Chicagoland · NEC 2020 · ComEd · Illinois Shines Program · AHJ Confirmed Per Address
Chicago Solar
Permit Design.
ComEd Net Metering.
Illinois Shines RECs · Multiple Metro AHJs.
Chicago solar permit drawings for City of Chicago and all Chicagoland AHJs. ComEd net metering at full retail rate. Illinois Shines (Adjustable Block Program) RECs are a major state incentive — installers must be approved IPA vendors. Cold climate: ASCE 7 snow loads required. Many Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, and Kane county AHJs. NEC 2020. Free for first-time clients.
ComEd Full retail net metering · IL law
·IL Shines RECs · Major state incentive
·Snow Loads ASCE 7 required in plan sets
·Free AHJ revisions
ComEd NEMFull retail rate · Required by IL law
IL ShinesAdjustable Block Program RECs · IPA administered
~25 psfChicago ground snow load · Structural calcs required
24–48 hrStandard plan set delivery
2026 CodesElectrical: NEC 2020 (Illinois · Chicago local amendments)Structural: IBC/IRC 2021 (IL) · ASCE 7 snow loadsUtility: ComEd (Exelon) · Full retail net meteringIncentive: Illinois Shines (Adjustable Block Program) · IPA · Approved vendor requiredLast verified July 2026
ComEd Net Metering + Illinois Shines RECs — A Two-Layer Incentive Stack
ComEd Credits Solar Exports at Full Retail Rate. Illinois Shines Adds Per-kWh RECs on Top. Installers Must Be Approved IPA Vendors to Participate. Many Chicagoland AHJs Confirmed Per Address.
ComEd (Commonwealth Edison, an Exelon subsidiary) serves Chicago and northeastern Illinois with net metering at the full retail rate, as required by Illinois law. Layered on top, the Illinois Shines Adjustable Block Program (ABP) provides Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for solar generation — a major state incentive administered by the Illinois Power Agency. To access Illinois Shines for customers, installers must be registered as approved IPA vendors. The Chicago metro spans Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, and Kane counties, each with separate building departments. City of Chicago has local code amendments beyond NEC 2020, including specific conduit requirements.
ComEd Net Metering · Full Retail Rate · Required by Illinois Law
✅ComEd net metering: credits solar exports at full retail electricity rate
✅Illinois law requires ComEd to offer net metering for systems under 2 MW
✅ComEd interconnection: submit simultaneously with building permit
⚠️Some outer Chicago suburbs use municipal utilities or coops — confirm per address
✅Illinois property tax exemption for solar energy systems — permanent
Illinois Shines · Adjustable Block Program RECs · IPA
✅Illinois Shines (ABP): per-kWh RECs paid as lump sum or over 15 years depending on system size
⚠️Installers must be registered IPA-approved vendors to access Illinois Shines for customers
✅Illinois Shines significantly improves Chicago solar ROI beyond net metering alone
⚠️City of Chicago local amendments: conduit requirements may apply beyond base NEC 2020
⚠️Cold climate: ASCE 7 snow load calculations required in all Chicago plan set structural drawings
⚠️ Illinois Shines RECs require the installer to be a registered IPA-approved vendor. Installers who are not registered cannot access the Illinois Shines incentive for their customers. Plan sets must also address Chicago's local code amendments and ASCE 7 snow loads — Sun Belt plan set formats fail Chicago structural and code review.
Why Chicago Installers Outsource
Snow Loads Missing. Illinois Shines Docs Not Included. City of Chicago Conduit Requirements Missed.
Plan Sets Without Chicago Snow Load Calculations Fail Structural Review
Chicago ground snow load is approximately 25 psf under ASCE 7. Combined with wind loads and thermal cycling, solar plan sets must include cold climate structural calculations. Plan sets formatted for Sun Belt markets without Illinois-specific ASCE 7 snow loading fail Chicago building review and generate correction requests that delay permits significantly.
Illinois Shines Documentation Not Included in Plan Set Package
Illinois Shines requires specific project documentation for IPA registration, including system specs, equipment datasheets, and installer certification. Installers who don't include Illinois Shines documentation guidance in their project delivery package create extra work and risk customer incentive forfeiture. We include Illinois Shines documentation notes in every Chicago plan set deliverable.
City of Chicago Local Amendments — Conduit Requirements Beyond Base NEC 2020
The City of Chicago Building Code has local amendments to NEC 2020 that may include specific wiring method requirements, including metallic conduit in certain applications. Plan sets formatted only for base NEC 2020 without Chicago local amendments can fail City of Chicago plan review. We format Chicago city-limit plan sets for Chicago Building Code compliance.
