Most houses in England do not need planning permission for solar panels. Panels on a pitched roof are permitted development, meaning they are automatically allowed, as long as they stick out no more than 200mm from the roof slope, sit no higher than the highest part of the roof (not counting chimneys) and the house is not listed. The rules were updated on 27 August 2026, with extra room for flat-roof, wall and garden arrays, and the exceptions that do need permission are listed buildings, some flat roofs in protected areas, Article 4 streets and blocks of flats without the freeholder's agreement.
- 200mm maximum projection from a pitched roof slope
- 600mm maximum height above the highest part of a flat roof
- 27 August 2026 new permitted development rules came into force
- 9m² maximum area of a stand-alone array in the garden
- £548 fee for a householder planning application if you do need one
Check your house in five questions
Answer these in order. If you reach the end with no "stop", your roof panels are almost certainly permitted development.
- Is the house, or any building in its grounds, listed? If yes, stop: you need listed building consent.
- Is it a flat or maisonette in a block? If yes, stop: different rules apply, and you need the freeholder's agreement under your lease.
- Has the council made an Article 4 direction covering solar in your street? If yes, stop: you need planning permission. Your council's planning pages list Article 4 areas.
- Will the panels stay within the size limits? On a pitched roof, 200mm out from the slope and not above the ridge. On a flat roof, 600mm above the highest part. On a wall, 400mm (200mm if the wall abuts a highway).
- Are you in a conservation area, National Park, National Landscape (formerly AONB), the Broads or a World Heritage Site? If yes, flat-roof arrays need prior approval from the council first, and in a conservation area or World Heritage Site panels cannot go on a wall, balcony or roof enclosure fronting a highway. Ordinary pitched-roof panels are still allowed.
Two conditions apply to every permitted development installation: the equipment must be sited, as far as practicable, to minimise its effect on the appearance of the building and the area; and it must be removed as soon as reasonably practicable when no longer needed.
What changed on 27 August 2026
A new statutory instrument, SI 2026/896, rewrote the solar section of the permitted development rules for England. The main changes for householders:
- Houses and flats now have separate rules, with houses getting more generous limits.
- Wall, balcony and roof-enclosure panels can now project up to 400mm, up from 200mm, except on a wall that abuts a highway, where 200mm still applies.
- Garden arrays: the old limit of one stand-alone installation per house has gone.
- Plug-in solar (small panels that plug into a normal socket) is now recognised, but cannot be fixed to timber walls, cladding, balconies, fences or gates because of fire risk.
There is a transition period until 26 August 2027. If your project met the old rules but not the new ones, you can still rely on the old rules until then.
Common situations and what you need
| Your situation | Planning permission? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Pitched roof, not listed, within 200mm | No | Nothing, beyond sensible siting |
| Front roof slope in a conservation area | Usually no | Check for an Article 4 direction |
| Wall facing the road in a conservation area | Yes | Apply for planning permission, or use another wall or the roof |
| Flat roof, outside protected areas | No, if within 600mm | Keep frames low |
| Flat roof in a conservation area or National Park | Prior approval | Apply to the council before installing |
| Listed building or within its grounds | Listed building consent | Pre-application advice, then apply |
| Article 4 direction covering solar | Yes | Householder planning application |
| Leasehold flat | Depends on the block | Freeholder consent first, then check rules for flats |
| Garden array, up to 9m² | No, within height and boundary limits | Check heights below |
Flat roofs: a worked example
The flat-roof limit is about height, not area: the top of the panels and frames must be no more than 600mm above the highest part of the roof. How steeply you can tilt the panels depends on which way round they sit. A typical 440W panel is about 1.72m long and 1.13m wide.
- Portrait at 15 degrees: 1.72 x sin 15 = 1.72 x 0.259 = 0.45m. Comfortably inside 600mm, with room for the frame.
- Portrait at 20 degrees: 1.72 x 0.342 = 0.59m. Too close once the frame and ballast are added.
- Landscape at 20 degrees: 1.13 x 0.342 = 0.39m. Fine.
- Landscape at 30 degrees: 1.13 x 0.5 = 0.57m. Only just inside before the frame, so risky.
In practice most flat-roof systems use low frames at 10 to 15 degrees, which also cut wind load and let rows sit closer together. If the flat roof is below a parapet, the parapet can help hide the array but the 600mm limit still runs from the highest part of the roof.
Ground-mounted panels in the garden
Stand-alone arrays on a house plot are permitted development within these limits:
- No more than 9 square metres of array.
- No more than 4m high in general, 2m high within 5m of the boundary, and 1m high within 5m of the boundary on land in front of the house.
- Lower limits in conservation areas and World Heritage Sites, where panels should not sit nearer a highway than the house.
- Not within the grounds of a listed building or on a scheduled monument.
How much does 9m² give you? Each 440W panel covers about 1.95m², so 9 / 1.95 = 4.6, which means 4 panels (5 would need 9.8m²). That is 4 x 0.44 = 1.76kW, making about 1.76 x 972 = 1,711 kWh a year in the Midlands. Useful for an outbuilding or to top up a small roof, but a roof array is usually the better value. Since August 2026 you can have more than one garden array, each within the limits.
Conservation areas in practice
Many older parts of towns such as London, Bristol and Brighton are conservation areas. Pitched roofs there can take panels under permitted development, including front slopes, unless an Article 4 direction says otherwise. Good practice that keeps neighbours and planners happy:
- All-black panels with black frames, which read as part of the roof.
- A neat rectangle with even margins, rather than a staggered layout.
- Rear slopes where they get enough sun.
- Cables run inside the roof space, not down the front wall.
In-roof systems, which replace a section of tiles so the panels sit nearly flush, are another option where appearance matters. Our roof suitability guide covers slate and tile roofs.
Listed buildings
Permitted development does not apply to a listed building or to anything within its grounds. You need listed building consent, and sometimes planning permission as well. There is no fee for listed building consent, but it takes time: plan on at least the eight weeks councils usually take to decide applications, and longer if Historic England is consulted. Ask the council's conservation officer for pre-application advice first. Outbuildings, rear slopes hidden by the main building and ground-mounted arrays out of view are more likely to be approved than a visible main roof.
If you do need to apply
A householder planning application in England costs £548 and is usually decided within eight weeks. If you are sure the work is permitted development but want written proof, for a buyer or lender later, a Lawful Development Certificate for proposed work costs half the application fee, £548 / 2 = £274. It is optional, but some people find it useful; our guide to solar panels and selling your house covers the paperwork buyers ask for.
The other permissions, which are not optional
Planning is only one part. Every installation also needs:
- Network operator notice or approval. Systems with inverters up to 3.68kW per phase are notified after installation under G98. Larger systems need a G99 application approved before switch-on, which can take several weeks. We make the application.
- Building regulations. The roof must carry the extra weight and wind load, and the electrical work must be safe. Installers normally self-certify this work through a competent person scheme, so you get a compliance certificate without a separate council inspection.
- MCS certification. Needed for export payments and useful when you sell. See MCS certification explained.
What we do: our surveyor checks listed status, conservation areas and Article 4 directions for your address before you get a price, and if permission or prior approval is needed we tell you at the survey, not after you have paid a deposit.
You can see the full process from survey to switch-on on our how it works page.
Sources
Permitted development limits for houses, flats and stand-alone arrays: Planning Portal, solar on buildings and Planning Portal, stand-alone solar. August 2026 changes: Planning Portal blog. Legislation: GPDO 2015, Schedule 2, Part 14 and Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. Fees: Planning Portal, application fees. Grid connection: Energy Networks Association.
