Greenburgh, NY Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- "All installations powered by solar energy"
- Who applies
- Westchester County-licensed plumber only
- Solar hot water
- Separate permit required, § 100-18C(4)
- Fee
- Set by Building Inspector, Town Board approval
- First-offense penalty
- $500-$1,000 fine, up to 3 months jail
Summary
Greenburgh treats solar energy work as regulated plumbing work: Town Code § 120-2 lists "all installations powered by solar energy" among the work needing a Building Inspector permit before a licensed contractor starts, and § 100-18 separately bars installing a solar hot-water heating system without its own permit.
A. Before commencing any new plumbing work or the repair of any old plumbing work, a plumber licensed by Westchester County shall apply to the Building Inspector for a permit to do said work. No permit shall be issued to any person, firm or corporation other than a plumber licensed by Westchester County. ... D. Plumbing work requiring permits shall include but not be limited to the following: ... (5) All installations powered by solar energy. ... F. The fees for a permit shall be set by the Building Inspector, subject to the approval of the Town Board.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4570580; v39 updated 2025-10-22; through 10-22-2025).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 120, Plumbers, controls this in Greenburgh, the part of the Town outside the incorporated villages of Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington and Tarrytown. Section 120-1 makes it unlawful to perform plumbing work except in conformity with the chapter, and § 120-2 folds solar energy work into that permit scheme: subsection D lists the plumbing work needing a permit, and item (5) is "all installations powered by solar energy," alongside gas piping, fire sprinkler systems and lawn irrigation. Under § 120-2A, only a plumber licensed by Westchester County may apply to the Building Inspector for the permit, on forms the Building Inspector supplies, and § 120-2C requires proof of that county license before any permit issues.
" Fees for either permit are set by the Building Inspector subject to Town Board approval under § 120-2F. Work cannot be covered or concealed until it is inspected under § 120-4, and the Building Inspector or Plumbing Inspector can revoke certificates and order a defective installation shut down until it is brought into compliance and reinspected.
Violations & Fines
Installing a solar energy system without the § 120-2 permit is enforced the same way as any unpermitted plumbing work: under § 120-6, a first conviction carries a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 and/or up to three months imprisonment, with each day of the violation a separate offense. The Building Inspector, Fire Marshal or Plumbing Inspector may also issue a stop-work order under § 120-5.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to install solar panels in Greenburgh?
Does a separate rule cover solar hot-water heaters?
What happens if I skip the permit?
Does this rule apply inside Ardsley or Tarrytown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenburgh
New York rules heatmap·Compare Greenburgh to another location·View the New York solar energy overview
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Panel Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Westchester County handle panel permits.