Greater Boston · NEC 2020 · Eversource · MA SMART Program · AHJ Per Address
Boston Solar
Permit Design.
Eversource Net Metering.
MA SMART Program · Many Metro AHJs.
Boston solar permit drawings for City of Boston and all Greater Boston AHJs. Eversource serves most of eastern Massachusetts with net metering at the retail rate. Massachusetts SMART program provides a fixed per-kWh payment over 10 years — a major state incentive beyond net metering. Many AHJs across Greater Boston. NEC 2020. MA property tax and sales tax exemptions. Free for first-time clients.
Eversource Net metering · MA law
·MA SMART Per-kWh payment · 10 years
·MA Tax Exempt Property + sales tax exemptions
·Free AHJ revisions
Eversource NEMRetail rate net metering · MA law
MA SMARTPer-kWh payment · 10-yr term · Declining blocks
MA ExemptProperty tax (20-yr) + sales tax exemptions
24–48 hrStandard plan set delivery
2026 CodesElectrical: NEC 2020 (Massachusetts)Structural: IBC/IRC 2018 (MA)Utility: Eversource (most eastern MA) · Net metering at retail rateIncentive: MA SMART Program · Per-kWh payment over 10 years · Declining blocksLast verified July 2026
Eversource Net Metering + Massachusetts SMART Per-kWh Incentive
Massachusetts SMART Pays a Fixed Per-kWh Rate for 10 Years on Top of Net Metering. Earlier Enrollment Locks a Higher Rate. Many Greater Boston AHJs Confirmed Per Address.
Eversource serves most of eastern Massachusetts including Boston and its surrounding communities with net metering at the retail rate. Massachusetts SMART (Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target) layers a fixed per-kWh payment on top of net metering — paid over 10 years through the utility bill. SMART rates are set in declining blocks, so earlier applicants lock higher rates. The SMART program replaced the SREC II program and is administered by the Massachusetts DOER. Greater Boston has many separate building departments; we confirm the AHJ per address before building every plan set.
Eversource · MA Net Metering at Retail Rate · Required by MA Law
✅Eversource net metering: credits solar exports at full retail rate — required by MA DPU
✅MA net metering: monthly credit rollover · Annual true-up
✅Eversource interconnection: submit simultaneously with building permit
⚠️Some Greater Boston communities served by National Grid or municipal utilities — confirm per address
✅MA property tax exemption: 20-year exemption on solar system value
MA SMART Program · Declining Blocks · Sales Tax Exemption
✅MA SMART: fixed per-kWh payment over 10 years — separate from and on top of net metering
⚠️SMART rates set in declining blocks — earlier enrollment locks a higher 10-year rate
✅MA sales tax exemption on solar equipment and installation
⚠️City of Boston, Cambridge, Newton, Brookline, Quincy all have separate building departments
✅NEC 2020 under Massachusetts state adoption — consistent across Greater Boston AHJs
⚠️ MA SMART incentive rates decline as blocks fill. Earlier interconnection locks a higher 10-year SMART rate for the customer — this is a concrete calendar urgency for Boston solar customers evaluating timing. We include the current SMART block status in every Boston plan set deliverable.
Why Boston Installers Outsource
SMART Rate Block Not Communicated. AHJ Mismatch. National Grid vs Eversource Territory Confusion.
MA SMART Declining Block Rate — Earlier Enrollment Locks Higher 10-Year Rate
MA SMART rates decline as blocks fill. A customer who enrolls in Block 5 receives a lower per-kWh rate than one who enrolled in Block 3. Installers who don't communicate the declining block urgency miss a concrete timing argument for Boston solar customers. SMART rate block information should be included in every customer proposal and plan set deliverable.
Routing a Newton or Brookline Address to City of Boston Inspectional Services
City of Boston Inspectional Services only covers Boston city-limit addresses. Cambridge, Newton, Brookline, Quincy, Somerville, Medford, and most Greater Boston communities have completely separate building departments. A plan set addressed to Boston ISD for a Newton address is rejected immediately. We confirm AHJ per address for every Greater Boston project.