Chicago Solar Permit Services
ComEd Interconnection. NEC 2020. All Chicago AHJs.
Chicago Residential Solar Permit Design
NEC 2020 with Chicago local amendments. ComEd interconnection package. Illinois Shines documentation notes. AHJ confirmed per address. ASCE 7 Chicago snow load calcs. Battery (NEC 2020 Article 706) where included.
Residential Solar Permit Design Services →Chicago Commercial Solar Permit Design
Commercial rooftop drawings for Chicagoland. NEC 2020, IBC 2021. ComEd commercial interconnection. Chicago's massive commercial and industrial base creates large rooftop solar demand. PE stamp. Chicago ASCE 7 snow and wind calcs.
Commercial Solar Permit Design Services →Chicago Battery Permit Plans
Solar-paired and standalone battery permit drawings. NEC 2020 Article 706. Chicago's polar vortex events, summer storm season, and frequent grid stress events create meaningful battery resilience demand. Battery maximizes self-consumption under ComEd net metering.
Battery Storage Permit Design Services →Chicago EV Charger Permit Design
EV charger permit drawings for Chicagoland. NEC 2020 Article 625. Chicago's large corporate, logistics, and government fleet creates commercial EV charging demand. Strong residential EV adoption in north shore suburbs, Naperville, and Evanston.
EV Charger Permit Design Services →Chicago Solar Market — 2026
Four Things That Define Solar in Chicago.
IL Shines
Illinois Shines Adjustable Block Program — A Major Solar Incentive Beyond Net Metering
Illinois Shines (the Adjustable Block Program) is administered by the Illinois Power Agency and provides Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for solar generation. Small residential systems typically receive an upfront lump-sum payment based on estimated 15-year production. The program was created by the Future Energy Jobs Act (2017) and has been funded through subsequent legislation. For Chicago customers, Illinois Shines RECs layer on top of ComEd net metering to create one of the strongest combined solar incentive stacks in the Midwest.
ComEd NEM
ComEd Full Retail Net Metering — Required by Illinois Law
Illinois law requires ComEd to offer net metering for residential solar systems at the full retail electricity rate. ComEd credits excess generation monthly, with annual true-up. ComEd is one of the largest electric utilities in the US, serving approximately 4 million customers in northern Illinois. ComEd's interconnection process is well-established for residential solar under 10 kW.
Cold Climate
Cold Climate Solar — Snow Loads and Seasonal Production in Chicago
Chicago ground snow load is approximately 25 psf under ASCE 7. Solar plan sets must include combined snow, wind, and seismic structural calculations for Illinois review. Chicago solar systems produce approximately 1,100 to 1,300 kWh per installed kW annually — lower than Sun Belt markets but meaningful with Illinois Shines RECs improving the economics. Seasonal variance is significant: winter production is 25 to 35% of summer peak.
Many AHJs
Chicago Metro Has Many Separate Building Departments
City of Chicago covers Chicago city-limit addresses with its own Department of Buildings. Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, Will County, and Kane County each have separate county building departments, and their incorporated municipalities often maintain their own. We confirm the exact building department per address before building every Chicagoland plan set.
AHJ Solar Permit Design Chicago
Chicago and All Surrounding Jurisdictions — ComEd Interconnection Formatted.
We cover City of Chicago and all Chicagoland metro AHJs. ComEd interconnection formatted.
| Jurisdiction | Utility | Permit Type | Key Notes | Review Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Chicago | ComEd | Bldg + Elec | Chicago Dept of Buildings · Chicago local code amendments · 3–6 week review | 3–6 weeks |
| Evanston / Oak Park | ComEd | Bldg + Elec | Own city building depts · N/W Cook County · Chicago suburbs | 2–4 weeks |
| Cook County (unincorp.) | ComEd | County Bldg + Elec | Cook County Building · Unincorporated areas | 2–4 weeks |
| Naperville / Aurora (DuPage) | ComEd | Bldg + Elec | Own city building depts · DuPage County · Western suburbs | 2–3 weeks |
| Schaumburg / Palatine (Cook) | ComEd | Bldg + Elec | Own city building depts · NW Cook County suburbs | 2–3 weeks |
| Joliet / Plainfield (Will Co.) | ComEd | Bldg + Elec | Own building depts · Will County · SW Chicago metro | 2–3 weeks |
| Lake County (Waukegan/Libertyville) | ComEd / MunicipalElec | County Bldg + Elec | Lake County Building · Some areas municipal utility · Confirm per address | 2–4 weeks |
References: ComEd Net Metering · Illinois Shines
What You Get
Solar Permit Package Chicago — Chicago Solar Permit Plan Sets. ComEd Ready.
