Flat-roof solar Solar panels on a flat roof
Yes, you can. Panels go on frames that tilt them towards the sun, and on a house they can stand up to 0.6 m above the highest part of the roof without planning permission. A flat roof needs more checks than a pitched one, though: its strength and condition, the frames and wind loading.
Planning permission
| Building | Height limit above the highest part of the roof |
|---|---|
| House | 0.6 m |
| Block of flats | 0.6 m |
| Business or farm building | 1 m, and nothing within 1 m of the roof edge |
Since December 2023, flat roofs have had their own limit. In conservation areas, national parks, National Landscapes, the Broads and World Heritage Sites, you need prior approval from the council on appearance before fitting panels to a flat roof. Listed buildings always need consent.
Two ways to lay them out
Tilted towards the south
Panels sit on frames angled towards the sun. Each panel produces more, but rows have to be spaced so they don't shade each other, which means fewer panels on a given roof.
Low, east and west
Panels sit at a shallow angle in back-to-back pairs facing east and west. Each panel makes a little less, but more fit, and generation is spread across the day. The low profile also takes less wind.
Protecting the roof
- Ballasted frames are held down by weight rather than fixings through the roof, so the waterproof covering isn't pierced. The roof must be strong enough to carry the extra weight.
- Fixed frames are bolted through to the structure, with every penetration properly sealed.
- Wind loading has to be calculated: MCS rules require structural and wind-loading evidence where a certified mounting system isn't used.
- The roof's condition. If the covering is near the end of its life, replace it first. Panels make re-roofing harder and more expensive later.
Questions people ask
Can you put solar panels on a flat roof?
Yes. They're mounted on frames, and on a house can stand up to 0.6 m above the highest part of the roof without planning permission, except in conservation areas and similar designated land, where prior approval is needed.
Do flat-roof solar panels need planning permission?
Not usually, within the 0.6 m limit for houses. Listed buildings always need consent, and designated land needs prior approval.
Will panels damage my flat roof?
They shouldn't, if the roof is checked first and the system is ballasted or properly sealed. Replace an old roof covering before fitting.
Which way should panels face on a flat roof?
Either tilted towards the south, or low in east-west pairs. East-west fits more panels and spreads generation through the day.
Read next
Sources
Figures and rules on this page were checked on 11 October 2026. Schemes, tariffs and prices change, so check the latest before you decide.
- legislation.gov.uk: General Permitted Development Order 2015, Schedule 2, Part 14, up to date to 9 October 2026
- legislation.gov.uk: S.I. 2023/1279, flat roofs and non-domestic solar, in force 21 December 2023
- legislation.gov.uk: S.I. 2026/896, solar permitted development changes, in force 27 August 2026
- MCS: MIS 3002 Solar PV installation standard, issue 1.0, January 2025
- legislation.gov.uk: Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 7, up to date to 5 October 2026
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Most of the homes we fit have pitched roofs. If yours is flat, ask us and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth it.
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