Regulations Guide
Solar Canopy Regulations UK
Commercial solar canopy installations must comply with six regulatory frameworks: G98/G99 grid connection, MCS certification, Building Regulations Part A, CDM 2015, planning permission, and BS 7671 electrical installation. We manage every submission — you do not need to engage separately with any regulator.
Six regulatory frameworks for solar canopy installations
Each framework has a different authority, timeline, and compliance requirement. We handle all six as part of our standard full-service installation.
G98 (formerly G83) applies to solar systems below 50 kWp connected to the low-voltage (230V/400V) network. It requires notification to the DNO within 28 days of commissioning — not prior approval. G99 (formerly G59) applies to systems at or above 50 kWp, and to any system connected to the high-voltage network. G99 requires prior technical approval from the DNO — typically 8-12 weeks — before the system can be energised. For systems above 250 kWp, a multi-party G99 application involving the national grid may be required. We prepare and submit all G98/G99 documentation on day one of the design phase.
- G98: notify within 28 days after commissioning
- G99: apply before installation — 8-26 weeks
- DNO may require protective relay settings review
- G99 systems require a generation meter
- We manage all DNO correspondence throughout
MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certification is required to access the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) — the export tariff paid by energy suppliers for electricity fed back to the grid. MCS certification applies to the installation company, the product, and the installation process. Our MCS-certified engineers inspect and commission every system to MCS 012 (installation standard for PV). An MCS certificate is issued for every installation, confirming compliance with the installation standard. This certificate is required by most energy suppliers before they will open a SEG account.
- MCS required for SEG application
- MCS 012 installation standard applies to all PV systems
- Certificate issued at commissioning
- Valid for 25 years from commissioning date
- Required by most energy suppliers and finance lenders
Free-standing solar canopy structures are not buildings but they are structures, and structural works require compliance with Building Regulations Part A (structure). A chartered structural engineer certifies Part A compliance through the structural design and calculation package. This is submitted as part of a building notice or full plans application to the local authority building control (LABC) or an approved inspector. Note: Building Regulations approval is separate from planning permission — both are required for most solar canopy installations.
- Building notice or full plans submission required
- Chartered structural engineer must certify compliance
- LABC or approved inspector must inspect foundations
- Certificate of completion issued after installation
- Separate from planning permission — both required
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) apply to solar canopy installations that exceed the 'notifiable' threshold: more than 30 working days with more than 20 workers simultaneously on site, or more than 500 person-days of construction work. Below this threshold, CDM duties still apply but the project is not notifiable to the HSE. For notifiable projects, a Principal Designer (we can fulfil this role) and a Principal Contractor must be appointed. A Construction Phase Plan is required before works commence. A Health and Safety File is handed over at completion.
- CDM applies to all commercial construction work
- Projects above threshold: notifiable to HSE
- Principal Designer and Contractor must be appointed
- Construction Phase Plan required before works start
- Health and Safety File handed over at completion
Most commercial solar canopy structures require full planning permission. Permitted development rights for solar canopies are limited. In England, car park canopy structures above 4 metres in height or covering more than 50% of the car park area are unlikely to benefit from permitted development. In conservation areas, listed buildings, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), permitted development rights are further restricted. We submit a planning application as part of our full-service design package, including design and access statement, heritage impact assessment (where required), ecological preliminary assessment, and visual impact assessment.
- Full planning application required in most cases
- Permitted development rights are limited for canopy structures
- Conservation areas: prior approval or full application
- AONBs and National Parks: stricter controls
- We prepare and submit all planning documentation
All electrical installation work — DC wiring from panels to inverters, AC wiring from inverters to the distribution board, and protection equipment — must be designed and installed to BS 7671:2018 (IET Wiring Regulations, 18th Edition) with Amendment 2. An Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) is issued by our NICEIC-qualified electrical engineer at commissioning, covering both the DC (PV) and AC elements of the installation. This certificate is required by insurance companies, mortgage lenders, and building owners as evidence of safe electrical installation.
- BS 7671:2018 + Amendment 2 applies
- NICEIC-qualified electrical engineer required
- Electrical Installation Certificate issued at commissioning
- DC system designed to IEC 62548
- Required by insurers and finance lenders
Regulatory timeline for a typical 200 kWp installation
| Regulation | When submitted | Typical timeline | Who submits |
|---|---|---|---|
| G99 grid connection | Day 1 of design phase | 8–16 weeks to approval | Us (on your behalf) |
| Planning permission | Week 2–4 of design phase | 8–13 weeks to decision | Us (on your behalf) |
| Building Regulations | Before installation starts | 2–4 weeks (building notice) | Us + your structural engineer sign-off |
| CDM notification (if notifiable) | Before construction phase | 3 working days minimum notice to HSE | Us as Principal Contractor |
| MCS commissioning | At energisation | Same day — 2–3 hours on site | Our MCS-certified engineer |
| G99 commissioning notice | Within 5 days of energisation | Immediate (notification only) | Us to DNO |
| SEG application | After MCS certificate issued | 2–4 weeks (supplier dependent) | You, with our documentation pack |
What you need to provide
We handle all of this
- G99 grid connection application to DNO
- Planning application preparation and submission
- Building Regulations structural design and certification
- CDM Principal Designer and Principal Contractor roles
- MCS commissioning and certificate
- Electrical Installation Certificate (BS 7671)
- SEG documentation pack
What we need from you
- · Half-hourly electricity meter data (12 months minimum)
- · Site plan or aerial imagery of the car park
- · Freehold or leasehold title confirmation
- · Any existing S106 planning obligations or conditions
- · Building drawings (existing, if available)
- · Access confirmation for site survey
- · Health and safety policy document
Full compliance included as standard
Every regulatory submission — G99, planning, building regs, CDM, MCS — is included in our full-service installation price. You do not engage separately with any regulator, authority, or DNO.
Get a fully compliant canopy designFree canopy feasibility study
Get your site-specific canopy figures — within 5 working days
Tell us your car park size and we return a desk-based feasibility study: indicative system size in kWp, a PVSyst-modelled annual generation figure, turnkey capital cost band, first-year Annual Investment Allowance saving, projected payback, and any planning or DNO issues we can see from the outset. No site visit needed to start.