01
Cover Sheet — Chicago PV Permit Plans
NEC 2020 · IBC/IRC 2021 (IL) · Chicago AHJ · ComEd utility
02
Site Plan
Meter and ComEd interconnection access · ASCE 7 local wind values · Applicable wind zone
03
Roof Layout
Chicago rooftop conditions · Array diagram · Pitch, azimuth, setbacks · IFC fire access paths
04
Single-Line Diagram
NEC 2020 §690.12 rapid shutdown · Battery (Article 706) where included · ComEd bidirectional meter
05
Structural Calculations
IBC/IRC 2021 (IL) · ASCE 7 local wind loads · Gravity and lateral loads · PE stamp for commercial
06
Rapid Shutdown + Labels
NEC 2020 §690.12 · Battery shutdown interface (Article 706)
07
Equipment Datasheets + ComEd Interconnection Package
UL-listed module, inverter, racking, and battery datasheets · ComEd interconnection application · State solar incentive notes
Chicago Plan Set — 24 Hours.
ComEd Interconnection · NEC 2020 · All Chicago AHJs
How It Works
Three Steps. 24 Hours. Chicago AHJ Ready.
📋
Submit the Project
Share address, specs, and design. We confirm the AHJ, ComEd interconnection, and NEC 2020 format.
5 minutes⚡
We Build the Plan Set
NEC 2020, IBC/IRC 2021 (IL). Chicago AHJ formatted. ComEd interconnection package. Battery where included.
24–48 hours✅
Submit Permit + Interconnection
Submit City of Chicago or suburb building permit and ComEd interconnection simultaneously. ComEd interconnection: 4–8 weeks. Free revisions for any AHJ correction on our design.
Free revisions🛡️
The Permit Design Commitment
Solar permit services in Chicago — what every installer and EPC gets.
✓AHJ confirmed per address before we build
✓ComEd interconnection package included
✓24–48 hour delivery on standard residential projects
✓NEC 2020 formatted for IL — not California NEC 2026
✓Free revisions for any AHJ correction on our design
Start Free Trial →
First plan set free.
Licensed installers & EPCs only.
Licensed installers & EPCs only.
FAQ
Questions Chicago Installers Ask Us
ComEd (Commonwealth Edison, an Exelon subsidiary) serves Chicago and northeastern Illinois. ComEd offers net metering for residential solar at the full retail rate. Illinois law requires ComEd to offer net metering for systems under 2 MW. We confirm utility per address — some outer Chicago suburbs may use municipal utilities or rural electric cooperatives.
Illinois Shines (the Adjustable Block Program) is the state's main solar incentive, administered by the Illinois Power Agency. Illinois Shines provides Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for solar generation — paid as a lump sum for small residential systems or over 15 years for larger systems. The program significantly improves Illinois solar ROI. Installers must be approved Illinois Shines vendors to participate.
Illinois Shines (Adjustable Block Program) RECs — a major per-kWh incentive administered by IPA. Illinois property tax exemption for solar energy systems. Federal 25D residential credit expired December 31, 2025. ComEd net metering at full retail rate.
NEC 2020 under Illinois state adoption. The Chicago Building Code also has local amendments that may include specific conduit and wiring requirements.
Illinois has no statewide PE stamp requirement for standard residential rooftop solar. City of Chicago and most suburban AHJs do not require a PE stamp for standard residential rooftop installations. Commercial and larger systems require PE-stamped drawings.
Many. City of Chicago Department of Buildings covers city-limit addresses. Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, Will County, and Kane County all have separate building departments, and their incorporated municipalities often have their own departments. We confirm AHJ per address.
Most Chicago residential plan sets ship in 24 to 48 hours. Battery same day. Commercial: 3 to 5 business days. Rush available.
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Reviewed by the Permit Design Engineering Team — Licensed PE
ComEd (Commonwealth Edison, Exelon) full retail net metering (required by IL law) confirmed. Illinois Shines (Adjustable Block Program) administered by Illinois Power Agency confirmed. NEC 2020 Illinois adoption confirmed. Chicago Building Code local amendments (conduit requirements) confirmed. ASCE 7 Chicago ground snow load (~25 psf) confirmed. IL property tax exemption for solar confirmed. Last reviewed July 2026.