Licensing (General)
Building permits are required any time solar thermal or solar PV is placed on a roof or ground rack due to new roof loads and/or wind issues.
A Construction supervisor’s license (either an unrestricted CSL or a restricted one and two family CSL) is required when solar thermal work is involved and the building is a one or two family, stand-alone dwelling or is a small commercial building (less than 35,000 feet of aggregate volume (L x WxH).
A CSL is not required for solar PV installs as the Board of State Examiners of Electricians has ruled that all such PV install work requires a Massachusetts licensed electrician (an example of an exemption from the CSL is when a tradesperson, licensed by another state agency, is working under the umbrella of his/her trade license).
Licensing (PV)
All aspects of a PV installation are considered electrical work and must be done by a properly permitted and licensed electrician. Mass building code and states that any electrical generating equipment and ancillary equipment must be installed by a licensed electrician.
Interconnection with the electrical service requires the services of a licensed electrician and an electrical permit is required.
Electrical code: 2017 NEC Code and 2018 I-Codes
Reciprocity: Reciprocity with NH licensees only
Resources
- Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- Department of Public Safety
- Division of Professional Licensure, Board of State Examiners of Electricians
