LamacoidsUSASolar PV placards and NEC 690 label kits
Every placard a residential or small commercial PV system needs, engraved and grouped into one kit per install so nothing is missing at inspection.
Ordering opens soon. You can design tags and see USD prices in the builder today. For a quote now, email [email protected].
Labels a typical residential PV inspection calls for
The exact set depends on the system, but most grid-tied residential installs need these:
| Section | Where it goes | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| 690.13(B) | PV system disconnect | PV SYSTEM DISCONNECT, plus a line and load energized warning if both sides can be live with the switch open |
| 690.53 | DC PV system disconnect or inverter | Maximum DC voltage of the PV system |
| 690.54 | Point of interconnection | Rated AC output current and nominal AC operating voltage |
| 690.56(C) | Service equipment | Rapid shutdown placard (see below) |
| 705.10 | Service equipment | Directory or plaque showing where each power source disconnect is |
| 705.12(B) | Panelboard with backfed breaker | Backfeed warning: do not relocate this overcurrent device |
Battery systems, multiple inverters and supply-side connections add more. If you are unsure, send the one-line diagram and we will list what we see.
Rapid shutdown placard: wording, colors, minimum text height
For buildings with PV systems, 690.56(C) requires a permanent label at each service equipment location, or at an approved readily visible location, that shows where the rapid shutdown initiation device is. Under the 2020 and 2023 NEC the placard reads:
SOLAR PV SYSTEM IS EQUIPPED WITH RAPID SHUTDOWN. TURN RAPID SHUTDOWN SWITCH TO THE "OFF" POSITION TO SHUT DOWN PV SYSTEM AND REDUCE SHOCK HAZARD IN ARRAY.
The title is capitalized at a minimum of 3/8 inch on a yellow background with black text. The rest of the text is capitalized at a minimum of 3/16 inch, black on white. Systems that only shut down the conductors leaving the array use different wording. The switch itself gets its own label: RAPID SHUTDOWN SWITCH FOR SOLAR PV SYSTEM, in white on red at a minimum of 3/8 inch. Our solar kit templates start from these sizes, and the builder flags text that falls below them.
Plan and directory placards with a site map
Section 705.10 calls for a permanent plaque or directory at each service equipment location showing where each power source disconnect is. A simple site plan works best: the house outline, the meter, the service panel, the PV disconnect and the inverter, with a "YOU ARE HERE" marker. Many fire departments ask for this even where the code text would allow a written directory.
Send a photo or sketch of the site and we will draw the plan onto the placard. You approve it on the proof before anything is engraved.
Engraved vs reflective vinyl
Reflective vinyl is cheap and some fire codes ask for reflective labels on conduit and raceways. For placards at the service, disconnect and inverter, engraved laminate lasts longer. It does not curl at the edges in sun, the text cannot scratch off, and it reads the same after ten summers. Use vinyl where the AHJ asks for reflective markings and engraved placards everywhere else.
Order a per-job solar kit
In the builder's solar kit mode, pick the system type (string inverter, microinverters, with or without a battery). The builder fills in the placards that system usually needs. Enter the job values once (DC voltage, AC current, AC voltage) and they flow into every label. The kit prices as one line, and you can reorder the same kit for the next install with new values.
AHJ variations
Solar labeling varies more by jurisdiction than almost anything else in the code. California and Florida AHJs, and many fire districts elsewhere, publish their own placard requirements on top of the NEC: reflective materials, specific wording, map placards, or labels every 10 feet on conduit. Check the local requirements before you order a run of kits, and tell us if your AHJ has a handout. We will match it.
Common questions
What labels are required for a solar PV system?
Most grid-tied systems need a PV system disconnect label (NEC 690.13(B)), a maximum DC voltage label (690.53), a point of interconnection label (690.54), a rapid shutdown placard (690.56(C)), a power source directory (705.10) and, with a backfed breaker, a do-not-relocate warning (705.12(B)). Batteries and extra sources add more, and local AHJs often add their own.
What does a rapid shutdown label need to say?
Under the 2020 and 2023 NEC, a system that reduces shock hazard in the array reads: SOLAR PV SYSTEM IS EQUIPPED WITH RAPID SHUTDOWN. TURN RAPID SHUTDOWN SWITCH TO THE "OFF" POSITION TO SHUT DOWN PV SYSTEM AND REDUCE SHOCK HAZARD IN ARRAY. The title is at least 3/8 inch, black on yellow, and the rest is at least 3/16 inch, black on white.
Do solar placards have to be engraved?
No. The NEC asks for permanent markings suited to the environment, and some AHJs require reflective material for certain labels. Engraved placards are a common choice at the service and disconnect because they do not fade or peel.
What is a 705.10 directory placard?
It is a permanent plaque or directory at each service equipment location that shows where every power source disconnect is, such as the utility service, PV system and battery. It is often drawn as a simple site map.
Can you make a full label kit per installation?
Yes. The builder has a solar kit mode that fills in the usual placards for your system type and carries the job values into every label. You can reuse the kit on the next install with new values.
Related
Code references are to NEC 2023 (NFPA 70) unless another edition is named, reviewed on 2026-10-14. Many US jurisdictions still enforce the 2017 or 2020 NEC, and some are moving to the 2026 edition, which renumbers a few sections. Local amendments apply. Your inspector (the AHJ) and your engineer of record have the final say on wording, colors and placement.