Planning permission for solar panels: an expert guide

If you’ve decided to get solar panels, the last thing you want is for planning permission to delay or scupper your project.

Fortunately, the great majority of homeowners can install solar panels without attaining any additional approval.

In this guide, we’ll explain whether you’re likely to need planning permission, and the best ways to go about getting it without too much trouble.

If you’re interested in how much you could save with a solar & battery system, just answer a few questions below and we’ll generate an estimate for you.

When are solar panels a ‘permitted development’?

Solar panels are a permitted development for households installing them on a pitched roof, as long as you don’t live in a listed building or certain conservation areas, and providing you follow these guidelines:

• Installers should minimise the effect that panels have on the aesthetic appearance of a property and the area
• Once it's no longer needed, equipment should be removed as soon as possible
• Don't install panels above the highest part of a pitched roof, excluding objects like chimneys which sit above the ridge line
• Panels shouldn't protrude more than 20cm from a pitched roof's slope

These rules are the same in Wales, but slightly different in Scotland, where solar panel equipment isn't allowed to protrude more than one metre from the surface of a wall, chimney, roof plane, or roof ridge.

If you choose an accredited, certified solar panel company, your installer will ensure your installation fulfils these legal obligations without you having to worry.

Your solar panel system must also be structurally and electrically safe.

Your installer will take care of this and provide the paperwork, assuming they’re certified by Flexi-Orb or the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and accredited by a Competent Persons Scheme, like the National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers (NAPIT).

Sunsave fulfils these requirements – and you can head here to find out what all our accreditations actually mean.

When do solar panels require planning permission?

Solar panels require planning permission when their installation isn’t covered by permitted development rights.

Most households in the UK won’t require planning permission to install solar panels, but if your project matches any of the following scenarios, you’ll probably need to draw up an application:

1. Listed buildings
2. Conservation areas
3. Ground-mounted solar panels

Here’s more detail on each of these situations.

1. Listed buildings

If you want to have solar panels installed on one of the roughly 380,000 listed buildings in England, or indeed on any structure that's within the grounds of a listed building, you'll need planning permission.

The same applies to scheduled monuments, which are government-designated sites of archaeological importance.

Many listed buildings also require listed building consent. It's free to apply, and involves persuading your Local Planning Authority (LPA) that the installation won't cause any structural damage or significant changes to the property's appearance.

Some people think solar roof tiles (or ‘solar slates’) are a better fit for listed buildings, since they're made to blend in – but this isn't the case, according to Historic England.

The organisation has said: "As [solar slates] do not usually convincingly replicate the look of traditional slates, they would not be suitable for prominent roof slopes where panels would also be unacceptable."

But in scenarios where traditional solar panels would be acceptable, Historic England sees solar tiles as a valid alternative.

For more information, read our full guide to solar panels on listed buildings.

2. Conservation areas

In most cases, households in England's roughly 11,000 conservation areas have permitted development rights, and can therefore install solar panels.

However, there are still a few scenarios where you must apply for planning permission.

If you want to put solar panels on a wall, balcony, or roof enclosure that faces a highway, you must get permission.

And ground-mounted solar panels have a whole host of conditions which, if not kept, will compel you to ask for permission. More on that below.

Apart from these scenarios, you may also need planning permission to go solar if your local authority has applied an Article 4 Direction (A4D) to your conservation area.

This planning regulation – which currently exists in more than 7,500 areas of England – can reduce or remove households' permitted development rights. Works aren't forbidden; they just may require permission.

Households in England can use this UK Government tool to see if there's an A4D applied to their area. The data isn't complete, so you should still check with your local authority.

If you're affected by an A4D, you can read the reasons for it online, and also ask a planning expert at your local authority if your solar project would require permission.

There are other services that can help you out, too. These include your Local Planning Authority, which will dispense pre-application advice for a fee.

You could also pay to apply for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC), which gives you legal confirmation that you're free to go solar without permission.

If you do need permission, you'll usually have to give your local authority a detailed explanation of how your installation would avoid altering the area's special character.

The 30 World Heritage Sites in the UK operate in the same way as conservation areas, in that all have permitted development rights, apart from those where an A4D is applied – in which case you may have to request planning permission.

If you do, you should emphasise that your system won't impact the site’s Outstanding Universal Value, which is how UNESCO refers to cultural and natural significance.

For more information, read our guide to solar panels in conservation areas.

3. Ground-mounted solar panels

Ground-mounted solar installations usually fall under your permitted development rights, provided they meet the specific criteria below. If they don't, they require planning permission.

Your system can be a maximum of four metres high, though there are some exceptions. Let's go into them.

When installed within five metres of your property's boundary, your system can only be two metres high – unless it's also installed on land in front of your house, in which case the height limit is one metre.

And the cap is two metres if you're in a conservation area, next to a highway, and you plan for the panels to be closer to the highway than your home.

If installed in any other scenario, the array can be a maximum of four metres high.

The overall size limit for a ground-mounted system under permitted development rights is nine square metres.

Properties in a World Heritage Site must also ensure their panels are at least five metres from the boundary – and if a highway is next to your land, the system must be no closer to it than your home is.