Eversource vs National Grid vs Municipal Utility — Some Boston Suburbs Are Different Territory
Eversource serves most of eastern MA, but National Grid serves some areas and some municipalities have their own electric utilities. An Eversource application submitted for a National Grid address is rejected. Utility confirmation per address is the mandatory first step before building any Greater Boston plan set.
Boston Solar Permit Services
Eversource Interconnection. NEC 2020. All Boston AHJs.
Boston Residential Solar Permit Design
NEC 2020, IBC/IRC 2018. Eversource interconnection (or National Grid per address). MA SMART program documentation note. AHJ confirmed per address. Battery (NEC 2020 Article 706) where included.
Residential Solar Permit Design Services →Boston Commercial Solar Permit Design
Commercial rooftop drawings for Greater Boston. NEC 2020, IBC 2018. Eversource commercial interconnection. Boston's massive healthcare, education, biotech, and financial services sector creates large commercial solar demand. PE stamp. New England ASCE 7 wind and snow calcs.
Commercial Solar Permit Design Services →Boston Battery Permit Plans
Solar-paired and standalone battery permit drawings. NEC 2020 Article 706. Eversource storage interconnection. Boston's nor'easter season, occasional ice storms, and summer heat grid stress create battery resilience demand. Battery maximizes self-consumption of MA SMART generation.
Battery Storage Permit Design Services →Boston EV Charger Permit Design
EV charger permit drawings for Greater Boston. NEC 2020 Article 625. Massachusetts has one of the highest EV adoption rates in the US. Boston's tech, biotech, and university sector drives commercial EV demand. Strong residential EV adoption in Cambridge, Newton, Brookline, and suburban Boston.
EV Charger Permit Design Services →Boston Solar Market — 2026
Four Things That Define Solar in Boston.
MA SMART
Massachusetts SMART Program — Fixed Per-kWh Payment for 10 Years
MA SMART (Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target) provides a fixed per-kWh incentive for solar generation, paid over 10 years through the utility bill. Rates are set in declining blocks administered by the MA DOER — earlier enrollees lock higher 10-year rates. SMART applies to both residential and commercial solar under 2 MW. For Boston solar customers, MA SMART is a material financial benefit on top of Eversource net metering — the two incentives work together, not instead of each other.
Eversource NEM
Eversource Full Retail Net Metering — Required by Massachusetts Law
Eversource (formerly NStar) offers net metering at the full retail electricity rate as required by Massachusetts DPU regulations. Monthly excess generation credits roll forward with annual true-up. Eversource serves approximately 1.4 million electric customers in eastern Massachusetts. Eversource's interconnection process for residential solar under 10 kW is well-established.
MA Tax Exempt
Massachusetts Property and Sales Tax Exemptions — 20-Year Property Tax Exemption
Massachusetts provides a 20-year property tax exemption for solar energy systems — solar added home value is exempt from property tax for two decades. Massachusetts also exempts solar equipment from sales tax. Combined with MA SMART and Eversource net metering, Massachusetts offers one of the most comprehensive state-level solar incentive packages in New England.
Boston Market
Boston — Healthcare, Biotech, and University Solar Market
Boston is home to one of the largest concentrations of hospitals, research universities, and biotech companies in the world — Harvard, MIT, MGH, Brigham and Women's, Dana-Farber, and more. These large facilities create significant commercial rooftop and carport solar demand. The affluent suburban ring — Newton, Brookline, Wellesley, Needham — creates strong residential solar pipeline.
AHJ Solar Permit Design Boston
Boston and All Surrounding Jurisdictions — Eversource Interconnection Formatted.
