ul certified

Re: ul certified

The answer is yes, you need "UL Listed" solar panels...

But the details are--the panels (and all of the electrical components such as wiring, grid tied inverter, breakers, etc.) need to be NRTL Listed components (UL, CSA, ETL, TUV, are all NRTL -- Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories).

And, in the US, your building department/insurance company will require via their building codes and/or NEC (National Electric Code) to have NRTL components for final inspection... And your local utility may require that as well.

So--technically, you don't need a UL Red Tag (traceability tag) to give to the government as the system would never have been approved by the inspector in the first place. And--if I recall correctly--I just filled out the places on my tax form for the federal credit... And I kept the receipts if there was ever an audit.

Now--can you put a system into service in a major city that does not have UL Listed panels--apparently the answer is yes:
Panel Fire Question

Buyer beware... Inspectors are human. It will be helpful if you ask questions during the installation and inspection process (but not get in the way too much).

-Bill