What the express solar permit covers
From the City's Small-Scale Solar PV page (read 23 October 2026):
| Item | Express permit | Standard permit |
|---|---|---|
| Inverter output | 13.44 kW or less | Over 13.44 kW |
| Panel output against inverter | Up to 1.55 times the inverter output | More than 1.55 times |
| Battery with the system | Up to 20 kWh (10 kWh for some battery types) | Larger |
| Roof height | Average height up to 40 ft | Over 40 ft |
| Ballasted (weighted, not bolted) system | Flat roof up to 15 ft average height | Sloped roof, or higher |
| Attachment | Mechanical fasteners | Adhesives |
| Remove and reinstall a permitted system in the same layout | Yes, without structural drawings | n/a |
Solar cannot go on the ordinary electrical express permit; the City lists "solar photovoltaic panels" as ineligible there and points to this category (Electrical Work).
What you need before applying
- Drawings by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer for any new system. They must "confirm the structural adequacy of the existing roof, dimension all required setbacks and clearances, and detail the means of attachment".
- An electrical drawing signed by a Chicago-licensed supervising electrician or an Illinois-licensed architect or engineer, showing wiring, grounding and bonding to the Chicago Electrical Code.
- At least one photo of the existing condition.
- The Illinois Distributed Generation Installer certification number; the City says an ICC certification "is required to install a solar photovoltaic system".
- A sound roof. The City warns that "If the roof is visibly deteriorated, you may be required to obtain a professional condition evaluation or roofing repair permit" before the solar permit. If the roof has a few years left, reroof first; removing and reinstalling panels later is a second permit.
Who pulls it
The application names two contractors: a licensed general contractor, Class A to E, and a licensed electrical contractor (general, not low voltage). The general contractor rule lets an owner act as their own general contractor on a primary residence of up to 6 units and 3 stories, once a calendar year, but the electrical contractor must still be licensed. Check both on Licensed Trade Contractors (General and Electrical tabs).
Apply online through the Express Permit Program. The fee is set by section 14A-12-1204.2 of the Chicago Construction Codes; the 2026 Amended fee tables (effective 6 January 2026) are linked from Calculate the Cost of a Building Permit. We could not open the tables, so no amount is quoted.
What 5,027 Chicago solar permits show
| Measure | Chicago solar |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 5,027 |
| Installers | 58 |
| Installers with a permit in the last 12 months | 37 |
| Usual filed value | $17,784 |
| Middle half of installers' usual value | $15,125 to $29,940 |
| Marked complete (permits a year or more old) | 74.6% |
| Estimated usual days to completion | 57 |
| Share held by the busiest installer / five busiest | 52.9% / 74.7% |
| Busiest / quietest month | August (index 146) / February (70) |
Chicago solar behaves differently from the city's other trades. Permits close: 74.6% of those a year or more old were marked complete, against 38.4% for electrical. And one installer, Sunrun Installation Services Inc, held 52.9% of all solar permits, so the usual value is close to that firm's pricing; the spread across installers ($15,125 to $29,940) is the better guide to what a quote should look like. Each installer's own values are on the Chicago solar cost page.
See every Chicago solar installer by permits completed →
Related
Other cities' rules: do I need a permit for solar panels. Prices and choices: solar panel installation cost, solar lease vs buy and hiring a solar installer. The roof first: roof repair vs replacement. Chicago counts by year and month: Chicago permit statistics.
What this does not tell you
The value on a permit is the installer's figure before incentives, not what you pay after them. Chicago records no completion date, so days to completion is estimated from status and age. We do not match installers to the City's license list or to ICC certification.
How we know this
Express permit limits, required documents and contractor requirements are quoted from the City of Chicago Department of Buildings' Small-Scale Solar PV, Electrical Work, general contractor and Express Permit Program pages, and fee references from its Calculate the Cost of a Building Permit page, all read 23 October 2026. Counts are City of Chicago building permits on homes classified as solar, October 2023 to September 2026. "Marked complete" uses permits a year or more old; usual days is an estimate because Chicago records no completion date.
Numbers come from City of Chicago building permits (Chicago Data Portal), data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit for solar panels in Chicago?
Yes. Rooftop solar goes through the Express Permit Program's Small-Scale Solar PV category, which covers a system with an inverter output of 13.44 kW or less and a battery of up to 20 kWh (10 kWh for some battery types). Larger systems need a standard permit.
- Do I need an engineer for solar panels in Chicago?
For a new installation, yes. The City says drawings and calculations by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer 'are always required for new installations', confirming the roof can carry the system. Reinstalling a permitted system in the same configuration, for example after a reroof, needs only an electrical drawing and photos.
- Who can pull a solar permit in Chicago?
The application names a licensed general contractor (Class A to E, or the owner acting as general contractor on a primary residence), a licensed general electrical contractor, and an Illinois Commerce Commission Distributed Generation Installer certification.
- How long does a solar permit take in Chicago?
The usual Chicago solar permit was marked complete about 57 days after issue in our estimate, and 74.6% of solar permits a year or more old were complete, far more than for Chicago electrical or plumbing permits.
- How much do solar panels cost in Chicago?
Chicago solar permits were usually filed at $17,784, and the middle half of installers usually filed between $15,125 and $29,940. That is the value on the permit, before incentives.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Albuquerque building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need a solar permit in Albuquerque? Building and electrical permits, the engineer triggers and the fee
- Do I need a solar permit in Anaheim? The online small-rooftop permit, the 10 kW line and the City utility
- Do I need a solar permit in Bend, OR? The prescriptive checklist, the 2026-27 fees and how fast permits final
- Do I need a solar permit in Elk Grove? Yes: SMUD's letter first, three-day review or SolarAPP+, and the state fee cap
- Do I need a solar permit in Henderson, NV? Who must pull it, the City checklist and how fast it finals
For one city
- Express Permit Program: Small-Scale Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System — City of Chicago DOB (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Express Permit Program — City of Chicago DOB (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Express Permit Program: Electrical Work — City of Chicago DOB (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Does my project require a licensed general contractor? — City of Chicago DOB (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Calculate the Cost of a Building Permit — City of Chicago DOB (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Licensed Trade Contractors — City of Chicago (2026-10-22)