Solar Approval Documents: What You Need in Each Province

Solar approval documents are the paperwork your installer, your utility and your local authorities use to confirm that a home solar system is safe, meets the code and is allowed to connect to the grid. Most of the documents are the same everywhere in Canada; what changes by province is who reviews them. Your installer prepares most of this, but knowing what to expect helps you spot gaps before they cause delays.

Solar approval documents almost every project needs

Document	What it shows	Who usually prepares it
Site plan or roof layout	Where the panels, inverter and disconnects go	Installer
Single-line electrical diagram	How the system connects to your electrical panel and meter	Installer or electrical contractor
Equipment spec sheets	Panel, inverter and racking models and certifications	Installer
Structural review or engineered design	That your roof can carry the panels plus snow and wind loads	Installer, often with a professional engineer
Electrical permit or notification	That the electrical work is registered for inspection	Licensed electrical contractor
Utility connection application	System size, equipment and address for grid approval	Installer, on your behalf
Proof of ownership or authorization	That you can make changes to the property	You
Inspection sign-offs and utility approval	That the system passed and can operate	Inspection authority and utility

Equipment connected to the grid must be certified for use in Canada, so inverters and other components need a recognized certification mark. Ask your installer to confirm this on the spec sheets.

Ontario

Grid connection and net metering are handled by your local distribution company (LDC), the utility that delivers your electricity, under Ontario’s net metering regulation, O. Reg. 541/05. Expect:

• a connection application to your LDC, and a net metering agreement
• a building permit for rooftop arrays of 5 m² or more, with an engineered design and roof plan. See the City of Toronto’s solar collector guide.
• an electrical notification of work filed with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), followed by an inspection and a Connection Authorization sent to your LDC

Larger systems may need a connection impact assessment from the LDC. Read our step-by-step guide to solar interconnection in Ontario.

British Columbia

BC Hydro customers apply through BC Hydro’s self-generation program. As of July 1, 2026, it replaced net metering for new customers. BC Hydro asks you to apply before installation. Expect:

• a self-generation application with system and equipment details
• an electrical permit from Technical Safety BC or your municipality
• a municipal building permit where your city requires one

Customers of other BC utilities should check with that utility.

Alberta

Home solar is covered by Alberta’s micro-generation rules. For systems under 150 kW, you (or your installer) submit a micro-generation notice to the owner of the local wires, your distribution utility, for assessment. See Alberta’s micro-generation page. Expect:

• the micro-generation notice with system and site details
• electrical and, where required, building permits from your municipality or an accredited agency
• the utility’s confirmation before the system operates

Quebec

Hydro-Québec customers who want to send surplus power to the grid can join its Net Metering Option. Hydro-Québec publishes its self-generation standards and forms. Expect:

• Hydro-Québec’s enrolment application and the documents it lists
• electrical work by a contractor licensed by the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ)
• any municipal permit your city requires

Atlantic Canada and the territories

Utilities in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and the territories each have their own application forms and technical requirements. You’ll generally need the same core solar approval documents listed above, plus the local electrical permit and inspection. Nova Scotia’s government has a solar energy page with current programs.

Tips to get your solar approval documents right

• Ask your installer for a document list at the start and a copy of each document as it’s submitted.
• Make sure the equipment on the utility application matches what’s installed. A swapped inverter model is a common reason for re-review.
• Don’t energize the system until the inspection is passed and the utility confirms you can operate.
• Keep everything together with your warranties. Our solar permit checklist can help.

The bottom line

Your solar approval documents tell the same story everywhere: what you’re installing, how it’s wired, that the roof can hold it and that it passed inspection. Know who reviews them in your province, keep copies of each one, and choose an installer who prepares them routinely. For an overview of the permits themselves, read do you need a solar panel permit in Canada?

Frequently asked questions