No ground-mounted system on a property containing a listed building or scheduled monument can be installed under permitted development rights – they all require permission.

To learn more, read our guide to ground-mounted solar panels.

What about flat roofs?

Homeowners have been able to install solar panels on flat roofs under permitted development rights since 2023, when the government changed this rule.

The only major requirement is that your panels can't be more than 60cm above the roof's highest point, while ignoring objects like chimneys.

However, if your home's in a conservation area, you will have to apply to your Local Planning Authority for 'prior approval' of your permitted development rights.

This process isn't as serious as planning permission, but it will involve you providing your solar installation plans and drawings, plus any other information the local authority requests.

Solar panels also aren't suitable for many homes with flat roofs. The system has to be weighed down to stay secure in high winds, which many residential roofs can't handle.

Your installer may also have to drill holes in the roof to keep the system in place, which can cause leaks – and even if this all works with your roof, it's likely to be significantly more expensive.

For more information, check out our guide to solar panels on flat roofs.

How much does it cost to apply for planning permission?

If you end up needing to apply for planning permission, you will unfortunately be charged a fee.

How much you'll have to pay depends on where in the UK you live.

You will also have to pay a service charge for using the planning portal in England or Wales, which comes to £75.83 plus VAT.

That means an application for planning permission could cost around £639 in England, or roughly £676 in Wales.

And if you’re wondering how much you could save with a solar & battery system, enter a few details below and we’ll provide an estimate.

How to work out if you need planning permission for solar panels

As we outlined earlier, most households don’t need to apply for planning permission when it comes to solar panel installations.

However, if your home is a listed building or sits within a conservation area – or if you want to install ground-mounted solar panels – you may well need permission.

If you live in England and want to find out if your home is a listed building – or on the grounds of one – you can use Historic England's National Heritage List for England tool.

Households in other parts of the UK can use the Welsh government's DataMapWales tool, Historic Environment Scotland's search function, and the Northern Irish government's Buildings Database.

The Welsh and Scottish tools above can also be used to search for conservation areas, while homes in England should turn to Historic England's Conservation Areas tool, and Northern Irish households can use this government search function.

As mentioned earlier, anyone in England can use this government tool to see if they live in an area with an active A4D – though the data is incomplete – while this Scottish government resource has the relevant data for households in Scotland.

If you live in Wales or Northern Ireland, you should be able to find out by calling your local authority, or by visiting its website.

You can also do this in other parts of the UK, if you want confirmation or reassurance that you can move ahead with your installation.

If you think you might require permission, it may be worth asking a few installers to design your system. This way, you’ll have a concrete proposal to ask your local authority about.

And if you're still not sure, you could book a 30-minute chat here with a planning consultant hired by the UK Government's planning portal. As of September 2026, the price is £72.

Do you need a Lawful Development Certificate?

Even if you've established that solar panels are included in your permitted development rights, and you therefore don't need planning permission, you may still want an official stamp of approval.

That's what a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) provides: a document that completely confirms you're free to go ahead with your installation.

In every part of the UK, an LDC costs half as much as a planning permission application for the same project.

Many local authorities' websites raise it as an option, though only some put it forward as a genuinely necessary certificate.

The UK Government's planning portal says that applying for an LDC is a way to "provide peace of mind, and be sure that any existing or proposed work or use is legal and does not require planning permission".

The body adds: "It is not compulsory to have a Lawful Development Certificate but there may be times when you need one to confirm that the use, operation, or activity named in it is lawful for planning control purposes."

This document has the same name in Wales, but is called a Certificate of Lawfulness of Proposed Use or Development in Scotland, and a Certificate of Lawful Use or Development in Northern Ireland.

How to submit a planning application for solar panels

You can generally submit a planning permission application online, on your Local Planning Authority's website.

In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you'll be redirected to your country's specific Planning Portal website, while applicants in Scotland will be sent to ePlanning Scotland.

In any case, all you need to do is create an account, complete the householder application form, upload the relevant documents, and pay a fee. Your submission will automatically be sent to your local authority.

Then all you can do is wait. It usually takes less than eight weeks for the authority to reach a decision, but depending on their workload and the complexity of your project, it could take as long as 13 weeks.

The authority will give you a deadline after you submit your application. If it takes longer than that, you can appeal.

If your application is successful, you can instruct your installer to begin the project.

The application process for listed building consent is separate, and we run through it in our guide to solar panels on listed buildings.

Can solar panel planning permission ever be refused?

If solar panel planning permission is required for a project to happen – and it usually isn’t – then it can be refused.

There are multiple potential reasons for rejection.

Some applications are refused because they aren’t detailed enough, so make sure your location and site plans are thorough and consider the installation’s effect on the surrounding area.

The location plan should be drawn at the requested scale, include your entire address, and show the relevant area outlined with a red line, with the rest of your land outlined in blue.

The site plan must also be at the right scale and include your full address, and also clearly display all the buildings, ponds, trees, and nearby streets that may affect your project.