We cover City of Boston and all Greater Boston metro AHJs. Eversource interconnection formatted.
| Jurisdiction | Utility | Permit Type | Key Notes | Review Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Boston | Eversource | Bldg + Elec | Boston Inspectional Services Dept · City addresses · 2–4 week review | 2–4 weeks |
| Cambridge | Eversource / RMLD | Bldg + Elec | City of Cambridge Building · Own dept · RMLD is municipal utility in some areas | 2–3 weeks |
| Newton / Brookline | Eversource | Bldg + Elec | Own city building depts · Affluent western suburbs | 2–3 weeks |
| Quincy / Braintree | Eversource | Bldg + Elec | Own city building depts · South Shore | 2–3 weeks |
| Somerville / Medford | Eversource | Bldg + Elec | Own city building depts · North of Boston | 2–3 weeks |
| Woburn / Burlington (Middlesex) | Eversource | Bldg + Elec | Own city building depts · NW suburban market | 2–3 weeks |
| Needham / Wellesley (Norfolk) | Eversource | Bldg + Elec | Own city building depts · High solar adoption suburbs | 2–3 weeks |
References: Eversource Net Metering · MA SMART Program
What You Get
Solar Permit Package Boston — Boston Solar Permit Plan Sets. Eversource Ready.
01
Cover Sheet — Boston PV Permit Plans
NEC 2020 · IBC/IRC 2018 (MA) · Boston AHJ · Eversource utility
02
Site Plan
Meter and Eversource interconnection access · ASCE 7 local wind values · Applicable wind zone
03
Roof Layout
Boston 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 · Eversource bidirectional meter
05
Structural Calculations
IBC/IRC 2018 (MA) · 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 + Eversource Interconnection Package
UL-listed module, inverter, racking, and battery datasheets · Eversource interconnection application · State solar incentive notes
Boston Plan Set — 24 Hours.
Eversource Interconnection · NEC 2020 · All Boston AHJs
How It Works
Three Steps. 24 Hours. Boston AHJ Ready.
📋
Submit the Project
Share address, specs, and design. We confirm the AHJ, Eversource interconnection, and NEC 2020 format.
5 minutes⚡
We Build the Plan Set
NEC 2020, IBC/IRC 2018 (MA). Boston AHJ formatted. Eversource interconnection package. Battery where included.
24–48 hours✅
Submit Permit + Interconnection
Submit City of Boston or suburb building permit and Eversource interconnection simultaneously. Eversource interconnection: 4–8 weeks. Include MA SMART application. Free revisions for any AHJ correction.
Free revisions🛡️
The Permit Design Commitment
Solar permit services in Boston — what every installer and EPC gets.
✓AHJ confirmed per address before we build
✓Eversource interconnection package included
✓24–48 hour delivery on standard residential projects
✓NEC 2020 formatted for MA — 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 Boston Installers Ask Us
Eversource (formerly NStar) serves Boston and most of eastern Massachusetts. National Grid serves some central and western MA areas. Massachusetts law requires Eversource to offer net metering for residential solar. Some Boston-area municipalities have community solar programs as well. We confirm utility per address before building.
SMART (Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target) is Massachusetts's main solar incentive program, replacing the SREC II program. SMART provides a fixed per-kWh incentive for solar generation paid over 10 years through the utility bill. The incentive rate is set in declining blocks — earlier applicants receive higher rates. SMART is administered by the Massachusetts DOER.
Massachusetts SMART program: per-kWh payment over 10 years. Massachusetts net metering at retail rate. Massachusetts property tax exemption for solar systems (20-year exemption). Massachusetts sales tax exemption on solar equipment. Federal 25D residential credit expired December 31, 2025.
NEC 2020 under Massachusetts state adoption.
Massachusetts has no statewide PE stamp requirement for standard residential rooftop solar. Most Boston metro AHJs do not require a PE stamp for residential rooftop installations. Commercial projects require PE-stamped drawings.
Many. City of Boston Inspectional Services covers Boston addresses. Cambridge, Quincy, Brookline, Newton, Somerville, Medford, and dozens of surrounding communities each have their own building departments. We confirm AHJ per address.
Most Boston 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
Eversource full retail net metering (required by MA DPU) confirmed. MA SMART program (declining block, 10-yr per-kWh payment, DOER administered) confirmed. NEC 2020 MA adoption confirmed. MA 20-year property tax exemption and sales tax exemption for solar confirmed. Federal 25D expiration confirmed. Last reviewed July 2026.