Can I Install Solar Panels Without Planning Permission?
Usually, yes — solar panels on a house are permitted development under Part 14, Class A of the GPDO 2015 if they meet a few conditions about how far they project and where they are placed.
Most rooftop solar installations on houses will not need planning permission. The rules are more restrictive if your property is in a conservation area, a National Park, an AONB (National Landscape), or a World Heritage Site.
Last updated: April 2026
The key rules
For solar panels on a house (not a flat or maisonette), the installation is permitted development if:
- The panels do not project more than 200mm from the roof surface or wall surface
- The panels do not extend above the highest part of the roof (excluding the chimney)
- On a wall, the panels are not fitted to a wall that fronts a highway
- On designated land (conservation areas, National Parks, AONBs, World Heritage Sites, the Broads), the panels are not fitted to a wall or roof slope that fronts a highway
| Location | Key restriction |
|---|---|
| Any roof slope (non-designated land) | Panels must not project more than 200mm or exceed the highest point of the roof |
| Wall (non-designated land) | Must not face a highway |
| Roof or wall on designated land | Must not face a highway |
| Listed buildings | Planning permission and listed building consent required |
| Flats and maisonettes | Planning permission required (no Part 14 Class A rights) |
When you will need planning permission
- Your property is a listed building — you will need both planning permission and listed building consent
- Your property is a flat or maisonette — Part 14 Class A only applies to houses
- On designated land, you want to install panels on a roof slope or wall facing a highway
- The panels would project more than 200mm from the surface
- The panels would extend above the highest point of the roof
- An Article 4 direction removes solar panel PD rights at your address
Stand-alone solar panels in the garden
Solar panels can also be installed as free-standing equipment in a garden under Part 14, Class B. The rules are similar to outbuilding rules:
- No higher than 4 metres
- Not installed within the curtilage of a listed building
- Not within 5 metres of the house on designated land
- The total area of ground covered by all buildings (including the panels) must not exceed 50% of the curtilage
Building regulations
Solar panel installations do not normally need building regulations approval — but your installer should confirm that the roof structure can support the additional weight. Electrical work must comply with Part P (electrical safety) and should be carried out or certified by a qualified electrician registered with a competent person scheme.
MCS certification and energy grants
If you want to claim the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) — which pays you for electricity you export to the grid — your solar panels must be installed by an MCS-certified installer. MCS certification is also required for most government energy schemes. This is separate from planning and building regulations.
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