Pinal County, AZ Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- PCDSC Chapter 2.210
- Flat roof array height
- 5 ft above roofline
- Pitched roof array height
- 2 ft above roofline
- Freestanding unit height
- 6 ft (residential zones)
- Required before permit
- Site plan + electrical diagrams
- Reviewing department
- Development Services
Summary
Unincorporated Pinal County requires a Development Services application, site plan and electrical diagrams before a solar panel permit is issued. Chapter 2.210 PCDSC sets siting, height and setback rules that the application must satisfy first.
A. Solar energy devices shall not be the primary use of a property. B. All freestanding solar energy devices will be treated as detached accessory buildings and shall conform to the requirements for detached accessory buildings in a particular zoning district. C. Solar arrays placed on buildings, primary or accessory, may not encroach into the required setbacks for that zone. Roof mounted solar arrays shall not be subject to the maximum height restrictions of the zone. See additional requirements for flat roof and pitched roof installations: 1. Flat roofs. Solar arrays placed on flat rooftops of either a primary or accessory building shall not exceed five feet measured from the roofline ... 2. Pitched roofs. Solar arrays placed on pitched rooftops of either a primary or accessory building shall not exceed two feet ... An application, site plan, electrical diagrams, major component information, mounting details, and notes concerning installation shall be submitted to development services for review prior to permit issuance
Full Breakdown
Chapter 2.210 of the Pinal County Development Services Code, Residential Photovoltaic Solar Energy Devices, governs rooftop and freestanding solar installations on residences in the county's rural and residential zones. Under Section 2.210.030(A), a solar energy device cannot be the primary use of a property; it is always accessory to a residence. Freestanding, ground- or pole-mounted units are treated as detached accessory buildings and must meet that zoning district's accessory-building standards, including its setback lines.
Roof-mounted arrays get their own height rule instead of the district's general height limit: on a flat roof, the array cannot rise more than five feet above the roofline, measured perpendicular to the roofline at the panel's highest point; on a pitched roof, that limit drops to two feet. Roof arrays also cannot encroach into the zone's required building setbacks. In the residential zones listed in Section 2.210.030(D) (CR-1A, CR-1, CR-2, CR-3, CR-4, CR-5, MH, RV, MHP, PM/RVP and TR), any freestanding solar device must sit in the rear or side yard and meet that yard's setback, and it cannot exceed six feet in height measured from undisturbed grade to the device's highest point.
Before a permit is issued, Section 2.210.030(E) requires the property owner or installer to submit an application, a site plan, electrical diagrams, information on the major components, and mounting details to Development Services for review. Section 2.210.030(F) additionally requires the installation to comply with all applicable building and electrical codes, which Building Safety enforces alongside Development Services' zoning review. The chapter traces to Ordinance No. PZ-C-006-10, Section 1.
Violations & Fines
An array installed without the required Development Services application, site plan and electrical diagrams on file is an unpermitted installation and can be flagged during inspection or a building-code review, triggering a stop-work order until the paperwork is submitted and the device is brought into conformance with the height, setback and accessory-building standards in Section 2.210.030. A rooftop array that exceeds the five-foot (flat roof) or two-foot (pitched roof) clearance, or a freestanding unit that exceeds six feet in a residential zone or sits outside the required rear/side yard, must be relocated or lowered to meet the code before final approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for rooftop solar panels in unincorporated Pinal County?
How tall can a rooftop solar array be in Pinal County?
Can I install ground-mounted solar panels anywhere in my yard?
Can solar panels be the main use of a residential lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pinal County
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