Free Field Guide · MCS-Licensed Installers
MIS 3002 V6.0 in plain English.
Twelve sections. Every clause that affects sub-50kWp solar PV installs, translated out of MCS legalese into engineering English. The seven roof types in Section 5.9.6 that trigger a qualified structural engineer. The flat-roof-ballast absolute in Section 5.9.13(h). The documented-evidence step-up in Clause 5.5.5. Plus ten questions to ask your structural engineer before you instruct.
- 01 What changed from V5 to V6, with the delta laid out in a side-by-side table.
- 02 Section 5.9.4 universal check: who counts as a "suitably competent person" and who does not.
- 03 Section 5.9.6 trigger criteria: the seven roof conditions that mandate a qualified structural engineer.
- 04 Section 5.9.13(h): why every flat-roof ballasted PV install now requires a qualified SE without exception.
- 05 Clause 5.5.5 documented evidence: what the MCS auditor will now look for in the report, and what no longer counts.
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Download PDFWhat's Inside
Twelve sections. Every clause that matters to a sub-50kWp install.
The guide is structured as a single contiguous reference document. Every section opens with a verbatim regulatory quote where the standard provides one. Every interpretation is grounded in the underlying engineering principle, not opinion. The closing checklist is one printable page that can sit on the office wall.
Executive Summary. The 18 June 2026 Mandate in 60 Seconds
What V6.0 changes, what it does not change, and which installs are most affected. Single-page synopsis.
What MIS 3002 Is, And Why V6.0 Matters
Where MIS 3002 sits in the MCS standards stack, the sub-50kWp DC scope cap, and what V6.0 introduced that V5.0 did not.
What Changed From V5 to V6. The Delta Table
Side-by-side comparison of every clause that shifted between V5.0 and V6.0. Two pages. The single most-asked installer question.
Section 5.9.4. The Universal SE Check Explained
The verbatim clause. Who counts as a "suitably competent person". When a desktop assessment is enough and when an on-site survey is required.
Section 5.9.6. The Seven Roof Triggers
Hipped roofs, valley roofs, asymmetric duo-pitched, dormers, parapets, sub-30 degree pitch, structural distress. Each trigger explained with a worked example.
Section 5.9.13(h). The Flat-Roof Ballast Absolute
The verbatim clause. Why this is the biggest practical change in V6.0. Imposed-load assessment, ballast pad distribution, membrane warranty.
Clause 5.5.5. The Documented-Evidence Step-Up
From "written confirmation" in V5 to "documented evidence" in V6. What an MCS auditor will now look for, and what no longer counts.
What This Means In Practice. V5 Workflow vs V6 Workflow
Two side-by-side process flows showing where the decision points and documentation requirements have moved.
What To Ask Your Structural Engineer. Ten Questions.
The pre-instruction questions that separate engineers who understand V6.0 from engineers who treat solar as a side service.
Pre-Flight Checklist. One Printable Page.
A single-page checklist that can be printed, laminated and used on every quote. Section-by-section validation against V6.0.
Glossary And Further Reading
Plain-English definitions of every technical term used in the guide. Links to the underlying standards and to deeper Solar Surveys reference pages.
About The Authors
Who built the guide. Why it is published free. The single CTA, opt-in only, for installers who want to commission compliant structural work directly.
The Mandate
Four numbers that anchor the guide. The deadline is real.
MIS 3002:2025 V6.0 was issued by MCS on 18 March 2026 and becomes mandatory for all MCS submissions from 18 June 2026. After that date, submissions that do not meet V6.0 evidence standards will be rejected at audit. The guide explains exactly what evidence is now required.
Verbatim regulatory quotes appear throughout the full guide. Download to read the clauses in full.
Every interpretation in the guide is supported by the underlying regulatory text quoted verbatim. Where MCS provides explicit clause language, that language is presented unchanged. Where the standard requires inference, the engineering principle is named explicitly. No paraphrasing of regulatory text. No proprietary interpretation that an MCS auditor cannot verify against the source.
Editorial Note · Front MatterWho It's For
Built for the people responsible for the MCS submission.
If your name appears on the MCS submission, your firm carries the audit risk on every install signed under V6.0. The guide is calibrated for the people inside an installer business who manage that submission and the structural-sign-off chain that supports it.
Audit-ready submissions
What your MCS auditor will now look for under V6.0 Clause 5.5.5. The evidence types that satisfy the new documented standard. The submissions that previously cleared on V5.0 but will not clear on V6.0.
Workflow that does not stall
Where the V6.0 changes hit your existing pre-construction process. Which installs you can still sign off internally. Which installs now need an external structural engineer engagement before contract.
The commercial implication
Where V6.0 increases the cost of compliance. How to price that into quotes without losing competitive position. When to invest in an in-house qualified SE versus when to engage external.
Common Installer Questions
Questions the guide answers in full.
Does V6.0 require a qualified structural engineer on every install?
No. Section 5.9.4 requires a "suitably competent person" on every install, which can be the installer's own engineer for simple, standard roof typologies. Section 5.9.6 mandates a qualified structural engineer for any of seven specific roof conditions. Section 5.9.13(h) mandates a qualified structural engineer absolutely for every flat-roof ballasted system. The guide explains where the line sits and how to determine which side an install falls on.
Will my software-generated structural assessment still be acceptable?
Not on its own. V6.0 Clause 5.5.5 requires "documented evidence" which represents a step up from V5.0's "written confirmation". A software output that has not been reviewed and signed by a suitably competent person does not satisfy V6.0. The guide explains exactly what additional engineering review is now required.
Does Section 5.9.13(h) really mean every flat-roof ballasted install?
Yes. Section 5.9.13(h) states that a qualified structural engineer SHALL be consulted to assess the imposed load from the array AND the ballast on the roof structure. The clause is absolute with no array-size discretion. Sub-50kWp residential and sub-50kWp commercial flat-roof ballasted installs both meet the trigger. The guide explains the calculation framework and what the qualified SE will need from you to deliver the report.
What happens if I submit a V5.0-format report after 18 June 2026?
The MCS audit body will reject submissions that do not meet V6.0 evidential standards from 18 June 2026 onwards. Reports prepared under V5.0 will need to be re-issued to V6.0 standards before the install can be MCS-registered. The guide includes a one-page checklist to validate any in-flight project against V6.0 before submission.
About The Authors
Solar Surveys Ltd. Engineering Principals.
Solar Surveys Ltd is a specialist UK engineering practice for commercial solar PV. Pre-construction structural engineering is consistently the bottleneck that stalls solar pipelines, delays installations and erodes margins. We built Solar Surveys to close that gap: a specialist practice, qualified structural engineers, designed for the volume and speed that the commercial solar sector now requires.
The guide is published free. There is no in-body sales pitch and no sales call follow-up. Installers who want to commission compliant structural work directly can do so via the contact form on the website.
Anchored to MIS 3002:2025 V6.0 and Eurocode 1. £5M Professional Indemnity. £25M Drone Public Liability. BDF and BMFA accredited drone pilots.
Reference Pages
- MCS Compliance →Verbatim regulatory quotes, V5 vs V6 changes, mandatory dates
- For Solar Installers →How Solar Surveys works with MCS-licensed installers at scale
- Desktop Structural Roof Loading Reports →From £130 per report. 48-hour delivery benchmark.
- On-Site Structural Surveys →From £600 per building. 24-hour mobilisation target.