If your installation will restrict access to your road at all, even for the couple of days it typically takes to set up solar panels, it can be a factor towards refusal.

The other main reason your application may be refused is also the most nebulous: your project’s impact on the local character. Thankfully, most local authorities don’t see solar panels as detrimental to an area.

Can you appeal a decision?

You can appeal a decision by your Local Planning Authority, whether your application has been rejected outright or accepted with conditions you don't want.

You can also appeal if a decision hasn't been made within eight weeks of your Local Planning Authority receiving your application, or if the deadline your Local Planning Authority agreed with you has passed.

There is no fee to appeal in England or Wales, but there is in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

You have six months to lodge a written appeal, either from the date of your Local Planning Authority's decision or the date it was due to arrive.

It typically takes several months in all. You may also have to attend a hearing or inquiry, though in England, the Planning Inspectorate will decide whether this is necessary.

If you have any questions for the Planning Inspectorate in the meantime, you can speak to the customer support team by calling 0303 444 5000.

The equivalent bodies in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are Planning and Environment Decisions Wales, the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals, and the Planning Appeals Commission, respectively.

An alternative option to appealing is to submit your application again, but with changes that you think make it more likely to be accepted. Your local authority can help by explaining which areas of your application need fixing.

Can neighbours ever object to solar panels?

Neighbours can’t object to solar panels if they fall under your permitted development rights – but they can object if you require planning permission.

If you do need permission, your Local Planning Authority will launch a consultation period, usually lasting 21 days, in which anyone who might be directly affected by your installation can make a formal complaint.

Neighbours who take issue with solar panels often dislike their aesthetic appearance, while others object to the glare, as panels will sometimes reflect light in their direction for a brief period each day.

Whether objections are made or not, the planning authority will then consider your project in the context of a list of 'material considerations' – that is, issues that are particularly important.

Each authority makes its own list, which usually includes concerns like loss of privacy, loss of light, parking, disabled persons' access, and nature conservation.

When it comes to solar projects, the most relevant points are design, appearance, and materials, effect on a listed building or conservation area, and previous planning decisions.

Other common considerations like highway safety, traffic, noise, and the layout or density of the building shouldn't usually be an issue.

And authorities shouldn't take into account any concerns around a neighbour's loss of view, though this should be minimal anyway.

What happens if you install solar panels without planning permission?

Installing solar panels without planning permission can ultimately lead to you being charged with a crime.

If you don't apply at all, have your application refused, or break any of the conditions attached to your planning approval, this is a 'planning breach' – which isn't illegal on its own.

You can submit a retrospective application if you didn't realise you needed permission, and local authorities frequently accept these.

However, if your initial application was rejected, or if your retrospective submission is refused, the authority can put you under an enforcement notice that requires you to undo any changes you've made.

In the case of a solar project, this would mean paying a company to take the panels off your roof and change all the internal wiring – which is an expensive process, particularly when you've already paid for the original installation.

You can appeal against an enforcement notice, but if the appeal is unsuccessful and you still fail to act, this is illegal and you can be prosecuted.

It's therefore well worth getting planning permission for solar panels, both to save on costs and to avoid breaking the law.

Other permissions required for solar panels

There are a couple of other permissions required for your solar panel installation.

Neither of them should cause you too much trouble, as long as you use an accredited solar installer.

Building regulation approval

Your solar installation will need to follow building regulations, even if it doesn't require planning permission.

This means a certified professional has to check beforehand that your roof can hold the solar panels’ weight, make sure your electrical connection is safe and functional, and take all necessary fire safety precautions.

Your installer should routinely fulfil these obligations, as long as they’re certified by Flexi-Orb or MCS and part of a Competent Person Scheme for microgeneration technology, like NAPIT – and fortunately, Sunsave fits this description.

To learn more, check out the guide to Sunsave's accreditations.

Grid connection approval

If your home has single-phase electricity, like most UK properties, you’ll need approval to install a solar panel system with an inverter that has a maximum capacity above 3.68 kilowatts (kW) per phase.

A certified installer will handle this by sending a G99 application with in-depth technical details of your array to your local Distribution Network Operator (DNO) – the organisation that controls the hardware supplying your region with electricity.

The DNO will ensure your solar panels don’t interfere with the area’s electricity supply, and usually approve applications without too much delay.

If your inverter's capacity is under 3.68kW per phase, your installer can finish the job, then notify the DNO with a G98 form in the 28 days after installation. Unlike G99 applications, there's no chance of it being rejected if it’s filled in properly.

If your home has three-phase electricity, you’ll need G99 approval for any inverter with a capacity over 11.04kW.

Summary

Most UK households won’t have to apply for planning permission for solar panels, thanks to permitted development rights.

But if you live in a listed building or conservation area – or if you want to get ground-mounted solar panels – you may have to get permission from your Local Planning Authority.

It's usually a relatively simple process, and there are experts who can help if needed. It's not free, but can be well worth it for a system that significantly cuts your electricity bills.

If you’re wondering how much a solar & battery system could save you, simply answer a few quick questions below, and we’ll calculate an estimate.

Solar panel planning permission: FAQs