is a straightforward process:

1. Submit project details through our solar plan intake form. Include the project address, AHJ name, utility territory, system size, module and inverter model numbers, and roof type.
2. We verify AHJ requirements and confirm the applicable code edition, utility interconnection form, and any local checklists or supplemental requirements specific to the jurisdiction.
3. Our engineering team produces a complete plan set, PE-stamped and signed by a licensed New York State professional engineer.
4. You receive the completed plan set, ready to submit to the AHJ and utility. Revisions requested by the building department are handled at no additional charge.

Questions before ordering? Call us at (720) 703-9628 or submit your project details at the intake form link above.

Why New York Solar Contractors Choose Solar Permit Solutions

• PE stamp on every plan set by a New York State-licensed Professional Engineer
• AHJ-specific engineering for all 62 NY counties, including NYC DOB’s separate dual-permit process
• Utility-matched documentation for Con Edison, PSEG Long Island, National Grid, NYSEG, RG&E, Central Hudson, and Orange and Rockland
• Fast turnaround with revision support at no additional charge until the AHJ approves
• Experience across all project types: residential rooftop, commercial flat roof, ground mount, storage-paired systems
• Accepted statewide: from Montauk to Niagara Falls, our plan sets meet each jurisdiction’s local requirements

Solar Permit Solutions serves solar contractors, EPCs, and developers across all 50 states. See our solar permit plans for California, solar permit plans for Florida, and solar permit plans for Texas for coverage in other major markets.