A thorough solar site inspection checklist helps you confirm feasibility, avoid costly redesigns, and deliver systems that perform as promised. Use this guide to run a reliable solar site visit checklist on the ground or to mirror the same diligence during a remote site assessment. You will find a practical 7-step process, detailed on-site and remote checklists, the pro tests that catch silent faults, and FAQs that address common code and process questions. For budgeting, see our solar site visit cost breakdown.
What a solar site assessment actually covers
A solar site assessment verifies that a location can safely and efficiently host a PV system. You confirm the structural condition of the roof or ground mount area, map obstructions and shading, validate electrical interconnection points and capacity, assess access and code setbacks, and estimate production against load. The assessment also checks permitting and utility requirements, labeling, and safety considerations so the final design aligns with local authority rules. Whether you perform it on-site or remotely, the outcome should be a documented set of measurements, photos or models, and assumptions that back your design, budget, timeline, and customer expectations.
The 7-step solar site inspection process
Prepare and review docs: Gather utility bills, roof plans or site plans, equipment spec sheets, and AHJ and utility interconnection requirements.
Safety first: Use appropriate PPE, fall protection, and lockout-tagout for electrical panels.
Survey roof or ground area: Measure usable area, slope, orientation, setbacks, fire access pathways, and obstructions.
Assess structure: Inspect roof condition, framing, or soil and footing requirements for ground mounts.
Verify electrical: Identify service type, main panel rating, breaker space, busbar limits, grounding, and any required upgrades.
Evaluate shading and production: Analyze near and far shading across seasons and estimate annual energy yield.
Document and validate: Take photos, record measurements, capture serials and labels, and store findings in a format your team can use for design and permitting.
Pre-inspection prep and safety
Preparation keeps your inspection efficient and compliant. Confirm customer goals and constraints, obtain recent utility bills, and pull any available drawings. Review local fire code setbacks and AHJ permitting checklists so you know which photos and measurements to capture. On-site, bring tape measures, digital angle finder, multimeter, clamp meter, flashlight, PPE, and fall protection as needed. Lock out the main panel before opening covers. For remote assessments, line up high-resolution aerial imagery, LiDAR or elevation data if available, and a 3D modeling tool. Whether remote or on-site, define pass-fail criteria in advance so you leave with a clear go or no-go decision and a list of required design adjustments.
Solar site visit checklist - on-site essentials
Module surface and array area
Walk the roof or ground area and inspect for defects that reduce performance or complicate mounting. Look for cracked tiles, loose shingles, soft spots, ponding, corrosion, biological growth, and debris that could trap moisture. Identify obstructions like vents, skylights, HVAC, chimneys, and parapets. Measure roof planes for width, height, pitch, and orientation and confirm usable area after code setbacks. For ground mounts, check slope, drainage paths, vegetation, and access for construction and maintenance. Photograph everything you measure and note potential shading sources by season and time of day.
Mounting, structure, and building interface
Verify the roof structure and condition can support added loads from PV, racking, wind, and snow. Identify rafter spacing and size and note sheathing material. Confirm available attachment points, underlayment condition, and whether reroofing is advisable before installation. For commercial roofs, note membrane type, ballast restrictions, wind zones, and roof warranty requirements. For ground systems, document soil type, required footing depth, setbacks from property lines, and underground utilities. Record drainage routes so racking and cable trenches will not create pooling or erosion.
Wiring, connectors, and junctions
Trace existing PV or balance-of-system components if present, and plan safe routing for new conductors. Inspect for abrasion risks, tight bend radii, UV exposure, and points where rodents or birds may nest. Confirm planned wire gauge, temperature ratings, and overcurrent protection are suitable for expected currents and ambient conditions. Document where junction boxes, combiner boxes, and disconnects will sit and verify they will be accessible, weatherproof, and labeled per code. Note bonding and grounding hardware locations so there is a continuous, inspectable path.
Inverter, BOS, and monitoring
Choose locations that meet temperature, clearance, and serviceability requirements. For string inverters, confirm wall space, shade from direct sun, and conduit paths. For microinverters or DC optimizers, plan cable trays and transitions at roof edges and eaves. Validate rapid shutdown device requirements based on code cycle. Identify internet connectivity or cellular reception for monitoring. Record serial numbers where applicable and plan labeling for disconnects and combiner points so installers can deliver a compliant finish on day one.
