Portsmouth, VA Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Roof-mount height
- up to 5 ft above district max height
- Ground-mount height
- 20 ft maximum
- Pre-install requirement
- decommissioning agreement + financial assurance
- Abandonment trigger
- 24 months unused, removal within 90 days
- Review path
- Site Plan or Zoning Permit under Sec. 40.2-217(B)
- General penalty
- misdemeanor up to $1,000, Sec. 40.2-553
Summary
Portsmouth reviews an accessory solar energy project through the same Site Plan or Zoning Permit process as other accessory uses, and before installation requires the applicant to sign a decommissioning agreement and post financial assurance under Virginia Code Sec. 15.2-2241.2(B).
(ii)Standards. Solar energy projects, subject to a design review where applicable, may be permitted as an accessory to a principal use provided that the following standards are met:a.Roof-mounted solar energy projects, including roof tiles, on a principal or accessory building shall not extend more than five feet above the maximum principal building height specified for the zoning district.b.Ground-mounted solar energy projects shall not exceed 20 feet in height. ... (iii)Decommissioning. ... c.Prior to installation of a solar energy project:i.The applicant and property owner (if different from the applicant) must enter into an agreement with the City regarding decommissioning that complies with the requirements of Virginia Code §15.2-2241.2(B); andii.The applicant must provide financial assurance to the City in an amount not less than the cost of decommissioning, as estimated in accordance with Virginia Code §15.2-2241.2(B).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Rooftop and ground-mounted solar installed as an accessory use to a home or business falls under Sec. 2-217(I)(3)(m), Solar Energy Project. Compliance is checked during whichever development review already applies to the property: Sec. 2-217(B) routes review through a Site Plan, a Preliminary Subdivision Plat, or a Zoning Permit, whichever is appropriate for that project. Before a solar project can be installed, Sec. 2-217(I)(3)(m)(iii)(c) requires two things: the applicant and property owner, if different, must sign a decommissioning agreement with the City that meets Virginia Code Sec.
2(B), and the applicant must post financial assurance with the City covering at least the estimated cost of decommissioning under that same state statute. The ordinance also sets the physical envelope for the installation: a roof-mounted system, including solar roof tiles, cannot rise more than five feet above the district's maximum principal building height, and a ground-mounted system is capped at 20 feet. Equipment other than the panels themselves may come within two feet of a side or rear lot line when needed to reach an existing nonconforming electric meter, and the installation must meet the city's noise standard, Sec.
24-255, plus applicable ANSI, UL, and ASTM standards and the Uniform Statewide Building Code. A project left unused for 24 straight months is deemed abandoned and must come out within 90 days of the city's removal notice; one found unsafe by the Building Official must be repaired or removed within six months.
Violations & Fines
Solar accessory installations aren't on the short list of specific civil infractions in Sec. 40.2-554(A), so a violation, installing without the required decommissioning agreement or financial assurance, exceeding the height cap, or failing to remove an abandoned system within 90 days, falls under the general penalty in Sec. 40.2-553: a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000, with continued noncompliance escalating to $1,500 and then $2,000 for each successive ten-day period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Portsmouth require a permit before installing solar panels?
Do I have to post a bond for a home solar system in Portsmouth?
How tall can a ground-mounted solar array be in Portsmouth?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Portsmouth
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