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Notes for solar panel arrays: 14.1 to 14.4

There are four separate exemptions for solar panel arrays – two for ground-mounted and two for roof-mounted. You will need to check if an engineer is required according to the descriptions.

  1. Ground-mounted solar panel arrays outside rural zones not exceeding 20 square metres in size or in rural zones with no size limitation.
  2. Ground-mounted solar panel arrays exceeding 20, but not exceeding 40, square metres in size outside rural zones. Ground-mounted solar panel arrays not exceeding 40 square metres in size can be built when the design is carried out or reviewed by a Chartered Professional Engineer.
  3. Roof-mounted solar panel arrays of less than 40 square metres and where design wind speeds do not exceed 44 metres per second.
  4. Roof-mounted solar panel arrays of more than 40 square metres or where design wind speeds exceed 44 metres per second.  Roof-mounted solar panel arrays exceeding 40 square metres or in a wind zone exceeding high can be installed without a building consent when the structural fixtures are designed or reviewed by a Chartered Professional Engineer.  This could include using pre-engineered kitsets with a unified signoff from a Chartered Professional Engineer.

Before you begin your project, consider the following

District planning

Always check with your regional council to make sure your proposed building work does not have any district planning implications taking consideration of maximum site coverage, yard or setback requirements, daylight access planes or permitted activities. A resource consent may be required and it is important that this is obtained before starting any building work.

Refer to Daylight recession planes

Electrical regulations

It is important to make sure all solar panel arrays comply with the relevant electrical regulations and standards.

Further to local council regulations, if an owner wants to connect the solar panel arrays to the power grid they must comply with any requirements of local line companies. Your local council will look at certain installation and electrical safety requirements, as solar power systems might overload the power grid and the relevant authorities make sure this does not occur.

The typical weight of solar panel arrays is assumed to be less than 30 kilograms/square metre (approximately 15 to 20 kilograms/square metre). The solar panel arrays are comprised of individual panels with different length, width, and thickness.

SNZ PAS 6014:2025 Residential solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery storage systems guideline — standards.govt.nz

Location

Three of the solar panel exemptions can only be used where the design wind speed at the location for the solar panel array does not exceed 44 metres per second or alternatively, the wind zone must not exceed the “high” wind zone per the Building Code provisions. An owner can find all the information about the design wind speeds or wind zones in NZS 3604 and AS/NZS 1170.2, which are both referenced in B1/VM1 or B1/AS1. Most councils also have generic wind zone information for their jurisdictions.

NZS 3604 Timber-framed buildings — standards.govt.nz

AS/NZS 1170.2 Structural design actions, Part 2: Wind actions — standards.govt.nz

If you are planning on adding a roof-mounted solar panel array in a very high or greater wind zone, you will need to meet the conditions for exemption 48A (section 14.4 of this document)

Ground-mounted solar panel arrays

To qualify for these exemptions, the ground-mounted solar panel arrays are required to be supported by multiple connections on multiple posts or columns. Single post or column construction is considered to put adjacent property and people at a higher risk of harm in the event of failure.

This exemption allows solar panel arrays to be located as close as five metres from a residential building (dwelling). However, when determining the position of the panels, consideration needs to be given to:

  • ensuring there is a reasonable separation distance if the residential building (or solar panel arrays) experiences structural instability, such as during an earthquake, strong wind, or fire
  • ensuring that escape routes from an existing residential building are not compromised.

Roof-mounted solar panel arrays

The two exemptions for roof-mounted solar panel arrays apply to building work in connection with one or more solar panel arrays mounted on a roof that are each supported by a frame or structure attached to the roof with structural fixings. 

Arrays that are more than 40 square metres in size or are mounted in a wind zone greater than high must have the fixings designed or reviewed by a Chartered Professional Engineer. This could include using pre-engineered kitsets with a unified signoff from a Chartered Professional Engineer.

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This information is published by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Chief Executive. It is a general guide only and, if used, does not relieve any person of the obligation to consider any matter to which the information relates according to the circumstances of the particular case. Expert advice may be required in specific circumstances. Where this information relates to assisting people: