For most standard residential solar installations in Victoria, a formal Building Permit or Planning Permit from your local council is NOT required.
However, a Planning Permit may be required if:
- Your property is within a Heritage Overlay area, and
- Your solar panels will be visible from a street (not a lane) or a public park.
Mandatory Approvals & TCK Solar’s Role
Every solar and / or battery system requires a series of approvals, which TCK Solar manages or assists with:
- Grid connection pre-approval (managed by TCK Solar): Our team completes the application process with your electricity distributor (e.g., Powercor, Jemena, Citipower, AusNet) to ensure your system can safely connect to the electricity grid
- Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES) (arranged by TCK Solar): After installation, your system is inspected by a third-party, independent contractor who issues this mandatory safety certificate which certifies your installation has been completed in line with the mandatory regulations.
If a Council planning permit (e.g. for a heritage overlay) is required:
- Homeowner’s Responsibility: Each homeowner is responsible for submitting any planning permit applications to your local Council and managing the requirements of the approvals process
- TCK Solar’s Support: Our team will support you by assessing any potential heritage overlay requirements during the design stage and provide you with all the necessary solar design plans, specifications, and elevation drawings required for your submission to Council.
TCK Solar ensures that all technical and safety approvals are met, and we are available to support you through the Council application process as required, giving you peace of mind that you’ll have all of the necessary documentation at hand, and that your system design will be compliant with Council’s requirements.
