Solar Permits in Edmonton

What permits does an Edmonton solar install need, and who pulls them?

You need an electrical permit and the EPCOR Micro-Generation Agreement, and your licensed installer should pull both. This page covers three things:

What each permit is for

How the inspection works

The real timeline from signed quote to power-on

As the Master Electrician on every job, the code compliance is on me.

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5.0 · 70+ five-star Google reviews

Written by Dmitry Naboka · Master Electrician #13824 · Raydn Renewables, Edmonton · Last updated July 2026.

Always requiredElectrical permit + EPCOR Micro-Generation Agreement
May applyDevelopment or structural permit, depending on the array and roof
Who pulls themYour licensed electrical contractor, not you
Code authorityWork done under a Master Electrician to the Canadian Electrical Code
InspectionCertified inspector signs off before EPCOR switches you on
TimelineUsually a few weeks quote-to-power-on; install itself is a day or two

5.0 on Google · 70+ verified reviews

What customers say about inspections

These are Google reviews, copied word for word. Real jobs, real names, nothing edited.

★★★★★

“We had Dimitry do all the electrical when we finished the basement for an in-law suite. When we had our final inspection, we failed. We called Dimitry and told him, and he showed up the next day to address the issues on the inspection report. He made all the repairs required by the inspector and offered to be here when the re-inspection is being done to ensure all is fine. We are very happy with the service.”

Christine Legros · Verified Google review

★★★★★

“The guys at Raydn completed a solar system at my property and I am thoroughly impressed with their workmanship. The system on the roof looks sleek and clean. There can be some unpredictable happenings like in all the trades but you can be sure that Raydn aren't taking that as a chance for shortcuts. The finished product top to bottom is first class and that's all there is to say really. I wouldn't look much further, unfortunately there are some solar companies that fall way short of what should be expected and people fall for their sales pitch so do your best to avoid all of the noise. Local is best.”

Ryan · Verified Google review

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The two permits you will always deal with

Every legal Edmonton solar install needs two things: an electrical permit and the EPCOR Micro-Generation Agreement. The first makes it safe; the second makes it paid.

One solar install on your roof

Two separate approvals have to land on it

Makes it safe

Electrical permit

Wiring, interconnection, disconnects
Code compliance of the whole install
Pulled under a Master Electrician

Skip it and the install can be unsafe and uninspected.

Makes it paid

EPCOR Micro-Generation Agreement

Legal right to export surplus power
Credits on your bill for what you send back
Triggers the bi-directional meter swap

Skip it and you may never get paid for a single kWh you export.

Is there ever a third permit?

Sometimes. Depending on your roof and the array, a development or structural permit can also come into play. I flag that up front if it applies to you, before you sign anything.

Your installer pulls them. Full stop.

If a solar company asks you to pull the permits, or never mentions permits at all, walk away. That is how unpermitted, uninspected systems end up on roofs.

Done right

Contractor handles everything

Electrical permit under the Master Electrician, EPCOR micro-gen filed, inspection and meter swap coordinated. You sign, we run the process.

Red flag

"You pull your own permit"

Or no mention of permits at all. A sign the work may not be to code or legally interconnected. Do not sign.

On every Raydn job I am the Master Electrician #13824. The permit and the code compliance are on me, not handed to a subcontractor and not handed to you. That is the difference between a licensed local install and a door-to-door crew that is gone the day the panels go up.

How the inspection works

After install, a certified inspector checks the work against the Canadian Electrical Code before EPCOR will switch you on. A clean pass is what gets your meter swapped.

System is installed

Panels, inverter, wiring, disconnects, and labeling all done to code. The physical work is often just a day or two.

Inspector reviews it

Wiring, grounding, labeling, disconnects, and the interconnection are checked against code. This protects you and your resale value.

Pass gets the meter swapped

Once it passes, EPCOR completes the bi-directional meter swap. That is the moment you are officially generating and exporting.

The real timeline, and why unpermitted is a trap

Signed quote to power-on is usually a few weeks, not months. Most of that is paperwork and utility scheduling, not hammer time.

Electrical permitdays to 1 week

Pulled by us, under my licence. Nothing for you to file.

EPCOR Micro-Generation approval1 to 2 weeks

Utility processing. Busy seasons stretch this one the most.

The actual install1 to 2 days

The only part that looks like work. It is the shortest bar on the page.

Inspection, then meter swap1 to 2 weeks

A clean pass gets you the bi-directional meter. Then you are exporting.