Grounding, bonding, and surge protection
Check that all metallic components will be bonded and that a grounding electrode system is present and accessible. Plan for surge protective devices at the combiner or inverter to protect against transients. Note any existing corrosion, loose bonds, or paint under bonding points that would reduce continuity. Confirm the grounding conductor size and routing meet code and that any exothermic connections or lugs will be protected from weather.
Fire safety, setbacks, and labeling
Measure and mark roof access pathways and ridge and edge setbacks per the governing fire code. Plan clear, permanent labels for DC circuits, rapid shutdown, AC points of interconnection, and equipment directories. Verify egress routes will not be obstructed by conduit or equipment. Capture photos that clearly show distances, labels, and pathways so you can submit them with permit applications and avoid rework requests.
Performance verification and acceptance
Before leaving, reconcile your measurements with a preliminary layout to confirm array count and spacing fit after setbacks and obstacles. If inspecting an existing system, compare operating values to expected nameplate and model estimates. Record ambient and module temperatures when measuring voltage and current so you can normalize values later. Note anything that could lead to mismatch or degradation, like dirt accumulation zones, shading edges, or hotspots observed visually. To benchmark future performance, measure baseline panel efficiency.
Remote site assessment checklist
Remote assessments can match on-site rigor when you combine quality imagery, elevation data, and realistic 3D simulation. Use this to screen projects quickly or to fully replace site visits where allowed.
Roof and terrain suitability - Derive slope, azimuth, and usable area from aerial or satellite imagery and LiDAR. Apply fire setbacks and parapet shading in 3D.
Shading and obstructions - Model trees, neighboring buildings, dormers, and seasonal sun paths. Quantify hourly irradiance loss rather than relying on a single shade percentage.
Structural and code feasibility - Estimate load paths and rafter spacing from imagery and local building data. Flag reroof recommendations and ballast limits for flat roofs.
Electrical interconnection - Collect service size and main panel photos from the customer or contractor. Check busbar rules, breaker positions, and potential line-side taps.
Production and economics - Simulate kWh yield with weather files and degradation assumptions. Tie results to tariffs to estimate bill savings and payback.
On-site vs remote checklist - what changes and what stays
| Area | On-site visit | Remote assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Measurements | Tape, angle finder, photos | Aerial imagery, LiDAR, 3D modeling |
| Shading | Visual survey, solar pathfinder, drone | Simulated sun paths, 3D obstructions |
| Structure | Rafter mapping, roof condition | Inferred from imagery and data, flag for verification |
| Electrical | Panel opening, nameplate checks | Customer-supplied panel photos, utility records |
| Deliverables | Photo report, measured drawings | Simulation models, annotated imagery |
With Enervio, you can run this remote solar site inspection checklist inside a single workflow, using interactive 3D solar simulations and instant proposal generation to replace much of the manual effort.
Tests and measurements a professional may perform
When you need hard evidence of performance or safety, add targeted tests. These are common in commissioning, troubleshooting, and due diligence:
Open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current - Confirm strings are wired correctly and within expected tolerances based on irradiance and temperature.
Insulation resistance (megger) - Verify DC insulation to ground meets minimum thresholds to prevent ground faults and nuisance tripping.
I-V curve tracing - Capture full string current-voltage behavior to detect mismatch, partial shading, bypass diode failures, or degradation.
Thermography - Use handheld or drone thermal imaging to locate hotspots at modules, connectors, fuses, breakers, and busbars.
Continuity and bonding checks - Confirm grounding and bonding paths are intact and below resistance limits.
Inverter commissioning checks - Verify firmware, grid profiles, anti-islanding, and rapid shutdown functionality per the current code cycle.
Performance ratio verification - Compare measured production against modeled expectations with on-site irradiance and temperature references.
Standards that often guide these tests include relevant NEC or IEC provisions, manufacturer commissioning procedures, and utility interconnection test requirements. Document each test with conditions and results so future comparisons are meaningful.
Inspection frequency and preventative maintenance
For new systems, inspect at mechanical completion and again after the first month of operation. Thereafter, perform annual inspections, or semiannual in harsh climates or where soiling and vegetation grow quickly. Between inspections, monitor production and alert on anomalies such as sudden drops in string current, elevated inverter temperatures, or frequent ground fault trips. Simple preventative actions like trimming vegetation, cleaning modules where soiling is heavy, and tightening exposed terminations can maintain performance and extend equipment life.
