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| Quick Answer The software Canadian solar teams use most for permit drawings are AutoCAD (often with the PVcase plugin) for custom or commercial layouts, Aurora Solar for combined residential design/proposal/permit workflows, PVsyst or PV*SOL for the performance data behind commercial interconnection applications, and SketchUp for quick elevation visuals. None of them are built around CSA C22.1 out of the box, so in every case a P.Eng-reviewed, Canada-formatted electrical diagram still has to sit on top of the software output before it’s submission-ready. |
Choosing solar PV permit drawing software isn’t just a drafting decision — if you’ve ever had a permit set bounced back by an Ontario ESA reviewer or a municipal building department in B.C. for a mislabeled one-line diagram, you already know the problem isn’t usually the software itself, it’s what the software was told to draw. Still, the tool you pick shapes how fast you can turn a sold job into a stamped, submission-ready package. Here’s what Canadian installers and EPCs are actually using in 2026, and where each one falls short.
What a Canadian Solar Permit Set Actually Needs to Contain
A complete package generally has six components: a site plan, a roof plan/elevation, an electrical single-line and three-line diagram referencing CSA C22.1, structural loading calculations, equipment datasheets with a bill of materials, and a P.Eng stamp where the AHJ or utility requires it.
Before comparing software, it helps to know the target output. A typical residential or small commercial permit package submitted to a Canadian authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) — whether that’s a municipal building department, the Electrical Safety Authority in Ontario, Technical Safety BC, or a provincial utility — generally includes:
- A site plan showing setbacks, array location, and access/pathway clearances
- A roof plan or elevation with module layout and mounting attachment detail
- A single-line and three-line electrical diagram referencing the applicable rule set in CSA C22.1 (the Canadian Electrical Code), including the renewable energy provisions
- Structural loading calculations for the racking and roof attachment
- Equipment datasheets and a bill of materials
- A P.Eng stamp on the electrical and/or structural drawings, where the AHJ or utility requires it
No single software package produces all of this end to end without human review. What differs between platforms is how much of that drafting they automate versus how much still has to be built manually in a general CAD environment.
AutoCAD: Still the Backbone for Custom Permit Sets
AutoCAD is the go-to choice when a shop needs full control over drawing standards — it’s the most common platform for custom permit sets and commercial or ground-mount projects, especially when paired with the PVcase plugin for automated layout and string sizing.
AutoCAD remains the default for shops that draft permit sets from scratch rather than pulling from a template library. It gives full control over line weights, layer standards, and title block formats — which matters when different AHJs across Ontario, Alberta, and B.C. each expect slightly different drawing conventions. The tradeoff is speed: a fully custom one-line and three-line set in AutoCAD takes real drafting hours, and the software itself has no idea what CSA C22.1 requires — that knowledge has to live with the drafter or the reviewing engineer.
Plugins built on top of AutoCAD, such as PVcase, add solar-specific layout tools (string sizing, racking libraries, automatic setback calculations) for ground-mount and larger commercial arrays, which cuts down the manual layout work considerably.
Aurora Solar: Design, Proposal, and Permit Output in One Platform
Aurora Solar is the most widely used all-in-one platform for residential and small commercial shops — it covers shading analysis, proposal generation, and permit-set export in a single workflow, especially after absorbing HelioScope’s modeling engine in 2021.
Aurora Solar has become the most common single platform for residential and small commercial solar shops, particularly after it acquired HelioScope in 2021 and folded its performance-modeling engine into the same workflow. Aurora lets a designer go from an address and a satellite image to a shading analysis, a proposal, and a permit-set export without switching tools. For high-volume residential shops running dozens of proposals a day, that matters more than drafting precision.
The limitation Canadian users run into most often: Aurora’s default electrical diagram templates and code libraries are built around NEC conventions, not CSA C22.1. Teams working north of the border typically still need a drafter or engineer to adapt the auto-generated one-line into a CE Code–compliant format before it goes to the AHJ.
PVsyst and PV*SOL: When the Permit Depends on Performance Data
PVsyst and PV*SOL are the standard tools for the production and loss modeling some Canadian AHJs and interconnection reviewers require alongside the drawings — but neither one is a drafting tool, so they supplement the permit set rather than replace it.
For commercial and utility-scale projects, some Canadian AHJs and interconnection reviewers want production estimates and loss diagrams alongside the physical drawings — particularly for net metering or FIT-style interconnection applications. PVsyst and PV*SOL are the two modeling packages most commonly used to generate that data. Neither is a drafting tool in the AutoCAD sense; they’re used to produce the technical justification that supports the permit set, not the drawings themselves.
SketchUp: The Quiet Workhorse for Elevations
SketchUp is used mainly for fast, legible roof elevations and 3D massing views — not for code-driven drawings — because it’s inexpensive and quick for shops working on tight residential margins.
A surprising number of smaller Canadian installers still build roof elevations and 3D massing views in SketchUp, then export them into the permit package as supporting visuals. It’s not code-aware and it won’t generate an electrical diagram, but for a quick, legible elevation showing panel placement relative to roof edges and obstructions, it’s fast and inexpensive — which matters for shops doing residential retrofits on tight margins.