Signed quote to power-onusually a few weeks

Bar length is calendar time, so you can see it straight across. Paperwork and utility scheduling own the timeline. We manage the sequence so you are not chasing anyone.

Permitted and inspected

Unpermitted

Legally interconnected to the grid

Can fail to interconnect at all

Insurance stays intact

Can void your policy

Clean at resale, paperwork in hand

Blows up when a buyer's inspector finds it

Credited for every kWh you export

No micro-gen agreement, no export credit

Permits are not an upsell. They are what make the system legal, safe, and actually paid.

Honest Answers

The questions homeowners actually ask

From a Master Electrician's chair, not a salesperson's script.

What permits do I need for solar in Edmonton?

A residential solar install needs an electrical permit, and it needs the EPCOR Micro-Generation Agreement so you can legally export power and earn credits. Depending on the array and roof, a development or structural permit can also apply. The two you will always encounter are the electrical permit and the EPCOR micro-generation submission, and a proper installer handles both for you.

Who pulls the permits, me or the installer?

Your installer should. A licensed electrical contractor pulls the electrical permit under their Master Electrician, files the EPCOR Micro-Generation Agreement, and coordinates the inspection and meter swap. If a company expects you to pull your own permits, or does not mention permits at all, that is a serious red flag that the work may not be done to code or legally interconnected.

Do I need a Master Electrician for a solar permit?

In Alberta, electrical work like a grid-tied solar interconnection must be done under a licensed electrical contractor with a Master Electrician. That is not red tape, it is what makes the install safe and legally connected to the grid. I am the Master Electrician on every Raydn job, licence #13824, so the permit and the code compliance are on me, not subcontracted out.

How does the inspection work?

After the system is installed, a certified electrical inspector reviews the work against the Canadian Electrical Code. They check the wiring, grounding, labeling, disconnects, and the interconnection. Once it passes, that sign-off is what lets EPCOR complete the meter swap and switch you on. A clean inspection is also part of what protects your home's resale value later.

How long does the whole permit process take?

From signed quote to power-on, a typical Edmonton residential install runs a few weeks, not months, though it varies with permit and EPCOR processing times and the season. The physical install is often just a day or two. Most of the calendar is paperwork and utility scheduling: the permit, the micro-generation approval, the inspection, and the EPCOR meter swap. We manage the sequence so you are not chasing anyone.

What happens if solar is installed without permits?

Unpermitted solar is a real problem. It can fail to interconnect legally, void insurance, create safety hazards, and become a headache at resale when a buyer's inspection turns it up. Worse, without the EPCOR Micro-Generation Agreement you may not be credited for exported power at all. Permits and proper interconnection are not optional extras, they are what make the system legal, safe, and actually paid for its exports.

Keep Reading

Want it done permitted, inspected, and switched on cleanly?

Four things, and all four are on me:

Pull the electrical permit

File your EPCOR Micro-Generation Agreement

Coordinate the inspection and meter swap

Hand you a system that is legal, safe, and earning credits

Master Electrician on every job. Call me or book a quote and I will walk you through the exact timeline for your address.

Honest quote in 24 hours Call a Master Electrician

Dmitry Naboka · Master Electrician #13824 · Raydn Renewables, Edmonton

Where these numbers come from

The Section 64 requirements here are not house style. Alberta Municipal Affairs publishes the interpretation, STANDATA 18-ECI-064, Section 64 renewable energy systems, read 27 August 2026, and there is a plain language walkthrough of the section in the Guide to the Canadian Electrical Code, Section 64. The interconnection side is regulation too. The Alberta Micro-generation Regulation is what your distribution facility owner is applying when it approves or sends back a micro-generation application.

Every rate here is a published third party figure or is labelled as my own. If one has moved since the read date, tell me and I will correct the page.

What permits does an Edmonton solar install need, and who pulls them?

Quick facts

What customers say about inspections

The two permits you will always deal with

One solar install on your roof

Electrical permit

EPCOR Micro-Generation Agreement

Your installer pulls them. Full stop.

Contractor handles everything

"You pull your own permit"

How the inspection works

System is installed

Inspector reviews it

Pass gets the meter swapped

The real timeline, and why unpermitted is a trap

The questions homeowners actually ask

More straight answers on Alberta solar

How net metering works in Edmonton

Do solar panels work in Edmonton winters?

How many solar panels do I need?

Want it done permitted, inspected, and switched on cleanly?

Where these numbers come from