How to document and track issues
Make documentation part of the checklist rather than an afterthought. For each finding, include a clear photo, GPS or roof plane reference, measured values, and a severity and action code such as monitor, repair during install, or requires engineer review. Use consistent naming for circuits and equipment to avoid confusion across design, permitting, and field teams. Version your assumptions for shading, losses, and layout so you can trace any production estimate back to source inputs. Centralize everything so sales, engineering, and operations see the same source of truth. Enervio can help standardize this process with remote property analysis, 3D solar simulations embedded in your proposals, and one-click, data-backed quotes that carry your site assumptions forward into contracts. For tooling considerations, review inspection management software features.
Costs and when to hire a pro
A basic residential on-site assessment often ranges from a few hundred dollars depending on travel and reporting needs. Commercial or utility-scale inspections and specialized tests like I-V curve tracing or drone thermography add cost but can save far more by catching design or installation issues early. Hire a professional when structural adequacy is uncertain, when electrical interconnection is complex, when code interpretation is in question, or when you need formal reports for lenders, insurers, or AHJs. For early qualification, a remote assessment can reduce costs and accelerate a go or no-go decision before you commit crews to the field.
Master solar site inspection checklist
Documents - Utility bills, site or roof plans, equipment specs, AHJ and utility rules.
Safety - PPE, fall protection, lockout-tagout, weather and roof access checks.
Site survey - Roof planes or ground areas, pitch and azimuth, usable area after setbacks.
Obstructions - Vents, skylights, chimneys, parapets, trees, neighboring structures.
Structure - Roof condition, rafter size and spacing, membrane type, soil and drainage for ground mounts.
Electrical - Service size, main panel busbar rating, breaker capacity, grounding, interconnection method.
Equipment siting - Inverter location, disconnects, combiners, rapid shutdown devices, monitoring connectivity.
Wiring - Conduit paths, conductor gauges and ratings, protection from abrasion and UV.
Fire code - Pathways, setbacks, egress, clear labeling plan.
Shading and yield - Seasonal analysis, hourly loss estimates, production model assumptions.
Photos and labels - Measurement photos, panel and equipment nameplates, label plan per code cycle.
Testing - Voc/Isc checks, insulation resistance, I-V curves, thermography as needed.
Sign-off - Go or no-go decision, design adjustments, required permits or upgrades.
From site inspection to proposal in minutes
With Enervio, you can turn your solar site inspection checklist into a fast, repeatable workflow. Run remote property analysis, model arrays in realistic 3D, educate prospects with an AI agent, and generate accurate, branded proposals in a single click. By eliminating most physical site visits and standardizing documentation, you reduce costs, speed up sales cycles, and set clearer expectations with customers.
FAQs
What are the 7 steps of the inspection process?
Prepare documents, ensure safety, survey the roof or ground area, assess structure, verify electrical interconnection, evaluate shading and production, then document and validate findings. This sequence reduces rework and ensures your design and permits align with real-world conditions.
What are the 5 essentials of a quality control checklist?
Clear pass-fail criteria, required measurements and photos, code and manufacturer references, responsibility and timing for each task, and a documentation standard that ensures findings are traceable across sales, engineering, and field teams.
What is a solar site assessment?
A solar site assessment is a structured evaluation of a location to confirm technical, structural, electrical, and code feasibility for PV. It results in measurements, photos or models, and assumptions that support accurate design, permitting, and production estimates.
What is the 20% rule for solar panels?
The term 20% rule is often used loosely and can refer to local roof setback or access requirements that leave a portion of the roof clear for fire access. Many jurisdictions instead follow specific pathway and ridge-edge dimensions. Do not confuse this with the NEC 120% busbar rule for electrical interconnection. Always verify the exact requirements with your local authority having jurisdiction and utility.
How often should I inspect a solar system?
Inspect at commissioning and after the first month of operation, then annually. In harsh environments or where soiling and vegetation are significant, semiannual checks are wise. Continuous monitoring should alert you to performance anomalies between inspections.
Which tools do I need for a site visit?
Bring PPE and fall protection, tape measures, a digital angle finder, multimeter and clamp meter, flashlight, camera or phone for photos, and labels or markers. For advanced diagnostics, use an insulation resistance tester, I-V curve tracer, and a thermal camera or drone.