The three people an NYC solar job needs
DOB's solar requirements for owners (read 23 October 2026) put the job on three sets of shoulders:
| Who | What DOB requires of them | Check them on |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Design Professional (P.E. or R.A.) | Prepares and submits the construction documents, "including a structural analysis to determine if existing structure can support the added solar panel weight", and "must perform final inspection to confirm Code-compliance" | the plans: the stamp names the P.E. or R.A. and the license number |
| Licensed or registered contractor | Pulls the work permit; on a 1–4 family home DOB's alteration rules also require the DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license | DOB License Search and DCWP Check License |
| NYC licensed electrician | Files a separate electrical work permit, which "must be obtained prior to performing any electrical work" | DOB License Search, Master Electrician |
Most installers bring all three. The thing to check is that each name exists, because the electrical permit and the solar work permit are separate filings that each have to close. Repairs to an existing system are lighter: DOB says a licensed NYC electrical contractor can do them "without input from a Registered Design Professional."
The steps, from DOB's owner checklist
DOB's solar checklist for owners (read 23 October 2026) runs in this order:
- Hire the P.E. or R.A. and give your consent: the owner's signature is required for the design professional, as Applicant of Record, to submit the application.
- Get the application approved before any work starts.
- The contractor pulls the work permit. If the scope needs special inspections, the owner hires a Special Inspection Agency and its name is filed before the permit is pulled.
- Commissioning, for big systems only. A commissioning agent is required for solar projects of 25 kW or more, filed with DOB before sign-off. A typical house system is smaller; ask the installer for the size in kW.
- Close it out. DOB's checklist asks the owner to confirm the contractor "has requested and passed a final sign-off inspection", and the electrical permit needs its own completion.
DOB warns that work without a permit can bring stop-work orders and "ECB violations with monetary and criminal penalties". DOB's pages we read do not list a solar permit fee; ask the installer to show DOB fees as their own line on the quote.
What 19,067 NYC solar filings show
| Measure | NYC solar, one- and two-family homes |
|---|---|
| Filings, October 2023 to September 2026 | 19,067 |
| Installers | 87 |
| Installers with a filing in the last 12 months of the file | 66 |
| Usual filed value | $37,400 |
| Middle half of installers' usual value | $28,989 to $44,647 |
| Signed off (filings a year or more old) | 84.2% |
| Usual days from issue to sign-off | 144 |
| 10th / 90th-percentile installer (10+ filings) | 61.7% / 97.6% |
| Installers matched to a license that is not active | 14 |
| Busiest / quietest month | August (index 116) / November (82) |
NYC solar is a concentrated market: the five busiest installers hold 60.6% of filings. Concentration is not a quality signal, so read each one's sign-off share: the gap between the 10th and 90th-percentile installer is 61.7% against 97.6%, and 9 of 50 busy installers signed off fewer than 70%. Prices by system value are on the NYC solar cost page; national figures in solar panel installation cost.
See every NYC solar installer by share signed off →
Check it in five minutes
Search your address on the DOB NOW Public Portal (no account) once the installer says it has filed. You should see the solar job and a separate electrical filing; DOB says the portal "only reflects DOB NOW filings" (FAQ), so an older job may be in BIS instead (NYC building permit search). The installer checklist is in hiring a solar installer in NYC, the wiring rules in NYC electrical permit, and other cities' rules in do I need a permit for solar panels. City-wide counts by year are on the NYC permit statistics page.
What this does not tell you
Our counts cover one- and two-family homes, not co-ops or apartment buildings. The filed value is what the applicant wrote on the job, not what you pay after incentives. Licence matches are by name and number against DOB and DCWP records, so check the license yourself the week you sign.
How we know this
Rules and steps are quoted from NYC Department of Buildings owner requirement and checklist pages for solar energy and the 1–2 family alteration page, read 23 October 2026. Counts are DOB NOW filings for solar work on one- and two-family homes, October 2023 to September 2026; "signed off" uses filings a year or more old, and days run from issue to sign-off.
Numbers come from NYC Department of Buildings permits and DOB NOW filings on one- and two-family homes (NYC Open Data), 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 NYC?
Yes. DOB says no solar work can be done without a work permit, a licensed contractor or a registered design professional; the only exception is solar landscape lights. The wiring needs its own electrical permit, filed by an NYC licensed electrician before any electrical work starts.
- Who files the solar permit in New York City?
A Professional Engineer or Registered Architect prepares and submits the construction documents, including a structural analysis of whether the roof can carry the panels, and must do the final inspection. A licensed or registered contractor pulls the work permit, and a licensed electrician files the electrical permit.
- How long does a solar permit take to sign off in NYC?
The usual NYC solar filing on a one- or two-family home took 144 days from issue to sign-off in our file, and 84.2% of filings a year or more old were signed off. Firms vary: the 10th-percentile installer with 10 or more filings signed off 61.7%.
- How much does a home solar system cost in NYC?
The usual NYC solar filing on a house carried a filed value of $37,400, and the middle half of installers usually filed between $28,989 and $44,647. That is the value written on the filing, not a quote.
- Can a homeowner install solar panels without a contractor in NYC?
Not on the roof. DOB requires a licensed or registered contractor to obtain the work permit and an NYC licensed electrician for the wiring. Repairs to an existing system can be done by a licensed electrical contractor without a design professional.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Medford building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- NYC building permit search: DOB NOW, BIS and the open permit files
- New York City contractor license lookup: which license, where to search, and what the permits show
- Anaheim building permit search: Anaheim NEXT and the Building Permit Report
- Do I need an electrical permit in NYC? Yes, for all of it: who files, the minor-work list and how long sign-off takes
- Do I need an electrical permit in unincorporated San Diego County? What is exempt, the online service upgrade and the $392 fee
For one city
- Hiring a solar installer in New York City: the licenses, the DOB permits, and what 19,000 solar permits show
- Hiring an electrician in New York City: the DOB license, the permit, and what 50,000 electrical permits show
- Home improvement costs in New York City (2026): what 5 kinds of jobs on houses were filed at
- Project Requirements for Owner: Solar Energy — NYC Department of Buildings (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Project Checklists for Owner: Solar Energy — NYC Department of Buildings (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Registrant Project Requirements: Alteration, 1-2 family buildings — NYC DOB (accessed 2026-10-23)
- License Search — NYC DOB Building Information System (2026-10-22)
- Check License — NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (2026-10-22)
- DOB NOW: Public Portal FAQs — NYC DOB (2026-10-23)