Massachusetts / Local permit guide
Boston Solar Permit Guide
Your local requirements. The official sources. A clearer next step.
- Permit authority
- City of Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD), Building Division; Boston Fire Prevention (electrical components)Source linked
- Electric utility
- EversourceSource linked
- Local pathway
- Short Form (systems under 20kW on 1-2 family homes) vs. Long Form (20kW+ or 3+ unit buildings)Project-specific eligibility conditions apply.
- Review time
- Not yet verified.
Suffolk County ·
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Your permit path,
at a glance.
This shows what GridPermit has verified for Boston. It does not show the status of a specific project.
- 01Permit authorityCity of Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD), Building Division; Boston Fire Prevention (electrical components)Authority sourced
- 02DocumentsChecklist includes conditional itemsConditions apply
- 03InspectionCurrent inspection sequence needs confirmationNot verified
- 04Utility & PTOEversourceUtility path sourced
01 / Know your path
Two approvals.
One project.
Permit & inspection
City of Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD), Building Division; Boston Fire Prevention (electrical components)
Local requirementsA local permit and utility permission to operate are different approvals. Check the local sequence and requirements below.
How to read this guide
GridPermit collects Massachusetts residential solar and permitting facts directly from official sources (city, county, and state government sites, utilities, and public utilities commissions) and shows only what we can verify, with a confidence score and a link to where it came from. Nothing here is estimated or inferred beyond what's stated below. See our methodology for the rules this page follows.
Battery/solar incentive program on record
No battery/storage incentive program is on record for this locality.
02 / Prepare your application
What you need.
Sources & confidence
Permit fees
- Electrical permit fee (general formula — no dedicated solar line item published): $20 ($20.00 application fee plus $10.00 per $1,000.00 of the estimated cost of work (the 'when none of the above apply' tier, covering new electrical installations that don't fall under the service-upgrade or no-service-change tiers))
Per the City of Boston Inspectional Services Department's own 'Building Division Permit Fees' schedule (Rev. 2021). Solar installations also require an Electrical permit per this record's required_documents; the schedule has no solar-specific line item, so the general Electrical fee formula is recorded here.
Sources & confidence
Rebates on record
Rebates on record
SMART (Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target) Program — Eastern Massachusetts, Standard Residential (≤25kW AC)
Per-kWh production incentive paid for a 10-year term (200% Base Compensation Rate Factor tier) under Eversource's own SMART tariff (M.D.P.U. No. 74M, filed 2026-06-10, effective 2026-07-01) for Eastern Massachusetts (Eversource/NSTAR territory, which includes Boston). The rate declines across sequential capacity 'blocks' as each fills — Block 1 (the newest/current block at time of research) pays $0.34000/kWh for standard residential; the Low-Income tier (230% factor) pays $0.39100/kWh at Block 1. Both rates decline through at least 8 published blocks (Block 8 standard: $0.255.../kWh). This is paid in addition to net metering, not instead of it.
Status on file: active. Verify current status before relying on this.
Sources & confidence
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
Eversource
Eversource (formerly NSTAR in the Boston area) is Boston's well-established dominant electric utility.
Sources & confidence
Generation supplier
Eversource (utility)
Some supporting official material could not be independently confirmed from the full source in GridPermit's latest review. Verify the current requirement with the authority before relying on it.
Sources & confidence
Interconnection
Per Eversource's own page, Massachusetts net metering is organized into three capacity classes: Class I (60kW or less, the typical residential case), Class II (60kW-1,000kW), and Class III (1,000kW-2,000kW). Customers must submit both a separate electrical interconnection application and a net metering application; simplified/expedited application paths exist for smaller systems. Some supporting official material could not be independently confirmed from the full source in GridPermit's latest review. Verify the current requirement with the authority before relying on it.
Inspection steps
Not yet verified.
Eligibility constraints
- Property types: residential
- Max system size (AC): 60 kW
- Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
- Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
- Program/pathway: Short Form (systems under 20kW on 1-2 family homes) vs. Long Form (20kW+ or 3+ unit buildings)
- Other conditions:
- The 60kW figure recorded here reflects the statewide Class I net-metering threshold (per Eversource's own page), not a separate City permit-eligibility limit
- Certain downtown/Back Bay/Fenway zip codes (02108, 02109, 02110, 02111, 02113, 02114, 02115, 02116, 02118, 02199, 02203, 02215, 02222) may fall within Eversource's 'Area Network,' a region where solar interconnection to the distribution grid can be problematic; the City's own guide instructs residents to call Eversource (1-800-340-9822) to confirm suitability before engaging a solar installer
- Properties in a historic district or a designated/pending Landmark (per the Boston Landmarks Commission) must receive additional approval before a building permit can be issued
Sources & confidence
Official contacts
Official contacts
- Inspectional Services Department (ISD), phone: 617-635-5300, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Boston?
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Official sources
Official sources
- Install or Replace Solar Panels, City of Boston (government). Accessed 2026-08-13.
- Massachusetts Net Metering, Eversource (utility). Accessed 2026-08-13.
- Going Solar in Boston — A Reference Guide to the Permit Process, City of Boston, Greenovate Boston (government). Accessed 2026-08-13.
- Building Division Permit Fees (Rev. 2021), City of Boston, Inspectional Services Department (government). Accessed 2026-08-14.
- SMART Tariff (M.D.P.U. No. 74M, effective 2026-07-01), NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy (utility). Accessed 2026-08-14.
Frequently Asked Questions
What utility serves solar customers in Boston, Massachusetts?
Eversource is the interconnection and distribution utility for Boston. The same utility is also listed as the default electricity generation supplier.
What documents are required for a solar permit in Boston?
Commonly required documents include: Structural engineer's roof condition report; Engineer-stamped plans showing the location of any Energy Storage System (ESS) batteries; Electrical permit; Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) license; Roof panel placement sketch; Signed homeowner waiver and site safety affidavit; Stamped, signed, and dated architectural or engineering plans by a Massachusetts Registered Design Professional, location/layout diagrams, ESS descriptions, structural support details, and component specifications/ratings.
Who do I contact about solar permits in Boston?
Inspectional Services Department (ISD), phone 617-635-5300.