Before Every Sale
Site Eligibility Checklist
Five checks. Run them all before you sign a customer. If a site fails any one of them — stop. Do not proceed. You are responsible for every site you submit.
5
Checks
10 yr
Min Roof Life
SFR
Home Type
Single
Phase Only
3
Max Systems
Your Responsibility — Every Time
Skylight gives you the freedom to sell and install with confidence — but site eligibility is on you from the moment you sign a customer. We don't inspect sites before installation. NTP approval clears the paperwork, not the site. When in doubt, walk away.
What this checklist covers
① Roofing→
② Home Type→
③ Structural→
④ Electrical→
⑤ Multiple Systems
5 checks
1Roofing — Type
Approved
✓
Asphalt / comp shingle
✓
Corrugated metal (w/ appropriate mounting)
✓
Standing seam metal (w/ appropriate mounting)
✓
Concrete / cement tile
✓
Clay tile — comp-out onlyTiles removed → shingles laid → solar installed → tiles replaced around array
✓
EPDM, Modified Bitumen / ModBit
✓
Coated roofs (on eligible base material)
Not Approved
✕
Wood shake
✕
Tin / raw metal
✕
Clay tile — direct install (no comp-out)
✕
Ground mount
✕
Reverse tilt arrays on pitches above 5°
✕
Array tilt outside ±5° of plan set design
✕
Any roof type not listed as approved
2Home Type
Approved
✓
Single-family home
!
Detached garage / guest suiteExtra documentation required — see Check 3
!
Duplex / triplexCustomer must own the entire property
!
ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit)Address, meter, and utility bill must all match
Not Approved
✕
Townhomes
✕
Condos / apartments
✕
Carports, pergolas, add-on porches
✕
Manufactured / mobile homes
✕
Ground mounts
✕
Commercial / non-residential
✕
Any structure not on the approved list
3Structural
Good to Go
✓
Rafters / trusses / beams in good condition
✓
No ridge sagging or bowing
✓
No pest, thermal, or water damage to framing
✓
Permanent foundation (poured slab, mortared perimeter, or concrete piers)
!
Detached structureRequires interior photos + foundation photos + PE letter
Stop — Do Not Proceed
✕
Severely cracked or damaged framing
✕
Ridge sagging or excessive bowing
✕
Insect, thermal, or water damage to framing
✕
No permanent foundation
4Electrical
Approved Adders
✓
Full service upgrade
✓
Main service panel upgrade (MSP)
✓
Meter upgrade (1–4 gang)
✓
Sub panel insert
✓
Meter adapters (subject to AHJ & utility)
!
Challenger panelsSupply-side tap OK; backfeed needs non-Challenger breaker
!
Split bus / hot bus panelsAllowed only if AHJ approves
!
60A meter or serviceUpgrade required
Replace / Not Approved
✕
Fuse box — replace
✕
Federal Pacific / Stab-Lok — replace
✕
Pushmatic / Bulldog — replace
✕
Zinsco / GTE Sylvania — replace
✕
Thermal damage, double lugging, knob & tube, rust, code violations → replace any panel
✕
Three-phase systems — never funded
5Existing Solar / Multiple Systems
Approved
✓
Separate system — different meter & utility account, no connection to existing solarMax 3 systems per applicant
!
Second system — same meter, new inverter(s), physically separateNot in CA (except LADWP) · Utility must approve · Can't affect existing NEM · Fix 1st system violations first
Not Approved
✕
Add-on — new panels tied into existing inverter or meter. Never funded. No exceptions.
✕
Any new equipment that connects to or interfaces with existing PV
Type · Quality · Pitch
1A
Clay tile — comp-out is the only approved method
Remove tiles → lay shingles → install solar on shingles → replace tiles around the array. Directly installing on bare clay tile is not permitted.
📷 Approved Comp-Out Installation
1B
Roof quality — the roof must have 10+ years of life remaining
Walk the roof. Do not proceed if you see any of the following.
🛑 Stop if you see any of these
Missing granules · exposed fibers or fiberglass · cracks · corrosion · bubbling or delamination · algae or moss · rust on metal · broken tiles · missing ridge coverage · signs of water penetration · flat roof pooling · more than 2 shingle layers · roofing installed over another type
📷 Visual Samples — Do Not Proceed
1C
Code violations — roof must be installed to manufacturer specs
✕
Comp shingles installed below 2/12 pitch
✕
ModBit installed above 3/12 or below 0.25/12
✕
Architectural shingles used as ridge gap
📷 Visual Sample — Code Violation
1D
Array tilt & azimuth must be within range
✓
Array tilt: 5° minimum to 45° maximum
✓
Tilt angle and azimuth within ±5° of the plan set design
✕
Reverse tilt arrays on any roof pitch above 5°
Residential only
2A
Is the porch or structure part of the original home?
Only structures that are part of the original home construction are eligible. Add-on porches, carports, and pergolas are not — even if they look sturdy.
📷 Usable Porch vs. DQ Porch
Detached structure requirements
3A
Installing on a detached garage or guest suite? You need three extra items.
1
Interior photos — showing rafters/purlins, dimensions, and spacing (must match the PE letter)
2
Foundation photos — showing the structure sits on a permanent foundation
3
PE letter — professional engineering letter confirming the structure can support the weight of PV
Read carefully
5A
Customer already has solar — identify which situation applies
🔴 Add-On — Never funded. No exceptions.
New panels tied into the existing inverter and meter. Alters an unknown system — serious legal and warranty risk. Do not submit.
🟡 Second System — Only when all conditions are met
New system, new inverter(s), same meter, physically separate from existing solar. All must be true:
- Not in California (exception: LADWP utility)
- Utility approved second systems — you must confirm this
- Does not affect the existing system's NEM or value
- 1st system code issues are resolved — at your cost
- New equipment must never connect to existing PV
🟢 Separate System — Allowed (max 3 per applicant)
Completely different meter and utility account. No connection to any existing solar. Treated as a brand new project.
Always educate the homeowner
Customers with existing solar are often confused about what a second system means for their bill, NEM credits, and existing warranty. Walk them through it. Document the conversation.
Quick answers
Q
What if the home has an HOA?
Your responsibility entirely. Skylight does not check or enforce HOA restrictions. If issues arise from bypassing HOA approval, you are liable.
Q
What about trees shading the array?
Trees must be fully accounted for in the design or fully removed before activation. Tree trimming costs are not covered.
Q
The home is partially commercial — is it eligible?
Solar must attach to a residential meter with residential zoning and use.
✓ Lives upstairs, small shop downstairs → solar on residential unit → generally OK
✗ Commercial building with a break room upstairs → not approved
✓ Lives upstairs, small shop downstairs → solar on residential unit → generally OK
✗ Commercial building with a break room upstairs → not approved
Q
Is it a manufactured or mobile home?
Not eligible. Will not be funded. Includes single/double wides, HUD plate homes, or any non-permanent foundation — regardless of how PV is installed.
Q
Can I still do ground mounts?
No. Ground mounts are no longer eligible due to FEOC requirements. Do not submit. No exceptions.
Not sure if a site qualifies?
Contact your Account Manager before you sign the customer — not after. A quick call now saves a rejected submittal later.