Proposal-to-Permit Platforms: OpenSolar, ARKA 360, Solargraf, Scanifly
OpenSolar, ARKA 360, Solargraf, and Scanifly each try to compress sales and permitting into one tool, but all of them still need a CSA C22.1-familiar reviewer before the output can be submitted.
A newer category of tools tries to compress the sales-to-permit pipeline further. OpenSolar and ARKA 360 both offer permit-package generation as part of their design suites, aimed at installers who want one login for sales proposals and permit drawings. Solargraf leans toward CRM integration for sales teams managing high lead volume. Scanifly takes a different approach — it pairs drone-based site capture with AutoCAD-integrated design, which produces highly accurate as-built layouts but requires a site visit before drafting can start, so it suits shops with in-house survey capacity more than high-volume resellers.
None of these platforms are Canada-specific. Every one of them requires a reviewer familiar with CSA C22.1 and the relevant provincial electrical code amendments to check the output before submission — the software gets you a draft, not a compliant document.
Comparing the Main Solar PV Permit Drawing Software Options
| Software | Best for | Canadian code awareness | Drawback |
| AutoCAD (+ PVcase) | Fully custom permit sets, commercial & ground-mount | None built in — manual by drafter | Slowest to produce, highest skill requirement |
| Aurora Solar | High-volume residential design + proposal + permit export | NEC-oriented; needs manual CE Code adaptation | Diagrams need rework for CSA C22.1 formatting |
| PVsyst / PV*SOL | Commercial performance modeling for interconnection support | Not applicable — modeling tool, not drafting | Doesn’t produce drawings on its own |
| SketchUp | Quick elevations and roof massing visuals | None | No electrical diagram capability |
| OpenSolar / ARKA 360 | Combined sales-to-permit workflow for smaller shops | Limited — US-centric templates | Still needs engineer review for CE Code |
| Scanifly | As-built accuracy via drone survey | None | Requires a site visit before design starts |
Why the Software Matters Less Than Who Stamps the Drawings
The real bottleneck in most Canadian permit delays is missing or incorrect engineering review, not the drafting software. A polished export from any of the tools above still needs a P.Eng to verify string sizing, overcurrent protection, and labeling against the current CE Code edition adopted in that province.
In Canada, unlike the U.S., there’s no equivalent of a state-by-state PE stamp requirement baked into most residential permitting — but P.Eng sign-off is still frequently required for the electrical single-line diagram, structural racking calculations, or both, depending on the province, the utility, and system size. A polished Aurora or AutoCAD export with no engineering review behind it will still get bounced by a careful AHJ reviewer. The drafting software produces the drawing; it doesn’t verify that the string sizing, overcurrent protection, or rapid-shutdown labeling actually complies with the current CE Code edition adopted in that province. That verification step is where most permit delays actually originate — not in which CAD package was used.
How to Choose, Based on Your Volume
Small residential crews should lean on an all-in-one platform plus outsourced engineering; commercial EPCs need AutoCAD or PVcase; high-volume resellers should prioritize whichever tool templates repeat jurisdictions best.
A one- or two-person residential install crew doing under 5 projects a month is usually better served by an all-in-one platform like Aurora or OpenSolar, plus an outsourced engineer for the stamp. A commercial EPC running custom ground-mount or rooftop systems typically needs AutoCAD or PVcase for layout precision, plus PVsyst for the performance case. High-volume resellers benefit most from whichever platform lets them template repeatable jurisdictions — since the same municipality’s requirements repeat project after project, a good template library saves more time than any single feature comparison here.
| Don’t want to manage the CAD-to-code translation in-house? One Place Solar produces P.Eng-stamped, AHJ-ready permit plan sets for installers across Canada, the US, UK, and beyond — built directly from your design software’s export, formatted to the local code, and turned around fast enough to keep your sales pipeline moving. See how our permit design service works → |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a P.Eng to submit a solar permit set in Canada?
It depends on the province, the utility, and the system size. Many jurisdictions require a P.Eng stamp on the electrical single-line and on structural racking calculations, especially for commercial or ground-mount systems — it’s worth confirming directly with the local authority or utility before submission.
Is AutoCAD or Aurora Solar better for Canadian solar permits?
AutoCAD gives more control for custom drawing standards and commercial projects, while Aurora Solar is faster for high-volume residential design-to-proposal workflows. Neither is built around CSA C22.1 out of the box, so both typically need a Canada-familiar reviewer before submission.
Can solar design software generate a CSA C22.1-compliant one-line diagram automatically?
Not reliably. Most mainstream platforms default to NEC-style templates, so a designer or engineer needs to adapt the electrical diagram to the applicable CE Code rules and any provincial amendments before it’s submission-ready.
What’s the difference between HelioScope and Aurora Solar?
HelioScope was a standalone commercial PV design and performance-modeling tool. Aurora Solar acquired it in 2021 and has since integrated its modeling capability into the main Aurora platform rather than operating it as a separate product.
Do I need drone survey software like Scanifly for residential permits?
No — it’s optional. Scanifly improves as-built accuracy through drone capture, which is most valuable for complex roofs or shops with in-house survey capacity, but standard satellite/aerial imagery through platforms like Aurora is sufficient for most straightforward residential jobs.