Key points
- SANS 10142-1 is South Africa's wiring code for low-voltage electrical installations, and it applies to the electrical side of every home solar system.
- SANS 10142-1-2 adds specific requirements for embedded generation installations connected to the low-voltage grid, such as grid-tied and hybrid solar.
- The Electrical Installation Regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act require installations to comply with SANS 10142-1, and a registered person must issue a Certificate of Compliance (CoC).
- SANS standards are copyrighted and sold by the SABS. They are not legally available as a free PDF, but our free compliance checklist summarises what matters for a home solar install.
Last reviewed: October 2026 by Maarten Kronberger.
Can I download SANS 10142 as a free PDF?
Not legally. SANS 10142-1 and its parts are copyrighted standards published by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and sold through
the SABS webstore. Copies offered as a "free download" on other sites are usually outdated, incomplete or pirated, and an outdated version
can be worse than none because the requirements for solar have changed in recent editions.
Most homeowners do not need the full standard. You need to know what your installer and electrician must do, and what to check before you
pay. That is what our free checklist covers.
Free download: Home Solar PV Compliance Checklist
Two pages, plain language, in the order things happen: before you sign, registration, installation day and handover.
Download the checklist (PDF)
What SANS 10142-1 covers for a solar installation
SANS 10142-1 sets the rules for the wiring of premises at low voltage. For a home solar system, the parts that matter most are:
- Protection: correctly rated fuses or circuit breakers, earth leakage protection and surge protection.
- Earthing and bonding: an effective earthing system, with the panel frames and mounting structure bonded.
- Isolation: a way to safely disconnect the panels, the inverter and the battery, including DC isolators.
- Cabling: cable of the correct type and size, installed and protected properly, including the DC cabling from the panels.
- Labelling: warning labels at the distribution board, inverter and isolators so anyone working on the installation knows a second supply is present.
If the system connects to the grid, SANS 10142-1-2 adds requirements specific to embedded generation, and the inverter
generally has to comply with NRS 097-2-1, the utility interface specification that municipalities and Eskom use for their
approved inverter lists.
Who can issue a Certificate of Compliance?
Only a registered person can issue a CoC: a master installation electrician, an installation electrician, or an electrical
tester for single phase (whose scope is limited to single-phase installations). They are registered with the Department of Employment and
Labour. Ask for the name and registration number of the person who will sign your CoC before you accept a quote.
The CoC covers your whole electrical installation, so adding a solar system means the existing CoC no longer reflects what is on site.
A new or updated CoC is needed once the solar work is done. You also need a valid electrical CoC when you sell the property, and insurers
can ask for it after a claim.
What gets checked on a solar installation
When the electrical contractor inspects and tests before issuing the CoC, expect them to look at:
- Correct protection devices for the inverter, battery and panel strings, and surge protection on both the DC and AC sides.
- Earthing, and bonding of the panel frames and mounting structure.
- DC isolators that are accessible and labelled.
- Cable types, sizes and how the cables are run and protected.
- How the inverter is connected to the distribution board, including any changeover arrangement.
- Insulation resistance and earth tests, with the results recorded.
- Warning labels and a clear shutdown procedure.
Grid-tied, hybrid and off-grid: what applies?
Every home solar system needs a CoC, including a fully off-grid one, because it is still an electrical installation. What changes is
registration. NERSA clarified in February 2026 that registration depends on whether a system has a point of connection to the grid and
on its size, not on whether it exports power. Systems under 100 kW with a grid connection register with Eskom or the local municipality,
and systems with no grid connection are exempt from registration. See our guide to
registering a solar system.
An unsettled area: who signs off grid-connected systems
Sign-off for grid-connected systems is still being argued over. In November 2025 the Association of Municipal Electricity Utilities (AMEU)
published a position paper arguing that no registered person can currently sign a CoC for small-scale embedded generation, because
SANS 10142-1 does not cover it. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) disputed that, saying SANS 10142-1 already contains requirements
for solar PV and inverters. Separately, Eskom announced in October 2025 that residential customers no longer need an engineer to sign off
their systems, only professionals registered with the Department of Employment and Labour.
In practice, requirements differ between Eskom and individual municipalities. Before installing a grid-connected system, ask your
municipality exactly what documents it needs for SSEG approval.
Frequently asked questions
Is a CoC required for an off-grid solar system?
Yes. An off-grid system does not need SSEG registration, but it is still an electrical installation and needs a CoC from a registered person.
Can my solar installer issue the CoC?
Only if the person signing it is a registered electrical contractor. Many installers employ or subcontract one. Ask who will sign and check their registration.
What is NRS 097-2-1?
It is the specification for how grid-connected inverters interface with the utility network. Municipalities and Eskom generally require grid-connected inverters to comply with it, which is why they publish approved inverter lists.
Where can I buy SANS 10142-1?
From the SABS webstore. Make sure you buy the current edition and the parts you need, including part 1-2 for grid-connected solar.
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