Philadelphia Solar Permit Guide
PECO Energy Company (an Exelon company) territory · Philadelphia County
Overview
GridPermit collects Pennsylvania 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.
Permit timeline
0–20 days
Per the City's own page: EZ permits are issued same-day for in-person applications or within 3 business days for online applications; standard (non-EZ) applications take 20 business days; an accelerated review option returns results in 5 business days for an additional $1,050 fee. This same-day figure is explicitly tied to the City's own named EZ Permit program (a real, confirmed program name, not an inferred platform).
Battery/solar incentive program on record
No battery/storage incentive program is on record for this locality.
Permit fees
- Filing fee, one/two-family dwelling: $25 (flat fee, credited toward the final fee)
Per the City's own page.
- Filing fee, other property types: $100 (flat fee, credited toward the final fee)
Per the City's own page.
- Electrical Permit: amount not verified ($25 per $1,000 of construction cost)
Per the City's own page.
- Building Permit for Solar Panels and Structure: $200 (flat fee)
Per the City's own page (applies only to non-EZ, standard-process projects).
- City surcharge: $3 (flat fee)
Per the City's own page.
- State surcharge: $4.5 (flat fee)
Per the City's own page.
- Accelerated review (5 business days): $1050 (additional flat fee)
Per the City's own page — an optional expedited-review add-on.
Rebates
Not yet verified.
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
PECO Energy Company (an Exelon company)
Generation supplier
PECO Energy Company (utility)
Pennsylvania is a retail-choice state — customers may select an alternate Electric Generation Supplier (EGS) for generation while PECO remains the distribution utility. PECO's own materials note that customers who switch to an EGS lose PECO's annual net-metering true-up compensation. PECO is recorded as the default generation/distribution utility for customers who do not choose an alternate EGS.
Interconnection
Per PECO's own published guide (updated September 2024): for monthly metered customers, PECO credits each kWh received up to the total electricity PECO delivered that billing period, netting monthly usage to zero (customers still owe the monthly customer charge and other rate-schedule charges). Excess generation carries forward to future months; at the end of the PJM year (May 31), any remaining surplus kWh receives an annual true-up credit — but customers who switch to an alternate Electric Generation Supplier (EGS) lose this annual compensation. PECO also offers Virtual Net Metering (VNM), letting customers with multiple PECO accounts within 2 miles of the host property allocate solar credits across those accounts (restricted to residential/small-commercial default-service customers under 100kW peak demand, and unavailable to customers using an alternate EGS). Net metering requires a dedicated bidirectional meter installed by PECO. A separate application fee (varying by system size/level) applies for the interconnection safety/reliability review, per PECO's own materials — specific dollar figures were not confirmed from this document.
Required documents
- Signed EZ Permit Standards form (required when: EZ Permit path only)
- Contract with a licensed electrical contractor (required when: always)
- Screenshot of the completed PECO Interconnection Application dashboard, as proof of PECO application submission (required when: always)
- Summary of array and inverter equipment costs (required when: optional, submitted to qualify for a fee reduction)
- General Building Permit for Solar Panels and Structure (required when: projects that do not qualify for the EZ Permit path)
Inspection steps
- Property owners must hire a licensed electrical inspection agency to conduct inspections and complete certification documentation
- L&I issues final approval only after the inspection agency's certification is complete
Eligibility constraints
- Property types: residential
- Max system size (AC): 10 kW
- Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
- Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
- Program/pathway: EZ Permit (roof-mounted, 1-2 family dwelling, ≤10kW, not on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places)
- Other conditions:
- Properties on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places are not eligible for the EZ Permit path and must use the standard process
- The 10kW figure recorded here is the City's own EZ Permit system-size threshold, not a hard eligibility cap — larger systems are permitted under the standard (non-EZ) process
Official contacts
Not yet verified.
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Philadelphia?
EnergySage is an independent solar marketplace where you can request property-specific pricing from installers familiar with local permitting.
Compare quotes from solar installers →You'll continue on EnergySage's website. GridPermit has a partner relationship with EnergySage; this link is not currently tracked, and whether the partnership results in compensation to GridPermit has not yet been confirmed.
Sources
- Get a permit to install solar panels, City of Philadelphia (government). Accessed 2026-08-13.
- Maximizing your private solar investment — A Guide to Virtual Metering, PECO Energy Company (utility). Accessed 2026-08-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
What utility serves solar customers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
PECO Energy Company (an Exelon company) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Philadelphia. The default electricity generation supplier is PECO Energy Company, a utility, separate from PECO Energy Company (an Exelon company).
How long does a residential solar permit take in Philadelphia?
Per the City's own page: EZ permits are issued same-day for in-person applications or within 3 business days for online applications; standard (non-EZ) applications take 20 business days; an accelerated review option returns results in 5 business days for an additional $1,050 fee. This same-day figure is explicitly tied to the City's own named EZ Permit program (a real, confirmed program name, not an inferred platform).
What documents are required for a solar permit in Philadelphia?
Commonly required documents include: Signed EZ Permit Standards form; Contract with a licensed electrical contractor; Screenshot of the completed PECO Interconnection Application dashboard, as proof of PECO application submission; Summary of array and inverter equipment costs; General Building Permit for Solar Panels and Structure.