Reading, PA Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Required before any installation
- Application
- Needs drawings, setbacks, photos
- Lot coverage
- Ground-mounted panels exempt
- Historic districts
- Need HARB approval first
Summary
Reading requires a zoning permit before installing any solar energy system, with an application covering system description, drawings, setbacks, and a signed acknowledgment about shading rights.
§ 600-1012. Alternative energy systems. ... J. Installation, maintenance and removal requirements. (1) Installation. (a) No alternative energy system shall be located, modified or constructed within the City of Reading unless a permit has been issued to the facility owner in accordance with the provisions of this section of the Zoning Ordinance. ... I. Application. The facility owner shall provide the following ...: (1) A full description of the proposed alternative energy system. (2) Architectural drawings of the system to be installed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-8: Current through August 10, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under City of Reading Zoning Ordinance § 600-1012, no alternative energy system, including solar panels, may be located, modified, or constructed without a permit. Applicants must submit a full system description, architectural drawings, dimensions and setbacks, baseline photographs, an estimated-output statement, and a signed acknowledgment that the permit creates no right to remain free of shading from neighboring development or vegetation. Ground-mounted solar arrays are exempt from impervious lot-coverage counts, and solar installations in historic or conservation districts must first obtain a Historical Architectural Review Board certificate of appropriateness.
Violations & Fines
Installing or modifying a solar energy system without the required § 600-1012 permit is a zoning violation; the City can require corrective action, with costs charged back to the owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to install solar panels in Reading, PA?
Are there extra rules for solar panels in Reading's historic districts?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reading
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