Solar panels and planning permission

Size of solar panel array allowed

The installation of solar panels on domestic properties is exempt from planning permission. Since 2022, there is no longer a limit to the area of solar panels which can be installed on rooftops of homes, anywhere in the country. Solar installations will be able to cover the entire roof of a house. The 12m² or 50% roof limit previously applied to houses has been removed nationwide.

There are some rules around protected buildings, though. You may need to check if you need planning permission if:

• Your home is a protected structure

• Your home is located in a protected area, for example, an architectural conservation area

• If your house is located within a solar safeguarding zone — designated to address aviation safety concerns due to potential glint and glare from nearby solar developments near sites like airports and hospitals with helipads — you will need to obtain planning permission for larger rooftop solar installations. You can apply for this permission through the relevant local planning authority.

Positioning on the roof

There are rules for how close to the edge of your roof solar panels are allowed. Essentially, you need to leave a margin around the edge of your roof.

• Bottom-edge of roof: 50cm space

• Top of roof: 25cm space to ridge line

• Side edges of roof: 50cm space (where it's the open end of the roof, i.e. not adjoining another property)

• For adjoining properties: no space is required. If your property is mid-terrace or semi-detached, you can install your system right up to the adjoining wall.

Freestanding solar panels

The above is assuming the solar panels are on your roof. The rules are slightly different for freestanding panels (i.e. those mounted on a frame on the ground.)

You do not need planning permission for freestanding solar panels as long as:

• the solar panels are less than 2 metres above ground.

• the private open space to the rear or side of the house is not reduced to less than 25 square metres.

• the total aperture area of any freestanding solar photovoltaic and solar thermal collector panels, taken together with any other existing freestanding panels, does not exceed 25 square metres.

More Information

As always, please check planning permission yourself. We are not planning experts, and there will be other cases we don't know about. You can find out more information here:

Information on New Solar Panel Planning Permission rules on Gov.ie

Citizens Information website on planning permission rules.

Official current planning permission rules for solar panels on IrishStatusBook.ie